From $34-A-Day Repositioning Cruises to Europe are THE Spring Bargain

What's the world's lowest-cost, high-quality vacation? From the looks of those trips whose prices have thus far been announced, it's an eastbound, transatlantic re-positioning cruise in late March, April, and early May. I've just studied the rates announced for several dozens of these sailings (the transfer of cruiseships from American waters to European waters that takes place every spring), and can't remember seeing lower prices in earlier years. As surprising as it may seem, it's possible to book a transatlantic cruise of two weeks' duration. Departures are from New York, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, New Orleans, or Galveston arriving at London, Barcelona, or Rome. The lowest price is as little as $34 a day per person. That's on a glamorous ship offering six meals a day, a fitness room, deckside chairs, and professional entertainment at night.
The website that presents these opportunities in the clearest possible fashion is www.vacationstogo.com. Access that site, click on "Atlantic," and you'll scan a logical list in chronological order of every big cruiseship making that transfer sailing -- with the number of nights of each cruise, the originally-announced price for the one-way trip, the discounted price, and the percentage of the discount as compared with the original rate. Some of the sailings are marked down by as much as eighty percent. On a 16-night cruise from Galveston to Barcelona, for instance, on a quality ship, you are often able to pick up a cabin for $549 per person.
Now why is that? It's because, apparently, the public doesn't like spending long periods of time at sea, crossing the Atlantic on a leisurely, south-Atlantic route (that avoids the high seas of the northern Atlantic), without the port stops that a normal cruise makes. What is to me the most desirable of vacations is regarded by most people as a big bore. So the cruiselines are forced virtually to give away their cabins.
And therefore, if you're the sort who enjoys the maritime experience, who likes having the time to read, reflect, and engage in long conversations with your fellow passengers, you will jump to book one of these extraordinary vacation bargains.
It's true that having accomplished such an eastbound voyage, you'll then have to fly back to the United States on a one-way flight. But even when you add the cost of such a return trip, the resulting total price is still a steal for a two-week interlude.