A transatlantic cruise can consist almost entirely of an ocean crossing or connect several ports on both sides of the Atlantic. For comparison, it is therefore important to consider not only the total duration, but also the longest stretch without a port call and the number of stops along the way. One published 14-night itinerary aboard Odyssey of the Seas sails from Civitavecchia via Barcelona, Cartagena, Málaga and Ponta Delgada to Cape Liberty in New Jersey.
Combining port calls with an ocean crossing
On this itinerary, Barcelona, Cartagena and Málaga come before the stop in Ponta Delgada in the Azores. The shore visits also differ: Royal Caribbean highlights GaudÃ’s architecture and Park Güell in Barcelona, the Roman Theatre and Castillo de la Concepción in Cartagena, and the Alcazaba and Picasso Museum in Málaga. Including visits to these cities means comparing a different kind of trip from a more direct crossing with only a few port calls.
Departing from Civitavecchia, arriving in New Jersey
The starting point is Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, not the city centre. The itinerary overview gives the train journey between the port and Rome as approximately 80 minutes each way. At the other end is Cape Liberty in New Jersey. The departure and arrival points are in different countries and regions, so getting to the port and travelling home are two separate legs.
Sea days on the sample itinerary
The sample itinerary shows how the 14 nights are divided: one sea day follows Civitavecchia, then come three Mediterranean ports, two more sea days, Ponta Delgada, and finally six days crossing the Atlantic to Cape Liberty. This makes it easier to weigh experiences at the intermediate ports against longer stretches of time on board within the same trip. There are nine sea days in total, six of them consecutive with no port calls.
Related cruise regions
For those who want to compare individual port regions rather than the long crossing, see the additional overviews of Mediterranean cruises and Caribbean cruises.
