Repositioning & transatlantic cruises: How to save over £600

Repositioning cruises might not sound sexy – and if you’re new to cruise you’ll likely have no idea what the term even means – but actually this type of cruise can make for the perfect bargain, best-of-both-worlds vacation that you may well start booking year-on-year when you realise the myriad benefits!

What’s a repositioning cruise?

Repositioning cruises are one-off, one-way sailings when cruise ships change seasonal homeports or cross oceans.

Also known as repo cruises, these itineraries involve a number of days at sea which are the perfect opportunity to make the most of all the ship has to offer (and really tuck into that all-inclusive offering!) as well as seeing an array of both popular and lesser-visited ports along the way.

Marella Cruises offers a selection of repositioning and transatlantic cruises which see the TUI ships making their way from the Mediterranean, where they’ve spent the summer, over to the Caribbean where they’ll pass the winter in the Caribbean (it’s a nice life for them, hey!).

Not only are itineraries packed full of fantastic ports of call but globetrotters can save hundreds and hundreds of pounds on these all-inclusive vacations!

A repositioning cruise is generally cheaper due to the high number of days at sea so is the perfect way to visit the Mediterranean and Caribbean while saving money.

For instance, Marella repositioning cruises all include flights as well as all food and drink and all tips. How jammy is that!

Are repositioning cruises fun?

Transatlantic cruises are brilliant for the diversity of ports of call on both sides of the pond but also for the opportunity they provide to full maximise everything the ship has to offer – no need to feel guilty for not heading off ashore!

These TUI ships are packed full of bars, restaurants, lounges, theatres… you name it, so no chance of getting bored on Marella repositioning cruises!

Marella Discovery 2 sails the Transatlantic Discoveries itinerary and boasts an outdoor cinema, a rock climbing wall, a mini golf course, two pools – one indoor and one outdoor – seven restaurants, a spa and Broadway-style performances are on every night in the 800-plus capacity show lounge.

There are seven restaurants in total (one for every day of the week!) with included eateries covering everything from Italian cuisine to festival food stalls while speciality restaurants range from sushi and steak to south and east Asian fare.

Marella Explorer 2, the newest ship in the TUI fleet, sails the Atlantic Explorer route. A full-time adults-only ship, the vessel is ideal for this Marella repositioning cruise 2022 with such exciting facilities as the Champneys Spa, a chic bar-club-casino space and The 19th Hole – a golf-themed bar with a golf simulator.

There are nine bars and nine restaurants in total, some of which are the same as onboard Marella Discovery 2, but there’s also fine dining restaurant The Dining Club, Beach Cove – a relaxed restaurant with barbecue-inspired menus and quirky swinging seats – and Nonna’s where you can make your own pizza and pasta dishes from scratch. As for entertainment, there’s a nightclub, an open-air cinema and Broadway Show Lounge offering 12 shows in total.

Last but not least, Marella Discovery, which cruises Voyage to the Tropics, is one of the TUI cruise line’s biggest ships.

Perks of the ship include seven bars, seven restaurants, an outdoor cinema, a five-storey atrium, a rock climbing wall, a minigolf course, a casino, an open-air cinema and two pools – one indoor and one outdoor.