From USA To England by way of an Ocean Liner.

https://www.cruisetransatlantic.com/usa-england-cruise.html

https://www.seat61.com/queen-mary-2-transatlantic.htm

https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cruise-destinations/transatlantic-cruises

No personal experience, but the above should provide some info.

Francis, not much in replies, so I'll mention a couple of second hand things. Have you done a sea cruise before? The biggest deterrent to me would be having multiple days at sea. I know someone who is on the Cunard Queen Mary II currently in Asia, eventually heading to UK and then ending in NYC in several weeks. She is older and a very experienced cruiser, and knew what to expect. She described it as a very expensive retirement home, as the clientele were older and wealthier than her previous cruises. She was not complaining just pointing that out.

The Queen Mary is the only ocean liner left in the world and the only passenger vessel making the voyage on a semi regular basis.

However most of the international American cruise lines do repositioning trips in the Spring to Europe, normally but not exclusively from ports in Florida. Sometimes they might start from New York for the iconic exit. They usually have a few port calls on the way- somewhere like Bermuda and then the Azores or Madeira, and maybe a Spanish or Portugese port. As they are one way trips they can be really good value.

My daughter’s aunt and uncle made the trip from the US to Europe a few years ago on the Queen Mary 2, and loved the experience. They actually got a pretty decent price and considered it a new travel experience. It certainly not the most economical or quickest way to travel, but if you like traveling by water, it can’t be beat.

They went one way from New York to Southampton in England, then made their way to France where they did a bicycling tour in the Loire Valley region and spent some time in the Netherlands. At the end of their trip, they flew back to the US.

Interestingly, her uncle’s name is also Francis. 😊

I am seeking the "Ocean Liner" experience. Not a Cruise Ship experience. I'm thinking that Cunard will eventually end their service. I want to have that experience. I'm very use to extended trips on boats, but never in the open ocean on a ship. :) I think flying out to England and then taking the Liner back would be the way to go. This would be fun, as it is how a Grand Father immigrated to the USA.

I'm not really sure that the sort of liner experience you are looking for still exists transatlantically.

I know of what you speak. When I was young and jets were rare our family frequently - every year or two - used liners between New York and Southampton and Southampton and New York. This was the 1950s and early 1960s, by which time Boeing 707s were on the scene and less than a day seemed better than 5 or 4 and a half. I've been on the Queen Elizabeth and many other Cunards, the France, the SS United States and several others. QE-2 once. My grandparents always were First Class and often on the Queen Mary. We usually went Cabin Class or equivalent. Captain's table one night, gala night another, always something on but not the 24 hour grazing now encouraged on cruise ships plying the North Atlantic on repositioning, we usually had two choices of entertainment and meals, not all the choices nowadays. Real portholes too, no giant windows in the cabin. These were the original Queens, not the similarly named of today.

If that still exists somebody please tell me. I don't think it does..

If you want transatlantic these days it is cruise ships which look and operate like cruise ships. Or a rare freighter.

I’m curious…What is the difference between an ocean liner and a cruise ship? I’ve seen the distinction referenced before but don’t really get it. Thanks

As said, Queen Mary is the last of the ocean liners. For smoother sailings, April or May is the better options. Cunard website has some good information with regards to what to know for transatlantic crossings.
Nigel, Queen Mary 2 has ocean view windows, but rather than the small portholes, it is a large round window...almost Floor to ceiling. One step up from their inside cabin.
I have done a few cruises, only one on Cunard, and that was Queen Victoria. It is certainly a step above a cruise ship when you are just comparing entry level rooms and service, so I would expect even better on the Queen Mary.
What might be reminiscent to old ways of sailing is that pets are allowed on board the Queen Mary. Not sure Madame can wander all decks with her pet Pekingese in tow, but perhaps. This actually draws tourists who are reluctant to leave la pooch behind on their trip to UK, thus possibly changing up the age dynamic a bit.

Danny, this article explains the difference rather well: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-an-ocean-liner-and-cruise-ship?source=133828&suppressTabs=1&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAopuvBhBCEiwAm8jaMZQVirBoNWcxbT35o4h5k7XW_6QrD7IOCqkfvsecfiXKaoQqfoFJuxoCJmQQAvD_BwE

Francis, as mentioned, the QM2 is the only remaining liner in operation. We have sailed on her once, and loved the classic experience aboard. We certainly weren't bored on sea days, but you won't have any of the amusement park activities like you would have on many Carnival, Norwegian or Royal Caribbean ships. Also, dress codes are more formal, and definitely enforced. But don't let that deter you. It's really an experience.

ETA- regarding pets on QM2: there are a lot of hoops to jump through (for the owner, not the pet). Veterinary clearances, etc. And the pets must stay in the kennel area. They can't walk the decks with Mummy whenever she wants. But owners can visit them. Only a limited number of pets are allowed per sailing, and from what I've read, the spaces fill up really fast.

Sadly Transantlantic freighter voyages have not returned after Covid. There used to be a weekly Liverpool to Canada voyage, and others to various East coast US ports, but looking them up now all have ceased.
It also looks as if the tramp route from Ijmuiden to the Great Lakes also now no longer carries passengers.
So options have really narrowed.

You can of course still stay overnight on the original Queen Mary at Long Beach, although reports this week say that internally she is looking very neglected.

Francis, We are taking a repositioning cruise on a Celebrity ship leaving from Fort Lauderdale and stopping at the Azores and a couple of other cruise ports like Portland ( UK), Cork and Bruges before ending at Southampton, about an hour and some outside of London. The cruise runs for thirteen nights and where we're at sea for six days to the Azores and after a stop two days to the other stops. There's lots to do on the ship and you shouldn't be bored. We enjoy Celebrity Cruise Lines because they suit us best. It's mostly older adults, few kids and not a party type of environment. You should explore the various cruise lines for pricing and routings online. We usually book the trip through Costco Travel or directly with the cruise line. Do book well ahead like as much as a year ahead. As for returning flights we book our own. We look for flights using Expedia, Skyscanner and similar sites and then book directly with the airline or their partner. We try our best to get the most out of our travel dollars by extending our time in the area. This time we will spend a few days touring on our own out of Southampton and then joining a Rick Steves London City tour before flying home. Last year our cruise ended outside of Rome, so we shipped home one bag to lighten our load, hopped a train to the Amalfi Coast and flew home from Naples. There's lots out there for creative, adventurous travelers - and I sense that you are one of them!
You might consider doing a short cruise from a city near you if you haven't cruised before to get an idea of what to expect and to see if it works for you.
Enjoy!!

I took a small Dutch liner from NY to Southampton in 1962, full of students, took about ten days and had some rocking and rolling on a few of them. Then back a year later from Cherbourg to NYC on the original Queen Mary, more like five days and more comfortable. I would sneak upstairs from steerage into the first class areas and try to look inconspicuous. That ship is in Long Beach now.

Twice in this century my wife and I have taken transatlantic repositioning cruises on NCL ships, a very different experience as described in previous posts, with stops in places like the Azores, Ireland, Shetland, Iceland, and Newfoundland (on different cruises). For these, the journey was the destination, so to speak, and not that different from a typical cruise like many people take except fewer ports.

I'd encourage you to take one of the Cunard cruises that's basically about transportation rather than a floating amusement park. If it's on your bucket list, I assume you love to be on the water as I do, so why not?

I was on 4 transatlantic voyages on the QE2. I loved each and every voyage. For a transatlantic voyage, I would look at Cunard only. Why? Their ships are built to handle the transatlantic crossings. The ships are not cruise ships which look like a strong wind will tip them over (I know the chance of that happening is slight), don't have the amusements of a park, but just get you from point A to B in luxury and style and Incredibly relaxing. I don't want the amusement park atmosphere.

Note that the north Atlantic can be a rough crossing. My trips were in the fall and there were periods of 30 ft swells. Still and all, I am looking to another transatlantic crossing in the next few years.

about those high swells - the Irish Sea can be good fun anytime but especially in the winter and later autumn and early spring. But that's part of the adventure, and why they put banisters or velvet ropes along the corridors.

A correction of retiredinVt's post. Not all Cunard ships are ocean liners. Only QM2. Queens Elizabeth, Victoria, and Anne are cruise ships. Of course all cruise ships belonging to the regular cruise lines are perfectly safe for transoceanic crossings. Otherwise they never would have passed their seaworthiness inspections. The difference with QM2 ( and her predecessors) is that she was built to handle the 6 day fast crossing of the North Atlantic even in winter. Traditionally liners were primarily intended as a means of transportation, and the pleasure cruising and port stops aspects were secondary.

One benefit of the transatlantic ship trip from the USA to Southampton (or any European port) is no jet lag.
Jet lag has been a big problem for me on flights to the UK, so I'm hoping a transatlantic journey will solve that.
On the transatlantic, I will adjust a little each day and be ready to go once I'm in Southampton.
We're looking at the QM2 leaving from NYC, or perhaps a Celebrity ship leaving from Fort Lauderdale.

Too late to book for 2024; we're looking at 2025 or 2026.