Traveling from the United States to Europe by boat is much simpler than it sounds. There are a number of cruise lines that offer transatlantic and repositioning voyages each year. There are also luxury boats like the Queen Mary II and Seabourn Yachts that sail to Europe often. One last option that is virtually unheard of, is taking passage aboard a freightliner to make the trip to Europe.
Depending on how fast you would like to travel to Europe by boat, embarking on a cruise is always a leisurely option. Transatlantic cruises travel to various parts of the United Kingdom and Mediterranean several times annually. Most cruises of this kind can last up to two to three weeks round-trip. Repositioning cruises is another popular way to cruise overseas. These can sometimes take you to multiple continents during one voyage and last anywhere from two weeks to a month.
Cruise lines that offer transatlantic and repositioning voyages are Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises and Disney Cruises. Each individual cruise line normally features some type of cruise theme when they travel into international waters. Depending on where you're traveling to, many of your onboard events and entertainment shows may represent this theme as could your shore and land excursions.
Cunard oceanliner cruises utilize ships like the Queen Mary II and Queen Victoria to cross the Atlantic into international waters. These types of voyages are a bit costly, but sailing aboard either vessel would be a dream come true to some. The decor of Cunard's ships is elaborate; coming equipped with sparkling chandeliers and elegant velvet tapestries. According to Cunard's website, the Queen Mary II is the "grandest oceanliner ever built."
Cunard vessels sail to Europe several times per year, usually leaving from departure ports like New York or Fort Lauderdale. The voyages with Cunard departing from the United States, last anywhere from eight days to nearly a month. Any quoted prices from the Cunard website do not include taxes, port fees or fuel costs.
The Seabourn Yachts are also a luxury passenger boat that embarks from Fort Lauderdale to a variety of European countries including France, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Seabourn's shortest voyages last 11 days and the longest, 29 days. The passenger fares charged per cruise are more than 50 percent off of regular brochure prices. The company has six yachts in its fleet: three that have a 200-person capacity, and three with a 400-plus-person capacity.
Freightliner Cruises features several voyages to Europe, with some departing every two to three weeks, and some every five to six weeks. Freightliners were originally constructed for one thing: to haul freight. But since around 2000, more freight companies are booking small groups of passengers (around six to 10) for each voyage.
Each freight ship features guest cabin areas, complete with private baths. Shared guest areas include laundry facilities, dining areas, fitness rooms and lounges. All passengers who travel via a freightliner cruise must be completely mobile and able to climb stairs, as there are no elevators or wheelchair accessible ship sections available.
