Transatlantic: France & Ireland to Southampton from New York

A city of endless possibilities, high energy and great diversity, New York has always been the benchmark for first-rate dining, unparalleled shopping and cultural activity. For visitors, it's an exciting city and, at times, is more than a little intimidating. New York natives always seem to be in a hurry, but with midtown traffic often at a complete standstill, it may be faster for them to walk across town than to take a bus. When you hear a foreign language, it could be international tourists -- flocking to the city in droves because of the weak dollar -- or it could be a New Yorker. It's love at first sight when the Empire State Building comes into view, and the Statue of Liberty awes even the most blase tourist. Broadway shows will wow you; browsing Bloomingdale's will amaze you. It's always possible to stumble upon an unforgettable meal -- an oven-fresh slice of the perfect pizza, Chinese food in Chinatown or a haute-cuisine dinner by candlelight. The views from the Staten Island Ferry are a knockout, and downtown nightlife will keep you busy in the city that never sleeps. You'll find Central Park smack dab in the middle of New York with many of the city's best museums on either side. Check out the Upper East Side -- particularly Madison Avenue, between 50th and 99th streets -- for high fashion. On the Upper West Side, you'll find Time-Warner Center's luxurious shops and restaurants at Columbus Circle; operas, concerts, dance and theatre at Lincoln Center; and bustling neighbourhood street life along Broadway, including Columbia University. Surrounding Manhattan are Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. Many Brooklyn neighbourhoods have become as popular and chic as Manhattan's. Smart shops and trendy restaurants have spread like wildfire, drawing Manhattanites across the river for fashionable dining and serious shopping. Five Brooklyn communities that are definitely worth a look are Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Park Slope -- down from Prospect Park -- Williamsburg and Brighton Beach. The Bronx has experienced some gentrification, creating attractions beyond the Bronx Zoo, such as the New York Botanical Garden, Yankee Stadium, City Island -- which has the feel of a New England village -- and Woodlawn Cemetery -- the final resting place of Duke Ellington, George M. Cohan, Miles Davis, F. W. Woolworth, J.C. Penney and R.H. Macy. Meanwhile, Queens offers the Queens Museum of Art, memorabilia from two Worlds Fairs, a fabulous panoramic model of New York City, contemporary art at Public School No. 1 and vibrant ethnic neighbourhoods like Asian Flushing, Greek Astoria and Indian Jackson Heights. Beyond the ferry terminal, Staten Island has a cultural centre at Snug Harbor, its own zoo and a Tibetan art museum. Richmondtown also features a collection of New York City buildings, some as old as 300 years.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Europe's northernmost and westernmost capital is a delightful destination, part old Norse, part modern city, with a quirky personality of its own. The puffin, troll and elf souvenirs found in gift stores are apt mascots for a city with a decidedly playful streak. More than half of Iceland's population lives in Reykjavík (or nearby), in one of the world's smallest capital cities -- some 190,000 people. Cruise ships are increasingly paying calls on Reykjavík from late May to early October, especially during the summer months, when the daylight literally lasts 'round the clock. Visitors and residents alike seem to stay awake, golfing, strolling the compact town's picturesque streets, drinking Gull beer at sidewalk cafes and cycling along the seafront promenade. Many believe that Reykjavík's character is more defined in winter, when daunting weather and 20-hour nights are defied by rollicking pubs and a sense of humour. But, locals laugh at the climate, whether calm or tempestuous. They keep warm in the iconic handsome sweaters for which Iceland is well known; the long hours indoors and out inspire artisans, evidenced by many shops that display lovely local art and clothing. This is a city that has learned to make the best of things. The Iceland landscape is bare and covered with volcanic rock. With no trees for building houses, 18th-century settlers used driftwood that floated in from the sea, covering the wood in sheets of corrugated tin and painting walls and roofs in vivid colours to brighten the scene. The rock that abounds was turned into material for a fine stone Parliament building, erected in 1881. Citizens have planted and nurtured welcome oases of green. The geothermal springs that bubble underground have been put to work to provide hot water for residents. Reykjavík has experienced much advancement in the past few years. Progress is plain to see in the sleek, contemporary buildings that are changing the cityscape. Several worthwhile museums salute local history and art, and whimsical street murals dot the city centre. With fishing still a dominant occupation, restaurants serve up delectable seafood, and gourmet dining of all kinds is plentiful and popular. But, if you ask natives for their favourite eating place, the answer most often will be a simple hot dog stand near the harbour. Reykjavík is a safe city, compact and easy to navigate on foot. As charming as it is, no visit to Iceland is complete without getting out into the vast interior, which lies at the city's doorstep. Seriously, how can you not love a place where sheep have the right of way? Cruise lines often assign ships to overnight in Reykjavík, offering passengers more than the typical eight-hour port experience, but my greatest regret is that visitors don't have even more time to explore this charming land, where the balance of urban sophistication and nature at its most rugged is unique. If you regard cruise travel as a chance to sample places you might want to return to later for longer stays, I can't think of a better recommendation than Reykjavík.

Europe's northernmost and westernmost capital is a delightful destination, part old Norse, part modern city, with a quirky personality of its own. The puffin, troll and elf souvenirs found in gift stores are apt mascots for a city with a decidedly playful streak. More than half of Iceland's population lives in Reykjavík (or nearby), in one of the world's smallest capital cities -- some 190,000 people. Cruise ships are increasingly paying calls on Reykjavík from late May to early October, especially during the summer months, when the daylight literally lasts 'round the clock. Visitors and residents alike seem to stay awake, golfing, strolling the compact town's picturesque streets, drinking Gull beer at sidewalk cafes and cycling along the seafront promenade. Many believe that Reykjavík's character is more defined in winter, when daunting weather and 20-hour nights are defied by rollicking pubs and a sense of humour. But, locals laugh at the climate, whether calm or tempestuous. They keep warm in the iconic handsome sweaters for which Iceland is well known; the long hours indoors and out inspire artisans, evidenced by many shops that display lovely local art and clothing. This is a city that has learned to make the best of things. The Iceland landscape is bare and covered with volcanic rock. With no trees for building houses, 18th-century settlers used driftwood that floated in from the sea, covering the wood in sheets of corrugated tin and painting walls and roofs in vivid colours to brighten the scene. The rock that abounds was turned into material for a fine stone Parliament building, erected in 1881. Citizens have planted and nurtured welcome oases of green. The geothermal springs that bubble underground have been put to work to provide hot water for residents. Reykjavík has experienced much advancement in the past few years. Progress is plain to see in the sleek, contemporary buildings that are changing the cityscape. Several worthwhile museums salute local history and art, and whimsical street murals dot the city centre. With fishing still a dominant occupation, restaurants serve up delectable seafood, and gourmet dining of all kinds is plentiful and popular. But, if you ask natives for their favourite eating place, the answer most often will be a simple hot dog stand near the harbour. Reykjavík is a safe city, compact and easy to navigate on foot. As charming as it is, no visit to Iceland is complete without getting out into the vast interior, which lies at the city's doorstep. Seriously, how can you not love a place where sheep have the right of way? Cruise lines often assign ships to overnight in Reykjavík, offering passengers more than the typical eight-hour port experience, but my greatest regret is that visitors don't have even more time to explore this charming land, where the balance of urban sophistication and nature at its most rugged is unique. If you regard cruise travel as a chance to sample places you might want to return to later for longer stays, I can't think of a better recommendation than Reykjavík.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

There was a time when the name Belfast raised an immediate red flag to visitors, but these days, the town's highly publicised political unrest has greatly subsided. Curiosity-seekers can still find elaborate murals and other relics from turbulent times lingering in certain neighbourhoods, but for the most part, Belfast is now safer than many other European capitals, and its new image is one of both progress and hospitality. If you've been to Dublin, the differences between that city and Belfast may seem striking. Belfast, of course, is part of Northern Ireland, which itself is part of the United Kingdom; the Republic of Ireland is part of... just the Republic of Ireland. So British influence seems to have coated Belfast with a more polished veneer and a Victorian elegance that's evident in the town's shops, restaurants and even its pubs. The omnipresent Irish charm still exists, but Belfast also projects a cosmopolitan flair that's rarely seen elsewhere on the Emerald Isle. The glittering row of boutiques lining the Golden Mile, Belfast's premier shopping district, is more reminiscent of Paris or Milan, while a new wave of trendy restaurants now offers visitors haute cuisine in addition to local favourites. The city has come a long way since the days of security checkpoints and armoured patrols, and Belfast now appears poised to shed its unfortunate past and take its place among Europe's new hot spots.

Liverpool is a small but thriving city that is poised to flourish, quietly but steadfastly, winning back its reputation after a half-century of struggle and economic decline. The recipe for success has been heavy investment in development and the city is now reaping the rewards of that investment in increased tourism and retail.

Fortunately for cruise passengers, much of Liverpool's redevelopment and revitalization projects have taken place in the city centre, alongside the waterfront where cruise ships dock. Serving as prime examples, the revitalized Albert Dock houses numerous restaurants and attractions -- like the Beatles Story -- and the adjacent billion-pound Liverpool One retail park is the U.K.'s largest open-air retail complex.

In terms of infrastructure dedicated specifically to cruising, in 2013, the city began a feasibility study on the Cunard Building -- one of the elegant edifices making up the "Three Graces" on Liverpool's Pier Head waterfront -- for use as the new Liverpool Cruise Terminal in 2015. Also in 2013, Liverpool achieved "turnaround status" -- allowing cruises to start and end at the city's docks. This combination of the potential new cruise terminal, along with Liverpool's moves to woo passenger vessels back signals a strong commitment by the city to continue its long, rich maritime history.

Liverpool's favourable position on the River Mersey, along with its direct canal and railway links to the industrial Midlands allowed it to develop as a major international trading port as early as the 17th century. In the early 20th century, shipbuilding yards and docks stretched for miles along both banks, and more than 100 passenger ships were Liverpool-registered. In the days before air travel, these passenger liner companies such as Cunard and Canadian Pacific carried millions of immigrants to new lives in North America, while a host of other steamship lines connected Liverpool with South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

And the history of Liverpool's shipping success is reflected in its architecture. At Pier Head, just prior to WWI, Cunard Line began construction on its brand-new headquarters. The third of the Three Graces was completed in 1916, standing between the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board building (now called the Port of Liverpool Building) and the Royal Liver Building.

Just inland from Pier Head other shipping line headquarters, mercantile trading companies and civic buildings create an architectural legacy. The city boasts some 2,500 grade listed (historic) buildings and 250 public monuments. The Albert Dock alone (built in 1848), makes up Britain's largest group of Grade I listed buildings.

Conveniently, nearly everything of interest to the visitor is within a 10- to 30-minute walk or a short train under or boat ride across the River Mersey. And cruise passengers arriving in the city will find a warm welcome from Liverpudlians who are enjoying renewed confidence that their city has overcome the difficulties of its recent past.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Le Havre, which lies along the English Channel on France's western coast, is the common port of entry for big ships calling on Paris and most typically a place to go through on your way to the City of Lights. By no means would we dissuade cruise travelers from making the long slog to "tres magnifique" Paris on a first visit, but on a return trip, Le Havre itself, both on its own merits and because of its proximity to Normandy (which is also quite magical), is worth a look-see. While Le Havre is an ancient and textured city, dating back to the 16th century, it was badly bombed during World War II, losing much of its historic appeal. Still, it's been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the way it was rebuilt; the organization noted that Le Havre is "exceptional among many reconstructed cities for its unity and integrity." Le Havre's prime location between Honfleur and Normandy offers a huge range of options. It's a gateway to the beaches that witnessed the bravery of D-Day and to the coasts and countryside that inspired so many artists. It's also a good place to visit for its art galleries and cafes, and it offers a relaxing alternative to the half-day commute into Paris.

Located on the south coast of England, Southampton served as the historic ocean liner gateway for the British Empire and the intense North Atlantic passenger trade to the U.S. and Canada. Today it is the U.K.'s - and indeed Europe's -- leading cruise port.

Best known as the homeport of Cunard's Queen Mary 2, Southampton now hosts a wide variety of cruise ships in the booming European cruise market with the principal lines being Cunard, Fred. Olsen, Royal Caribbean, P&O Cruises and Saga Cruises.

For most cruise passengers, it's the first and/or last port on a European cruise or Atlantic crossing. But New York it ain't, and the first thing you see as you approach is not the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, but a giant IKEA.

A pleasant, bustling city of around a quarter of a million inhabitants, Southampton has several areas of interest, though much of its historic medieval character was destroyed during World War II. In 1620, the Mayflower left from just outside the existing city walls, and the waterfront recalls this historic voyage. From Mayflower Park, you can enjoy watching the container ships pass en route to and from the freight terminal beyond the Western Docks, cruise ships departing from three separate locations, and excursion boats and cross-harbour ferries flitting around the port. Today, it is a modern shopping destination, business centre and university town (the University of Southampton is a major British research university; among its well-known alumni is QM2 designer Stephen Payne with a large commercial port in addition to its year-round cruise operations.

It's not somewhere you want to hang around (unless you want to pick up some flat-pack furniture), and most visiting cruise passengers will use Southampton as a gateway to nearby London (an hour and 10 minutes away by train). It is also a good starting point for the Isle of Wight (reachable by ferry) and the surrounding county of Hampshire and Wiltshire, with their numerous attractions.