America Cruises from Southampton

Why Sail to America from Southampton?

Southampton is one of the busiest cruise departure points in the UK, and the sailings to America from here are among the most varied on offer. Transatlantic crossings dominate the programme, putting New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles within reach of a direct sea voyage — no airport, no security queues, no hold luggage limits. Voyage lengths run from around 7 nights up to grand world cruise itineraries of well over 100 nights, with a typical sailing sitting at around 21 nights, giving you a genuine sense of the ocean rather than a quick hop.

What Types of Sailing Are Available?

These sailings are a mix of one-way voyages and round trips, and it is worth knowing which you are booking before you commit. On a round-trip crossing you leave Southampton and return to it; on a one-way voyage you end the cruise at an American or other international port and need to make your way home. We can take care of the return flight — and any hotels or transfers either side of it — as part of a Cruise1st Package, so the whole journey stays on one booking rather than becoming a puzzle to solve yourself.

Where Do These Sailings Go?

The transatlantic crossing is by far the most popular route from Southampton to America, with sailings heading west across the North Atlantic to the eastern seaboard and beyond. A smaller but significant share of sailings form part of longer world cruise itineraries, which call at ports across multiple continents before or after their American legs.

Disembarkation ports include New York, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) on the Florida coast — where it is worth noting that Miami and Fort Lauderdale are about half an hour apart, so a Florida sailing can depart from either and it pays to check both for your preferred dates. Further options include Los Angeles, Boston and Sydney on the longer world cruise voyages, with some itineraries also calling at Quebec City or Rio de Janeiro along the way.

If you are looking at a South America cruise from Southampton specifically, that is a separate programme with its own itineraries and departure dates.

Which Cruise Lines Sail to America from Southampton?

Cunard is the most popular choice on this route by a considerable margin — and with good reason. The transatlantic crossing is what Cunard was built for, and no other line owns this water quite the same way. Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean both offer sailings, as do P&O Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. Browse the full range of cruises across all lines or explore the broader cruises from Southampton programme if you want to compare routes.

Which Ships Are Sailing?

Queen Mary 2 — Cunard

Queen Mary 2 is the world’s only ocean liner — purpose-built for the North Atlantic, not a converted cruise ship — and she is the vessel most people picture when they imagine a transatlantic crossing. She carries the first planetarium at sea: the Illuminations venue hosts stargazing shows alongside cinema screenings, concerts and lectures. Evenings mean six speciality restaurants, a Royal Court Theatre with West End-calibre productions, and nightly ballroom dancing in the Queens Room. If you are deciding on a cabin, the Queen Mary 2 cabins and deck plans page walks through every grade. A sample of what is available:

• Britannia Inside cabin HB (atrium view) — 14.8 m²: the only inside cabin with a view of QM2’s impressive atrium, making it feel noticeably brighter than a standard interior.
• Britannia Solo cabin KB (outside) — 16.5 m²: designed exclusively for solo travellers with no single supplement, with full Britannia service for one person.
• Britannia Balcony cabin BU (covered loggia) — 25 m²: a sheltered loggia rather than an open balcony, giving fresh air and sea views whatever the Atlantic weather is doing.
• Queens Grill Grand Duplex Suite Q1 — 208.9 m²: a two-storey maisonette with over 200 m² of private space — more than twice any other Queens Grill suite on board.

Queen Anne — Cunard

Launched in 2024, Queen Anne is Cunard’s newest ship, completing the four-Queens fleet. She brings Art Deco interiors and the line’s famous White Star Service to a ship built for a new generation of Cunard passengers. The Mareel Wellness Spa occupies an entire upper deck, including a Himalayan Salt Sauna, cold therapy room, hydrotherapy pool and the glass-domed Pavilion pool venue. Dining runs to 15 restaurants, among them Sir Samuel’s steakhouse, Aji Wa Japanese dining and the Golden Lion pub overseen by Michelin-starred chef Michael Roux. See the full range of options on the Queen Anne cabins and deck plans page. Cabin grades include:

• Britannia Inside cabin IA — 13.7 m²: with a dedicated cabin steward available around the clock and a daily turndown service.
• Britannia Deluxe Ocean-view cabin EA — 21.9 m²: around 3 m² more space than a standard ocean-view, with a separate seating area.
• Britannia Club Balcony cabin A1 — 21.9 m²: exclusive access to the Britannia Club Restaurant with a reserved table — a more intimate dining experience than the main restaurant.
• Queens Grill Grand Suite Q1 — 133.8 m²: the largest suite category on board, more than twice the size of the Master Suite.

Freedom of the Seas — Royal Caribbean

Freedom of the Seas brings Royal Caribbean’s onboard energy to the transatlantic crossing, with a 3D cinema, an open-air cinema screen and an ice-skating rink on board. The Tropics bar serves exotic drinks in the kind of relaxed poolside setting that makes a sea day feel less like waiting and more like the holiday itself. Cabin options range from large inside cabins with a promenade view (31.6 m²) through to the Royal Suite (130.1 m²). Check the Freedom of the Seas cabins and deck plans for availability and grades.

Queen Victoria — Cunard

Queen Victoria’s Royal Court Theatre is the first at sea to feature private boxes, and hosts West End-calibre productions every evening. The largest ballroom at sea is the centrepiece of Cunard’s famous Gala evenings, complete with a live orchestra and white-gloved afternoon tea. Dining is tiered across Britannia, Princess Grill and Queen’s Grill restaurants — the most traditional class-dining experience available afloat. See Queen Victoria’s cabins and deck plans when you are ready to choose your grade.

Sky Princess — Princess Cruises

81% of Sky Princess cabins have a private balcony — one of the highest ratios in the Princess fleet, which matters on a transatlantic voyage when you want to watch the ocean from your own outdoor space. The Sanctuary adults-only retreat adds private cabanas, spa treatments and light meals on a dedicated sun deck. Dining options include Crown Grill, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and Chef’s Table Lumiere with a galley tour. Browse Sky Princess cabins and deck plans before booking.

Arcadia — P&O Cruises

Arcadia is a P&O adults-only ship with a three-tier Palladium theatre, Marco Pierre White’s Ocean Grill restaurant and a hydro-therapy pool on board. She sails from Southampton, so you can board at the port and be at sea the same afternoon with no airport involved at the start of your journey. See Arcadia’s cabins and deck plans for the full grade breakdown.

What Do the Fares Include?

Fare inclusions vary by cruise line, and understanding what is in the price before you book saves surprises on board.

Cunard offers several fare types. The flexible Cunard Fare includes your choice of stateroom number, priority for upgrades, a low 15% deposit with a flexible balance payment date, and complimentary shuttle buses at ports. Fare options such as the OBC + Drinks, Coach + Drinks and Car Parking + Drinks tiers add extras at the point of booking. The Saver Fare offers lower pricing in exchange for a pre-allocated stateroom and full payment at the time of booking — suited to those with flexibility on their exact cabin.

Princess Cruises offers a Standard fare covering the cruise itself, with Princess Plus available to add dining (4 casual dining meals per voyage), drinks (up to $15 per drink, up to 15 per day), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs and reserved theatre seating.

Royal Caribbean carries fare types such as last-minute offers and a single/solo fare for guests taking sole occupancy of a stateroom. Promotions change regularly, so it is worth asking our team what is current when you call.

Discounts on America Cruises from Southampton

Some sailings carry a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade — up to 33% on a single departure, though that maximum applies to one sailing and most reductions across the programme are around 1%. It is worth checking individual sailings rather than assuming a page-wide sale; the savings are genuine where they appear, just not uniform.

Make It a Complete Holiday

On a round-trip sailing you leave and return to Southampton — drive or take the train to the port and that is it for ground travel. On a one-way voyage ending in America or beyond, you will need a flight home, and our team can arrange that as part of the same booking along with any hotels, transfers, tours and travel insurance you need. A Cruise1st Package puts the cruise and all the surrounding travel into one booking, one payment and one point of contact if anything needs changing.

Cruise1st is rated 4.5/5 on Trustpilot from over 7,000 reviews, and is ABTA and ATOL protected, giving you financial security on your booking.

Other Sailings from Southampton

America is one direction; Southampton offers a great deal more. The broader cruises from Southampton programme covers the Mediterranean, the Norwegian fjords, the Caribbean and beyond. If you are open on destination but want to stay close to home for departure, cruises from the UK gives you the full picture including alternative departure ports. For shorter trips, 3-day mini cruises from Southampton are also available. If you want to compare specific lines sailing from Southampton, P&O Cruises from Southampton and Princess Cruises from Southampton each have their own programme. And if you are considering the world cruise legs on offer, last-minute Cunard deals are worth a look when dates are flexible.