• With repositioning cruises, tourists should plan how they'll return home.cruise image by Einar Bog from Fotolia.com
  
  Repositioning cruises are for travelers interested vacationing when others aren't thinking about going on a cruise. Typically, when the weather in a region turns cold, cruise lines move (reposition) their ships from once-warm places such as Alaska to regions such as the Caribbean. Repositioning occurs in the reverse, too when the temperatures warm. Travels can take advance of repositioning trips, but there are pros and cons to doing so.
  
  

Value and Time

• Discounted repositioning, or transition cruises, are great bargains compared to regular prices during tourist season. Cruise lines offer various routes and ships at a variety of prices that meet tourist budgets. These are off-season trips, only offered twice a year. For instance, in March of 2010, the Seabourn Spirit sailed from Brazil to its repositioning port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In addition to discounted prices, these are longer cruises than during the summer. These trips are usually for two weeks instead of seven to 10 days, according to MSNBC. For example, the Brazil to Fort Lauderdale trip took 17 days.
  
  

Repositioning Cruses Aren't As Luxurious

• The downside of repositioning cruises is travelers get what they pay for---a one-way only trip. They must determine how to return home, which could mean paying for airfare. According to Guide to Cruising, cruise lines offer a reduced staff and few stops. The goal of repositioning is getting the cruise ships from one area to another in the shortest time. When the cruise ships do stop, it may be brief and in lesser-known areas. So, travelers spend most of their vacation at sea. This can be a con for tourists who like to stop at several ports.
  
  

Weather Can Become a Pro or a Con

• Since repositioning cruises are off-season, the weather can be a pro or con. Weather is unpredictable and cruise lines can't guarantee the best conditions. In fact, weather dictates the end of the season for a cruise route, according to Guide to Cruising. If the weather turns bad out to sea, cruise conditions can become rough.