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Transatlantic Crossings: What They're Really Like

Updated 25 October 2026 · 4 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

Quick answerA transatlantic crossing gives you five to eight sea days in a row between North America and Europe. You can sail it on Cunard's Queen Mary 2, the one purpose-built ocean liner still in service, or on a repositioning cruise each spring and fall, which usually adds island stops and costs less per night.

A transatlantic crossing is a run of five to eight sea days with no ports, just ocean, the ship and time. People who love it describe it as the most restful travel they've ever done. People who like a new port every day usually find it too long. Knowing which you are is most of the decision.

What is a crossing actually like?

The first day or two feel like any sea day. By day three, a rhythm settles in: a late breakfast, a morning lecture, lunch, a walk on deck, a nap, then dinner and a show. Clocks change by an hour on most nights, so days stretch or shrink depending on your direction.

Ships schedule their fullest programmes on crossings because nobody is going ashore. Expect guest lecturers giving a series of talks, dance classes, trivia, films, cooking demonstrations and workshops.

A typical day at sea

Morning: coffee on deck, then a lecture on maritime history or the night sky.
Late morning: a fitness class, a dance lesson or time in the library.
Afternoon: lunch, a film or a long read in a lounge chair.
Early evening: a walk around the promenade and a drink as the light fades.
Night: dinner, then a show or live music.

Two very different ways to cross

	Ocean liner crossing	Repositioning crossing
Ship	Queen Mary 2, built for the North Atlantic	Mainstream ships moving between seasons
Route	Usually New York to Southampton, about 7 nights	Florida or the Caribbean to Europe, or back
Length	About 7 nights, no ports	Often 12–16 nights, with island stops
When	Several times a year	Spring (to Europe) and fall (to North America)
Feel	Traditional, with formal evenings	Relaxed, like any sea-day-heavy cruise
Price	Premium	Often low per night

Queen Mary 2 is the only purpose-built ocean liner still sailing, and it keeps traditions like formal evenings and even kennels for travelling dogs. Repositioning crossings are how most ships move between Caribbean and European seasons, often stopping in the Azores, Madeira or the Canary Islands. For more on those, see what a repositioning cruise is.

Will it be rough?

This is open ocean, not the Inside Passage. Spring and fall crossings are more likely to see swells, and northern routes are cooler and windier. Southern routes via the Azores or Canaries are usually milder.

Book a midship cabin on a lower deck, pack the seasickness remedies that work for you and take them early. How bad seasickness really gets covers the options.

Who loves crossings and who doesn't

They suit readers, people who love being at sea, couples who want unhurried time together, and travellers heading to Europe for a longer stay anyway. Westbound crossings are also a gentle way to come home without jet lag.

They are a poor fit for anyone who gets restless without ports, is very prone to seasickness, or wants warm weather and pool days the whole way.

Getting there and home from Canada

Crossings are one-way, so you will fly the other direction. Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat serve many European cities from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with connections from Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Halifax. A popular plan is to sail to Europe in spring, tour by land for a week or two, then fly home.

A few northern crossings call in Iceland, Greenland or Atlantic Canada, which can shorten the journey for some Canadians. Confirm routes for your dates.

For a full budget, including the one-way flight, see transatlantic crossing cost from Canada.

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Planning your first crossing

Choose your style first: liner tradition or relaxed repositioning. Then pick spring or fall dates, book a midship cabin and plan the land portion. If time at sea is what you're after, longer cruises for retirees has more ideas.

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Frequently asked questions

Are transatlantic crossings rough?

They can be. The North Atlantic is open ocean, so swells are more likely than on sheltered routes, especially in spring and fall, though big modern ships handle it well and many crossings are calm. Motion-sensitive travellers should pick summer or southern routes and a midship, lower-deck cabin.

What do you do on a crossing with no ports?

Crossings run some of the fullest daytime programmes at sea: lecture series, dance classes, trivia, films, workshops and the spa. Many people also simply read, walk the deck and enjoy having nowhere to be.

Is it better to cross eastbound or westbound?

Westbound, towards North America, is easier on the body because clocks go back an hour on most nights, giving you 25-hour days. Eastbound loses an hour most nights, though you arrive in Europe already adjusted to local time.