Moving via cruise vs. flying

Has anyone done their move by taking a transatlantic cruise instead of flying?

I thought of this the other day and thought it would be a cool idea. I thought it would be like a vacation in the middle of a stressful move. I know some cruise lines have no baggage limits and I don't plan to move all that much, but definitely more than the airline baggage limits, so it may be a better way to get my stuff moved.

DB doesn't like the idea of going on a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean though. He said it's a definite maybe.

I'm just wondering if anyone has done this or has looked into it. Any recommendations?

We did!!!!

Back in '96 - we were married and moved ten days later...  We took the QE2 from New York to Southampton so it was also part of our honeymoon.  However, we did have movers, for our household.

I don't know how many cruise lines offer transatlantic sailings.  The style and age bracket differs cruise line to cruise line.  Perhaps the itinerary is a factor as well.

We thoroughly enjoyed our crossing.  It was very relaxing after planning all of the details of getting married then immediately moving to another country.

We were probably the youngest passengers - by a lot.  This wasn't a factor to us at all, but may be to somebody else.  We just chilled out, switched off and didn't have to think about doing a single thing for five days - except for what to eat at meal time.

Has anyone done their move by taking a transatlantic cruise instead of flying?

crabbit.expat did this!
Unfortunately, she hasn't got internet access at the moment, but you might try searching her old posts from a couple of years ago?

There's another member here who did - Chrishammil I think? She hasn't been on in ages though.

We are considering it if we go to the US. The luggage issue and the fact they have kennels for animals is appealing. But the Cunard lines (QE2, QV, QM2) have about one sailing per month which could be problematic for some.

Also, if you have children, the pay full-whack over the age of 2 (on Cunard) - another huge issue for us.

I'd be very interested to know what other lines do this.

I'd totally love to do this for our honeymoon- sadly I don't think we can afford it.

I was under the impression that Cunard was our only option for a transatlantic cruise?  Are there other lines that sail this route then?

I think that Cunard is the only cruise line that does transatlantic into New York

other cruise line do..do transatlantic but not into New York they do what is called repositioning cruise twice a year but they will go from Southampton down to Barbados and does not call into New York.

There are baggage allowance on most cruise lines..you have to check before you book to see what that is. The ones I have been on it has been limited to 2 suitcases per person..and we didn't fly on one of those.

I'm glad other people did it and loved it!

I was looking at Cunard, time is not a concern because I'm a teacher and DB would be leaving his job here to begin his final year of his course anyway, so we could just adjust his date accordingly.

I don't mind the age thing, it might be fun if we were able to find a cruse line that had the rock wall and all that, but I think both of us would enjoy a relaxing cruise and Cunard does have a swimming pool and some other things to do as well.

I did look at the luggage allowance for Cunard and they said there are no limitations.

I just thought of it on Sunday and haven't looked too much, we do have a year, I just want to look into it and see if we might be able to do it. 

Thia is a great idea!!!!  I had considered it at one point, I remember.  But I think it was just not a good time (With dates and such)  Wow, no limits on luggage, that is fantastic!

Do it, do it, do it  

I want to so badly!! As I said before, DB is a bit weary of the idea of being on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic. He mentioned concerns about hurricanes and the Titanic. I said well, we don't have to drown.  We would be going in July or August, they have sailings both of those months.

I hope to convince him. We wouldn't be moving enough to make it bad on the crew as far a luggage, but it would definitely be more than the airlines would allow us.

I'm definitely going to research it some more and work on convincing DB.   

I didn't know so many people had either done it or considered it.

That does stink about having to pay full price for a child over 2 though, if we had kids, I would have to rethink it.

OK, I can see why he would worry.  But tell him in the last (almost) 100 years since the Titanic they have made many improvements

A friend of mine (From Boston) does cruises all the time.  She loves them.  I can get you to meet up with her to talk about them. 

My grandparents and my mother moved via ship... and their only advice would be to keep an eye on your stuff as it's getting loaded.  Nothing arrived on the other side.

That was 1944, though.

My family lived in France for 3 years and we travelled both ways on the QE2.  This was 1972 & 1975 mind you, so not exactly recent.  But I can tell you that, even though I was just a kid at the time, I have very fond memories of the trips.  We had our dog with us and a lot of luggage.  They did a lot of fun activities for kids - my sister and I still vividly remember dressing up as Peter Pan and Tinkerbell for a costume party.  That said, when we moved to London this year, we flew (not enough time) - but I would definitely take a ship if you can - what a relaxing way to make such a big change!

This is a great idea, and one that hadent even crossed my mind! Does anyone know though whether taking your dogs into the UK via a cruise would still qualify under the PETS scheme??

I wish I'd moved by ship! I was just in such a hurry to get over here that I never even looked into it.

I agree: Do it! 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/noneuroutes-sea.htm

approved non-eu sea routes