In short
A one-way cruise starts and ends in different ports. Most often these are spring and autumn repositioning voyages, Mediterranean routes such as Barcelona — Rome — Athens, and Alaska across the gulf. The key: book your flights after the cruise, as a multi-city ticket, and check the entry rules of the country where the voyage ends.
Where and when one-way sailings run
The table is built from cruise line schedules for the next 14 months: the ports where voyages that end somewhere else most often begin. The darker the cell, the more of these sailings in that month. Click a cell and the finder shows the sailings from that port.
manysomefewrare
Four kinds of one-way cruise
City to city
Barcelona — Rome, Rome — Athens, Venice or Trieste — Athens: one week, and a new country every day. The most common kind of one-way sailing, almost all year round.
Barcelona or Rome →Alaska across the gulf
From Vancouver north to Seward or Whittier near Anchorage — or the other way round. More glaciers and fjords than on a round trip, and you can add a trip through Alaska before or after.
About Alaska →Repositioning between seasons
Ships change region: from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean, from Europe to the Caribbean or Brazil and back. Plenty of sea days — rest without rushing.
Transatlantic →Legs of long voyages
World cruises and long voyages are also sold in sections: Singapore — Sydney, Southampton — New York, passages around Asia. A way to see a far-off region without a month of holiday.
Sailings from Singapore →Honestly: pros and cons
More places in the same week
The ship does not spend days sailing back, so the route is more varied. You can start and end your holiday in different cities — say, two days in Barcelona before the cruise and two in Rome after.
More logistics
You need two flights or a multi-city ticket, sometimes two sets of entry rules. Flights from the final port can cost more, and on days when big ships arrive they are noticeably busier.
How to plan it in five steps
- Cruise first, then flights. Ports and dates sometimes change; buy your flights once the cruise is booked.
- Compare a multi-city ticket with two one-way flights. A ticket “out to the boarding port, back from the final port” (multi-city) is often more convenient and no more expensive than two one-way tickets.
- Fly in the day before. A delayed flight on embarkation day is the main risk. A night in the boarding port removes it completely.
- Take an afternoon flight home. The ship arrives early in the morning, but disembarkation runs in groups until 9 or 10, plus the trip to the airport. From Civitavecchia to Rome's airport is about an hour.
- Check entry rules for the final country. USA — ESTA or a visa, United Kingdom — ETA, Canada when arriving by air — eTA or a visa. If your passport is not European, check visas for every country on the route.
One way — without flying
In spring and autumn some repositioning voyages start in Hamburg, Rotterdam and Southampton. Take the train to the port, and from the south it is a couple of hours' flight home. Cruises without flying →
Frequently asked questions
What is a one-way cruise?
It is a voyage that starts in one port and ends in another: for example, from Barcelona to Rome or from Vancouver to Alaska. You get home not with the ship but by plane or train from the final port.
Which flight ticket should I buy?
Compare a multi-city ticket (out to the boarding port, back from the final port) with two one-way tickets. A multi-city ticket is often simpler and no more expensive. Buy it after booking the cruise, when the ports and dates are certain.
Why are Alaska cruises often one-way?
Most cruise ships sail under a foreign flag, and under US law such a ship cannot carry passengers between two American ports without calling abroad. That is why voyages across the Gulf of Alaska start or end in Vancouver, and in the north in Seward or Whittier near Anchorage.
What documents do I need for a one-way cruise?
The same as for a regular cruise, plus the entry rules of the country where the voyage ends. If the cruise ends in the USA, you need an ESTA or a visa; in the United Kingdom, an ETA; in Canada, if you arrive by air, an eTA or a visa.
Can I sail one way without flying?
Yes, halfway: in spring and autumn some repositioning voyages start in Hamburg, Rotterdam and Southampton. You take the train to the port and fly back from the Mediterranean or the Canary Islands.
How the club fits in
One-way cruises available in the club are booked on the same terms as round trips. You choose one way to pay per booking: the member price (INsider Pricing), roughly 17% below the listed price, or your Reward Points, which can cover up to half of the cruise price. They do not add up. To pay up to 100% with points, you need to have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure. Flights to the start and from the end of the cruise you buy separately.
How booking with points works →
Ports and seasons are summarised from cruise line schedules for 2026–2027 and may change; entry rules change too — check them on the government websites of the countries before you travel. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.