Alternative to Cunard Transatlantic?

[410bev]

Me and my partner like Cunard's transatlantic cruises for the relaxation and low-key atmosphere, but we're looking to try out other cruise lines.  Low-key, and relaxing with as many sea days as possible would be ideal.  Looked at Viking, but seems like you really need to take advantage of all the port excursions to make it worth your money.  Any thoughts/suggestions?  Thanks.  (first time posting, so apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place, etc.) 

[Host Kat]

23 minutes ago, 410bev said:

Me and my partner like Cunard's transatlantic cruises for the relaxation and low-key atmosphere, but we're looking to try out other cruise lines.  Low-key, and relaxing with as many sea days as possible would be ideal.  Looked at Viking, but seems like you really need to take advantage of all the port excursions to make it worth your money.  Any thoughts/suggestions?  Thanks.  (first time posting, so apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place, etc.) 

 

Hello @410bev

 

Welcome to the Cruise Critic website and our message boards! 

 

Thank you for your new thread on the Ask s Cruise Question forum! However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your inquiry was off topic there since it concerns a specific type of cruise. Your thread has been moved to the Transatlantic, Transpacific, Repositioning & Trans-Ocean Cruises forum where it will be on topic. Browse through the thread titles in this forum looking for threads of interest. You may find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you regarding Transatlantic cruises.

 

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[TheOldBear]

31 minutes ago, 410bev said:

Me and my partner like Cunard's transatlantic cruises for the relaxation and low-key atmosphere, but we're looking to try out other cruise lines.  Low-key, and relaxing with as many sea days as possible would be ideal.  Looked at Viking, but seems like you really need to take advantage of all the port excursions to make it worth your money.  Any thoughts/suggestions?  Thanks.  (first time posting, so apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place, etc.) 

Cunard's QM2 was designed to be a transatlantic specialist, so it is difficult to compare with other offerings.

The alternatives seem to fall into two categories - 'repositioning' cruises offered by most cruise lines at the start or end of a season of sailings, and 'grand voyages' like HAL's "Voyage of the Vikings".

By contrast the QM2 makes multiple consecutive crossings [when not on a 'world cruise'] with occasional side trips from Southampton or Brooklyn.

[Hlitner]

Welcome to CC :).  We have done a couple of crossings on the QM2, and did enjoy the experience.  We have also done more than 2 dozen (lost count many years ago) repositioning cruises, across the Atlantic, and a few longer Transpacific crossings,  We prefer the various repo cruises because they are longer voyages, and the ports can be nice.  These days, quite a few lines are doing cruises between Europe and the USA that have multiple ports in places like Iceland, Greenland, Canada, etc.  Tis all good.  

 

When it comes to the repo cruises, you have many options in all different classes of cruise ships from the mass market maga ships, medium size ships of mass market lines (such as HAL), or most of the luxury lines (i.e. Seabourn, Silversea, Regent, etc).  Speaking of mass market lines (we put the normal cabins of the QM2 in that category), Holland America does an annual cruise, usually in August, that is called the Voyage of the Vikings.  One can do that round trip from Boston (about 30-35 days) or go one-way (Rotterdam is often the turn-around port).  For you, that means you only need to get to and from the Black Falcon pier (Boston).

 

Hank

[wine-wine-wine]

I have been on two TAs: one on Silver Moon (Silversea) and one on Viking Sky. 
 

Although arguably some of the food was better on Silversea, the layout of the Viking ship with endless places to find peace and quiet and a view and the massive, incredible and included Nordic Spa made it worth the price and our favorite. 
 

By contrast the forward view on Silver Moon was extremely limited - all of the space is used up by very high end suites. It is also not a particularly relaxed atmosphere IMHO - and I have no objection to dressing up, having sailed on Crystal and looking forward to Sea Cloud. 
 

DW and I are now booked on a Ft Lauderdale to LA voyage on Viking Sky which has many, many sea days. We are treating it as a transoceanic voyage. Can’t wait.