World cruise?

[oldbluefox]

I have often thought about the world cruises and especially the wonderful places you visit. However I doubt I would do a world cruise all in one go and am now coming around the the idea of spreading it out over 4 years. It does mean a couple of fly cruises but that is manageable.

What has really focused my mind is the logistics of doing a worldie. I imagine it must be easier if you live close to Southampton or have family who can help out but when I think of the amount of post we have just after a couple of weeks, then there would be organising payment of bills (DD is ideal here) but sometimes there are matters which need early attention. And will my beloved car start after 3 months at the dockside?

All in all I look at how to achieve a world cruise without having family close by to keep affairs running and the whole thing becomes a logistical nightmare.

Apart from that, much as I love cruising, after two or three weeks onboard I am getting into too much of a routine, the dinners are starting to lose their attraction and it's becoming a way of life. I think I will stick to my idea of 4 separate holidays as I work my way around the world.

[davecttr]

I thought about it too but as the full circumnavigation might well involve homicide and me spending the rest of my life in the slammer doing it in little bits, the cruise that is, not deadifying my fellow cruisers slowly if I did not get on with them!, would be a better choice!

[Quizzical Bob]

We are of the same mind. We joined Aurora this year in Dubai and sailed home. Those who had been on all round had endured what, nearly 100 days? We definitely noticed a different ambience from other cruises. There was plenty of room on the promenade deck and always a lounger available. I suppose that after 3 months the prospect of lying in the open air had lost some of its original appeal. Four of us joined a table where the other four had got on in Southampton and they were showing the early signs of ship fever, laughing at all sorts of 'in' jokes and almost anything else. I also suspect that many would have jumped ship and flown home in order to miss the usual Mediterranean ports and weather. We thoroughly enjoyed it and are looking at a couple of segments next year, just waiting for the getaways to settle even lower.

[Manoverboard]

We do/will continue to do the segments, well some of them anyway as we have no interest whatsoever in going to Oz.

In our case we aim for approx 25 days which includes two or three night stopovers in either or both of the Gateway Cities.

The only downside apart from having the jabs was the Indian Visa process

[ChesterfieldJohn]

Nice to read all these positive comments

We have booked a world cruise for Jan 2014 and are looking forward to it. (the wife's health permitting)


We aren't bothered about the bills, as stated DD's sort them.

Parking, we have got one of our daughters and her partner to drive us down and the other one and her partner to pick us up.
Luggage will be sent via courier.

The most we have ever done before is 35 nights and we certainly didn't get fed up then

Not bothered about how many people are on the prom deck either

John

[Dark Knight]

not until we have no pets and not until we are retired, if at all

100 odd days on a ship sounds great but I wonder if I could stand that long in the same cabin, same people etc etc

[wolfie]

There were a few choices, three I think, when we did our big one in 2008. Some ships though did not do a circumnavigation and that is what we wanted to do.

Hence we spent 80 days on Aurora, it was a real world cruise in very sense of the word, inasmuch as we went all the way around, and loved every minute of it. We would do it again in a flash; not right around again and the same itinerary, but a grand voyage which takes in different ports of call to those we have already visited. No matter if some are the same, there's always something new to see or something you didn't have the time to do on a previous visit.

The atmosphere is indeed very different on any long cruise, even our 35 nights in 2010; more relaxed in many ways, no urgency to do it all and experience everything on board in a short time.

The only time I wished to get back home was when we arrived to a wet and cold Athens and we had already visited the remaining ports of call. Then, I just wanted to see our daughters again and our dog. However, we could not have jumped ship with 11 pieces of luggage

[Boris+]

We don't have problems - we have solutions ....

Firstly, if we wanted to do a world cruise then parking is not a problem - we'd get a one way car hire.
Secondly, post/mail is not a problem - someone would be regularly collecting the mail, and anything important could be scanned in and emailed to us.
Bills - absolutely no problem - laptop with master spreadsheet and online banking - easy peasy.

However,

I remain convinced that for us it's always going to be sectors or nice cruises but not a world cruise simply because there are some places that we do not wish to go near, and as for having to pay for visas we don't need for places we don't wish to set foot in - no way.

But, if someone has booked a world cruise then I wish them a wonderful time and many very happy memories.

Em

[Suekersh]

We have thought about this for a few years but we thought the 100 days on board may well be too much, but also the thought of flights to Oz were also off putting.

We have compromised and booked LA to Dubai. Flight to LA upgraded and we have previously managed flight to Accapulco so should be fine. 3 nights in LA, then 50 nights on board ship, followed by 3 nights in Dubai.

All of the ports of call are new to us. If we had done the Southamton to LA we would have been repeating the majority of ports and the same with Dubai to Southampton. It is a shame we will miss the Suez Canal but with the way things are round Egypt we probably are not missing anything.

Looking forward to 50 nights on board. The longest we have done so far is 28 nights and we could have stayed on for more. I do like hot weather though so pleased that we aren't going anywhere cold.

Sue

[Quizzical Bob]

The only time I wished to get back home was when we arrived to a wet and cold Athens and we had already visited the remaining ports of call. Then, I just wanted to see our daughters again and our dog. However, we could not have jumped ship with 11 pieces of luggage

I have always assumed that it would be possible to leave our luggage on board and pick it up later from Southampton?

[wolfie]

Yes, you can, but as it was only a few more days and, included in the price, was a chauffeured car door to door, there wasn't much point in doing that and then another journey to Southampton to pick up luggage.

Of course we could have had luggage couriered to us but we had made so many good friends, it would have been rude to leave for the last few days, and we had already arranged a party for them to mark a special event.

[Manoverboard]

The only time I wished to get back home was when we arrived to a wet and cold Athens and we had already visited the remaining ports of call. Then, I just wanted to see our daughters again and our dog. However, we could not have jumped ship with 11 pieces of luggage

I have always assumed that it would be possible to leave our luggage on board and pick it up later from Southampton?

It is possible but not guaranteed ... or so we were advised.

[Suekersh]

We have arranged with the Baggage handling company for them to collect a case from the ship when it docks in Southampton and deliver it to our home. They have accepted the booking so hopefully PO will let us leave it on the ship. PO recommend the company so hopefully we won't have a problem.

Sue

[wolfie]

As I mentioned, we took 11 cases!!!

if We HAD jumped ship at Athens then we would not have done, around the world. We could hardly have said, oh, we did Athens to Southampton a few times so will just add that on.

[Quizzical Bob]

As I mentioned, we took 11 cases!!!

if We HAD jumped ship at Athens then we would not have done, around the world. We could hardly have said, oh, we did Athens to Southampton a few times so will just add that on.

Fair point. I'd always wanted to go round the world from when I was a little boy and early last year we took thirty days and seven flights and flew round eastbound so I'm not too bothered now about doing segments.

[wolfie]

It doesn't matter whether you do it by ship or plane. We always thought that we would do it by plane, using my love of planning DIY holidays years ago, BUT, sometimes circumstances overtake you and those options are ruled out.

Well done on doing it by plane. Would you share your itinerary with us? I would love to know, (as I am sure others who fly/don't fly would), if it resembled mine in any way, when I planned it years ago.

Care to share please?

[emjay45]

John please don’t worry you are going to have a fabulous time.
I was terrified of doing the World cruise. All of the things mentioned worried me and some others too. Having done the World cruise this year I would have absolutely NO problem doing another. All our bills were paid by direct debit, we are lucky that our Post Office kept our post for 4 months. Leaving the car at Southampton for 4 months was no problem for a very minimal amount they will keep your battery charged. We had someone check on the house, we left the heating on low and our oil delivery was automatic.
I wish we had the luxury of using the Baggage Handling company like those of you in the UK, but we managed to get all the cases in the car. We too wanted to do a circumnavigation and we were so lucky, we missed only one port and the weather was really kind even Japan and China weren’t anywhere near as cold as they could have been. I was ready to come home at the end as it was 106 days but my OH could have gone around again.
To be honest I can’t understand why anyone who has the time, opportunity and of course can afford it would not want to experience a World cruise.

[Quizzical Bob]

It doesn't matter whether you do it by ship or plane. We always thought that we would do it by plane, using my love of planning DIY holidays years ago, BUT, sometimes circumstances overtake you and those options are ruled out.

Well done on doing it by plane. Would you share your itinerary with us? I would love to know, (as I am sure others who fly/don't fly would), if it resembled mine in any way, when I planned it years ago.

Care to share please?

Sure. I wanted to go to see my accountant who lives in New Zealand and his wife who worked for me for over fifteen years and I also have a customer based in Sydney. We went Air New Zealand business class all the way as a special treat. I had to work out all the flight schedules because some routes only operate on certain days.

LHR - Hong Kong, 12 hours
2 nights in Mandarin Oriental Central
Open top bus tour

Hong Kong - Sydney, 9 hours
3 nights in Shangri-La hotel
Visit to customer, trip to Blue Mountains
Bus to Bondi, a couple of harbour cruises

Sydney - Christchurch, 2 hours
13 night self-drive tour of South Island
Dunedin 4 nights, see accountant.
Otago peninsular, fur seals, sea lions, albatrosses with chicks on nests, yellow-eyed penguins, Taieri Gorge rail trip.
Oamaru for blue penguins, Te Anau for glowworm caves, Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Franz Joseph glaciers, Christchurch, Kaikoura for whales, Christchurch

Christchurch - Auckland, 1.5 hours
2 nights self-drive, Coromandel peninsular

Auckland - Honolulu, 9 hours
Cross international date line, arrive day before leaving
6 nights Outrigger on the Beach, Waikiki
Tours to Pearl Harbor, whale trip, island tour, Hawaiian Luau

Honolulu - Los Angeles, 5 hours
2 nights in LA, full city tour

Los Angeles - Heathrow, 10 hours

30 nights away, 31 night trip in total
7 flights
2 suitcases and 1 piece of hand luggage each

We absolutely loved every minute. Flying was a doddle, never a moment's jet lag. I worked out the schedule but everything was booked by Stephanie at www.newzealandsky.co.uk There was quite a bit of shuffling around depending on availabilities.

I wasn't sure before deciding to go, but as it turned out all this was just a few months before my minor heart attack and bypass operation in July and who knows what might have happened? If anybody's thinking about doing this or something similar then I urge you to do it, do it whilst you can.

Have fun!

Robert

[wolfie]

Neither can I emjay. There are those who do many cruises in a year, and yet never do what you or I did, albeit yours was somewhat longer, but, each to their own as far as itinerary is concerned.

Also we did it almost 6 years ago when we still young enough to enjoy it and are still young enough to do another!!

[wolfie]

It doesn't matter whether you do it by ship or plane. We always thought that we would do it by plane, using my love of planning DIY holidays years ago, BUT, sometimes circumstances overtake you and those options are ruled out.

Well done on doing it by plane. Would you share your itinerary with us? I would love to know, (as I am sure others who fly/don't fly would), if it resembled mine in any way, when I planned it years ago.

Care to share please?

Sure. I wanted to go to see my accountant who lives in New Zealand and his wife who worked for me for over fifteen years and I also have a customer based in Sydney. We went Air New Zealand business class all the way as a special treat. I had to work out all the flight schedules because some routes only operate on certain days.

LHR - Hong Kong, 12 hours
2 nights in Mandarin Oriental Central
Open top bus tour

Hong Kong - Sydney, 9 hours
3 nights in Shangri-La hotel
Visit to customer, trip to Blue Mountains
Bus to Bondi, a couple of harbour cruises

Sydney - Christchurch, 2 hours
13 night self-drive tour of South Island
Dunedin 4 nights, see accountant.
Otago peninsular, fur seals, sea lions, albatrosses with chicks on nests, yellow-eyed penguins, Taieri Gorge rail trip.
Oamaru for blue penguins, Te Anau for glowworm caves, Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Franz Joseph glaciers, Christchurch, Kaikoura for whales, Christchurch

Christchurch - Auckland, 1.5 hours
2 nights self-drive, Coromandel peninsular

Auckland - Honolulu, 9 hours
Cross international date line, arrive day before leaving
6 nights Outrigger on the Beach, Waikiki
Tours to Pearl Harbor, whale trip, island tour, Hawaiian Luau

Honolulu - Los Angeles, 5 hours
2 nights in LA, full city tour

Los Angeles - Heathrow, 10 hours

30 nights away, 31 night trip in total
7 flights
2 suitcases and 1 piece of hand luggage each

We absolutely loved every minute. Flying was a doddle, never a moment's jet lag. I worked out the schedule but everything was booked by Stephanie at http://www.newzealandsky.co.uk There was quite a bit of shuffling around depending on availabilities.

I wasn't sure before deciding to go, but as it turned out all this was just a few months before my minor heart attack and bypass operation in July and who knows what might have happened? If anybody's thinking about doing this or something similar then I urge you to do it, do it whilst you can.

Have fun!

Robert

Thanks QB, one place we would have loved to have spent more time was NZ, maybe next time.

We did have some fantastic ports of call though in the Pacific.

[Quizzical Bob]

It doesn't matter whether you do it by ship or plane. We always thought that we would do it by plane, using my love of planning DIY holidays years ago, BUT, sometimes circumstances overtake you and those options are ruled out.

Well done on doing it by plane. Would you share your itinerary with us? I would love to know, (as I am sure others who fly/don't fly would), if it resembled mine in any way, when I planned it years ago.

Care to share please?

Sure. I wanted to go to see my accountant who lives in New Zealand and his wife who worked for me for over fifteen years and I also have a customer based in Sydney. We went Air New Zealand business class all the way as a special treat. I had to work out all the flight schedules because some routes only operate on certain days.

LHR - Hong Kong, 12 hours
2 nights in Mandarin Oriental Central
Open top bus tour

Hong Kong - Sydney, 9 hours
3 nights in Shangri-La hotel
Visit to customer, trip to Blue Mountains
Bus to Bondi, a couple of harbour cruises

Sydney - Christchurch, 2 hours
13 night self-drive tour of South Island
Dunedin 4 nights, see accountant.
Otago peninsular, fur seals, sea lions, albatrosses with chicks on nests, yellow-eyed penguins, Taieri Gorge rail trip.
Oamaru for blue penguins, Te Anau for glowworm caves, Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Franz Joseph glaciers, Christchurch, Kaikoura for whales, Christchurch

Christchurch - Auckland, 1.5 hours
2 nights self-drive, Coromandel peninsular

Auckland - Honolulu, 9 hours
Cross international date line, arrive day before leaving
6 nights Outrigger on the Beach, Waikiki
Tours to Pearl Harbor, whale trip, island tour, Hawaiian Luau

Honolulu - Los Angeles, 5 hours
2 nights in LA, full city tour

Los Angeles - Heathrow, 10 hours

30 nights away, 31 night trip in total
7 flights
2 suitcases and 1 piece of hand luggage each

We absolutely loved every minute. Flying was a doddle, never a moment's jet lag. I worked out the schedule but everything was booked by Stephanie at http://www.newzealandsky.co.uk There was quite a bit of shuffling around depending on availabilities.

I wasn't sure before deciding to go, but as it turned out all this was just a few months before my minor heart attack and bypass operation in July and who knows what might have happened? If anybody's thinking about doing this or something similar then I urge you to do it, do it whilst you can.

Have fun!

Robert

Thanks QB, one place we would have loved to have spent more time was NZ, maybe next time.

We did have some fantastic ports of call though in the Pacific.

No problems. If you're really interested I could email you the itinerary that was prepared for us.

[ChesterfieldJohn]

John please don’t worry you are going to have a fabulous time.
I was terrified of doing the World cruise. All of the things mentioned worried me and some others too. Having done the World cruise this year I would have absolutely NO problem doing another. All our bills were paid by direct debit, we are lucky that our Post Office kept our post for 4 months. Leaving the car at Southampton for 4 months was no problem for a very minimal amount they will keep your battery charged. We had someone check on the house, we left the heating on low and our oil delivery was automatic.
I wish we had the luxury of using the Baggage Handling company like those of you in the UK, but we managed to get all the cases in the car. We too wanted to do a circumnavigation and we were so lucky, we missed only one port and the weather was really kind even Japan and China weren’t anywhere near as cold as they could have been. I was ready to come home at the end as it was 106 days but my OH could have gone around again.
To be honest I can’t understand why anyone who has the time, opportunity and of course can afford it would not want to experience a World cruise.

Thanks very much for this, nice to see someone positive on this board.

My son in law is our local postman so he can just put the post inside instead of leaving it in the postbox , thats that solved

We will only be able to do it once and my wife has a blood clotting problem that stops us flying, so this is the only way we can visit all these fantastic places

Cheers John

[wolfie]

Thanks QB but no long haul for us any more.

[emjay45]

John

Like you we can no longer fly. Our son is losing his sight and it seems to have made him even more claustrophobic than he was before and he can’t go on a plane. Airports became a nightmare too. It’s the reason we started cruising and the reason we have been choosing P&O because they do round trips from Southampton. We also wanted him to experience seeing different cultures and countries while he still can. He surprised himself at the amount of things he was able to do on our various excursions and would love to do it all again. I’m not sure where it is on here but I think ‘Greenie Mike’ put his excellent post with tips for World cruisers on this forum. David could probably point you in the right direction.

[emjay45]

Oops and as I scrolled down. There it was.