The Royal Caribbean cruise line (royalcaribbean.com) operates transatlantic crossings as part of its regular travel itinerary. Seventeen transatlantic crusies are scheduled for 2013. These journeys fall into the category of repositioning cruises: They occur in either the spring or fall, when Royal Caribbean ships are moving between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean for the winter and summer seasons.

Ships

Ten of Royal Caribbean's 22 ships are involved in transatlantic cruises: the Serenade, Adventure, Independence, Splendour, Vision, Brilliance, Liberty, Navigator, Mariner and Legend of the Seas. They range in size from some of the smallest ships in the fleet, such as Splendour and Legend, to midsize vessels such as the Independence and Liberty.

Cruises

Of the 17 transatlantic cruises on Royal Caribbean in 2013, eight are eastbound and nine are westbound; the duration ranged from 10 to 17 days. The eastbound departure and arrival ports include Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Florida; Galveston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Boston, Massachusetts; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Going westbound, the beginning and ending ports are Southampton and Harwich, England; Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Rome, Italy; and Copenhagen, Denmark.

Itineraries

A transatlantic crossing can be done in seven days, so most of the cruises add additional ports of call. Going in either direction, the Caribbean is a popular destination, with some eastbound ships stopping in the Bahamas, St. Thomas, San Juan and St. Maarten. Other eastbound itineraries include port days in European cities such as Le Havre, Livorno, Bruges or Amsterdam. Still other ships stop at Atlantic ports such as Ponta Delgada, Azores or Funchal, Madeira.

Activities

If you're worried about what you'll do on a ship for two weeks, you'll be relieved to know that you can find activities such as rock climbing, zip lining, simulated surfing and ice skating on Royal Caribbean -- all in addition to the standard gym workouts and Pilates classes. The ships also include full-service spas with an assortment of treatments such as massage, body wraps and facials.

Dress Code

Royal Caribbean has three levels of recommended evening attire: Casual, Smart Casual and Formal. A great deal of difference doesn't exist between the first two: Slacks and a polo or collared shirt are fine for men, while women will be comfortable in summer dresses, slacks and Capri pants. On Formal nights, appropriate dress is tuxedos or suits and ties for men and evening gowns for women. Expect three formal evenings on a transatlantic cruise.

About the Author

Mark Spivak is a writer and reporter with more than 20 years of experience. He has contributed to various newspapers, magazines and online publications, including "National Geographic Traveler," "Robb Report," "Art & Antiques," "Men's Journal" and Newsmax. Spivak is also the author of "Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History," published by Lyons Press.

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