| p>By September, the weather in the Gulf of Alaska | | | | San Franciscans can leave from their home city and |
| starts to change and many of the ships that have | | | | sail on the Sea Princess to Fort Lauderdale. Or they |
| spent the summer there need to relocate to the | | | | can extend the 15-night cruise and disembark in |
| Caribbean for the fall, winter, and spring. There are | | | | Barbados a week later. The shorter cruise is a better |
| two kinds of repositioning cruises from Alaska: short | | | | value, with deep discounts available. But the longer |
| hauls which sail from Vancouver to Southern | | | | voyage includes calls in the Bahamas, the British Virgin |
| California, and long hauls which go all the way to the | | | | Islands, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Maarten. |
| Caribbean via the Panama Canal. | | | | In early October, the Celebrity Millennium sails from |
| The Panama Canal really is a modern engineering | | | | Los Angeles to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 16-night |
| marvel. It's only feet wider than many of the ships | | | | voyage stops in several Mexican ports, Costa Rica, |
| that make the transit, so you'll often feel like you're | | | | and Aruba, in addition to transiting the Panama Canal. |
| threading a needle. And navigating the locks is a | | | | With Champagne and martini bas, an MP3 music |
| unique cruise experience. Having a stateroom with a | | | | library, and one of the biggest cruise ship spas, the |
| balcony is a big plus when going through the canal. | | | | Millennium has a lot going for it. Staterooms with |
| The Island Princess leaves Vancouver around | | | | balconies were available for under $100 per person, |
| mid-September on a 17-night repositioning cruise to | | | | per night. |
| Fort Lauderdale. Its sister ship, the Coral Princess, | | | | By May, the remaining ships make their repositioning |
| calls at Cabo, Acapulco, Aruba, and six other ports. | | | | cruises to Alaska. |
| For 2009, balcony cabins were running around $100 | | | | Those who have plenty of time on their hands will |
| per person, per night. Both the Island Princess and | | | | enjoy the 20-night voyage from Ft. Lauderdale to |
| the Coral Princess transit the Panama Canal in late | | | | San Francisco aboard the Regent Seven Seas |
| April of 2010 on their way back to Alaska. They sail | | | | Navigator. With only 450 lucky passengers to attend |
| from Fort Lauderdale and spend 18 nights making the | | | | to, the Seven Seas Navigator offers stellar service. |
| journey. | | | | Her per diem is more than many competing cruises, |
| In late September, the Norwegian Peal leaves Los | | | | but fares were running about 60% off rack rate. |
| Angeles for Miami, stopping in Mexico, Guatemala, | | | | Silversea's Silver Shadow is another 6 star ship |
| Costa Rica, and Columbia along the way. In addition | | | | making this voyage. Her 228 passengers dine in a |
| to the ports, there are six sea days for relaxing, and | | | | Relais & Chateaux restaurant, smoke cigars in a |
| the ship has fun facilities like a cigar bar, a sports bar, | | | | Davidoff humidor, and sip Dom Perignon at the |
| and a bowling alley. In fall of 2009, fares were being | | | | Champagne Bar. The Silver Shadow sails from Fort |
| discounted about 50%. | | | | Lauderdale to Los Angeles, stopping in Columbia, |
| In April 2010, the ship returns from Miami to Los | | | | Panama, and Acapulco en route. This is the most |
| Angeles, and then begins the Alaska season in May. | | | | luxurious of the Panama Canal cruises. |