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Around the World in 80 Days for Today's Sophisticated Cruise Traveler
Des Moines, Iowa, Dec. 13, 2007 - They say there is something for everyone on a cruise vacation, but world cruises that circumnavigate the globe are encounters designed for those interested in a most unique experience - one that truly broadens a person's perspective of our diverse and dynamic planet.
World cruises generally attract very experienced, adventuresome travelers, according to Heidi Allison, chief marketing officer, CruiseCompete.com. Guests typically spend 90 or more days at sea and visit a multitude of exotic cities and port destinations on several continents. They attract travelers who want to experience the planet's cultural diversity and world's greatest landmarks up close and personal, not to mention explore the minds of the fascinating guests onboard.
"Variety is indeed the operative word on a world cruise," Allison said. "One day, travelers may be lying on a beach in Mexico and later on the voyage watching penguin colonies on a remote frozen island. They can be shopping along the waterfront in New Zealand, fishing in the Amazon, walking through the bustling streets of Shanghai and then riding a camel in the Arabian Desert."
The most noticeable feature of a world cruise, however, is the pace of the voyage. These trips are nothing like your typical cruise vacation that lasts a week or two and is packed with non-stop, scheduled activities. "On a world cruise, time seems to stand still and passengers have the luxury of experiencing the world in slow motion," Allison said. "In fact, it is not uncommon for guests to step off the ship in a port stop, decide they want to stay longer to explore, and then rejoin the ship at a port later on the cruise.
The cost of a 107-night world cruise aboard the Tahitian Princess in 2009 begins at $22,000 per person for an inside cabin. The master suite aboard the Regent Seven Seas Mariner on an abbreviated 72-night world cruise runs $129,000 per person, while the Grand Suite aboard Cunard's new Queen Victoria during its world cruise is approximately $230,000. The service is exceptional there are special amenities and cabin credits to use in on-board gift shops and spas, as well as toward shore excursions.
For those people who do not have the time to experience a world cruise, the cruise lines are offering travelers the chance to enjoy more world cruise segments in 2008 than ever before.
"Our world cruise experts not only sell many full voyages annually, they also have been offering segments of world cruises for many years," Allison said. "The cruise lines open up these unique adventures to a much greater number of travelers who are interested in visiting the far reaches of our world to experience new peoples, cultures and sights."
The following summarizes the most popular world cruises on tap for 2008 and the segments that can be booked separately, there is limited space available:
Crystal Cruises
The Crystal Serenity leaves Los Angeles on Jan. 19, 2008, for a 108-night world cruise that ends on May 7, 2008, in Southampton, England. The ship heads west with multiple stops at South Pacific islands, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, India, the Mediterranean and finally London. Guests visit some 45 ports in 22 countries.
Itinerary segments include:
- Los Angeles to Papeete, 13 nights;
- Papeete to Auckland, 11 nights;
- Auckland to Sydney, 14 nights;
- Sydney to Hong Kong, 17 nights;
- Hong Kong to Singapore, 12 nights;
- Singapore to Mumbai, 14 nights;
- Mumbai to Rome, 16 nights;
- Rome to Southampton, 11 nights.
The new Queen Victoria takes one of its first voyages on a world cruise, spanning up to 106 nights, depending on where you embark and traveling from New York to Southampton, United Kingdom. The world cruise begins Jan. 13, 2008, and ends on April 22, 2008. Visiting 37 of the world's greatest cities, it will circle the globe via the Panama and Suez Canals. The cruise includes stops in the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, Asia, India, the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean.
Itinerary segments include:
- New York to Los Angeles, 17 nights;
- Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia, 24 nights;
- Sydney to Singapore, 23 nights;
- Singapore to Dubai, 13 nights;
- Dubai to Southampton, 22 nights.
Itinerary segments include:
- New York to Santiago, 24 nights;
- Santiago to Sydney, 18 nights;
- Sydney to Singapore, 14 nights;
- Singapore to Los Angeles, 21 nights;
- Los Angeles to New York, 13 nights.
2008 marks the 50th Anniversary of the cruise line's first world cruise. Its flagship vessel, Amsterdam, departs on a 113-night roundtrip world cruise from Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 4, 2008, arriving home on April 27, 2008. The ship will visit 39 ports in 26 countries, traveling through the Panama Canal then exploring the South Pacific, including New Zealand, then on to Australia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. After traversing the Suez Canal, the world cruise continues to the Mediterranean and then west via Bermuda and New York, then Florida.
Itinerary segments include:
- Fort Lauderdale to Sydney, 37 nights;
- Sydney to Singapore, 27 nights;
- Singapore to Istanbul, 22 nights;
- Istanbul to Fort Lauderdale, 28 nights.
Regent Seven Seas was named the "Best Large Ship Cruise Line" by Conde Nast Traveler last year. The all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager takes guests on the ultimate 115-night world cruise journey, departing from San Francisco on Jan. 6, 2008 and arriving in Fort Lauderdale on April 30, 2008. The itinerary includes stops at 51 global destinations in 26 countries. Fares range from $60,000 to $359,000, per person for the master suite. Of course, first class airfare and private care transfers are included in most cases.
There are seven segments, each of which can be booked separately.
- San Francisco to New Zealand, with stops in Hawaii and a number of South Pacific islands, 24 nights.
- New Zealand to Australia with seven port stops, 10 nights.
- Sydney to Shanghai with stops in Papua New Guinea and Japan, 13 nights.
- Shanghai to Singapore including multiple ports in China, Vietnam and Thailand, 14 nights.
- Singapore to India, with visits to Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmir and Sri Lanka.
- Mumbai for Athens over 17 nights, including the crossing of the Suez Canal.
- Athens to Fort Lauderdale, 17 nights.
Dreaming of this adventure? Start thinking about booking it this year. The following is a summary of scheduled 2009 world cruises to date:
Crystal Serenity, Jan. 21, 2009, 105 days
Cunard Queen Victoria, Jan. 10, 2009, 99 days
Cunard Queen Mary 2, Jan. 13, 2009, 90 days
Holland America, Rotterdam VI, Jan. 19, 2009, 114 days
Princess, Tahitian Princess, Jan. 14, 2009, 117 days
Princess, Royal Princess, Jan. 20, 2009, 107 days
Regent Voyager, Jan. 12, 2009, 115 days
Regent Mariner, Jan. 26, 2009, 121 days
"Selecting and planning a world cruise or even a segment or two of such a long voyage can be a challenge," Allison said. "Our member-agents have significant personal and professional experience planning these adventures and promise to give you the thrill of a lifetime and opportunity to meet many unusual and interesting people from around the globe."
About CruiseCompete.com:
In 2006, CruiseCompete.com was named as one of the "25 Best Value Travel Sites" on the Internet by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. In addition, Washington Post Online listed CruiseCompete.com as one of the 36 Web sites that consumers "should know of" when planning a vacation. For more information, visit www.CruiseCompete.com.
CruiseCompete.com saves consumers time by finding the agent with the best deal for them. Consumers secure quotes for cruise deals from multiple travel agencies without having to contact each one separately. To date, more than 350,000 customers have accessed CruiseCompete.com to request cruise quotes from more than 200 member travel agencies around the country. Agents have provided more than 1.5 million quotes to consumers. CruiseCompete, LLC, is an independent company not owned by or affiliated with any travel agency.
