For those who value traveling in style and comfort, for romantic souls who want to experience the style and grace of the "good old days" (but with all the modern conveniences) and for who simply want to escape from the ordinary routine, nothing beats a transatlantic cruise. As short as six days or as long as two weeks or more, these crossings between Europe and America feature the endless pleasures of leisurely days at sea the ship lovers and experienced cruisers treasure, rather than the usual series of port calls.

Transatlantic cruises once were the heart of daily commerce across the Atlantic, but today they are seasonal treats. One cruise line operates a schedule of crossings through the summer months, but most other transatlantic sailings occur with the migrations of cruise fleets from the Caribbean to Europe and the Mediterranean in the spring and the return voyages in the fall.

Eastbound crossings frequently depart from New York, Boston, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and a few Caribbean ports. Westbound ships often sail from Southampton, England; Barcelona, Spain; and other major European port cities. In each case, ships may take a longer, slower southern route past the Canary Islands, or the shorter and quicker northern course.

While a few of these voyages include visits to ports along the way - such as the Canary Islands on the southern crossings or Iceland on the northern path - the unique character of the transatlantic cruise makes these simply short diversions from the main event - the transit across the vast expanse of the Atlantic.