One-way cruises offered during fall repositioning season

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- More than 50 cruise ships are offering one-way repositioning voyages this fall, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.

Repositioning cruises are offered as companies move their fleets from summer seasons in Europe, Alaska and Canada to winter seasons in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii and elsewhere. Most of the trips end in U.S. or Caribbean ports.

The trips are often cheaper than similar cruises in peak summer or holiday seasons, though prices vary tremendously by length of trip, type of cabin and cruise line.

The Carnival Freedom's two-week repositioning cruise welcomes passengers in Rome on Oct. 28, then makes stops in Tuscany, Pisa, Lucca or Florence, as well as in Malaga, Spain, and Funchal, in Madeira, before heading to Miami. The Carnival Spirit departs from Vancouver Sept. 19, headed to Hawaii.

Celebrity Cruises departs Sept. 15 from England for Cape Liberty in Bayonne, N.J. Celebrity's Millennium crosses from Barcelona Dec. 2 on a 14-night trip to Fort Lauderdale. The cruise line's Galaxy travels from Barcelona to San Juan departing Dec. 8, with stops in North Africa, the Canary Islands, Barbados, Antigua, and St. Maarten. Celebrity's Summit departs from Vancouver on Sept. 14 on a 14-night cruise through Alaska, down to San Francisco, Catalina Island and San Diego. Stops include the Ketchikan, Skagway, the Hubbard Glacier, and Sitka.

Costa Cruises is offering various trips from Europe to the Dominican Republic, Brazil and the Bahamas, while Crystal Cruises' "Viking Passage" crossing from London to New York departs Aug. 31 with stops in Dublin and Belfast, Ireland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Nuuk, Greenland and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Holland America Line brings the Westerdam leaves from Rome on Oct. 5 for Fort Lauderdale; the Rotterdam from Lisbon for Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 1; and the Prinsendam from Rome (Civitavecchia) to Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 3. At the end of its Alaska season, Holland America moves the Zaandam, Volendam, Zuiderdam, Oosterdam and Ryndam south along the Pacific Coast, offering trips from Vancouver between Sept. 26 and Oct. 7.

You can find a travel agent near you to help book a trip at www.cruising.org, You can also research and book through Web sites for individual cruise lines or through sites like www.cruisecompete.com.