
- BGG rank
- BGG #385
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Imperial
- 2–6 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2006

2022
Rules assistance for Crossing Oceans
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Crossing Oceans is a board game released in 2022 for 2–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Mac Gerdts and its main mechanics are Ownership, Action Retrieval, and Rondel.
Featuring fifty historic ships, Crossing Oceans revives the golden era of ocean liners at the turn of the 20th century. Ever larger and faster steamships revolutionized maritime traffic. Daring shipping companies opened steamship lines to the major ports worldwide. Modern steel juggernauts replaced traditional sailing vessels and competed intensely for dominance on the shipping routes. Build yourself a thriving merchant fleet, and guide it to economic prosperity. Acquire the most modern steamships on the market and take over the precious ports from your rivals. Build an extensive network of trading posts and coal bunkers to expand the capability of your fleet. Make use of diverse options to carry out lucrative transports and win the prestigious Blue Riband of the North Atlantic. Crossing Oceans picks up the theme and some elements of the 2017 board game Transatlantic, composing an entirely new game on a large historical map. During their turn, a player can put a ship on the board or take a contract, use contracts in three different ways (optional), and choose an action on the rondel. (The main difference in this design is that it's a rondel game, not a card-driven game.)
Crossing Oceans supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Crossing Oceans is 60–90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Crossing Oceans for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Crossing Oceans has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Crossing Oceans belongs to these categories: Economic, Nautical, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Ownership, Action Retrieval, and Rondel. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Crossing Oceans are: Mac Gerdts. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Crossing Oceans as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.