There are those who spend their lives dreaming of exotic places to see and discover, and those, who during their lives, chose to travel to see such places. Maybe it is your time to see the world, or at the least get a taste of another continent, its people and its cultures.
Cruise lines that offer 'Around the World Voyages' or 'Grand Voyages' have made a new surge of late, appealing to both the senior market as well as the 'baby-boomers.' For the most part it is the seniors that are sailing – they have the time (and the money) to be gone from home for 100 days or longer.
Some parents are investing in these cruises - choosing to sail with their children to give them a view of the world that cannot be found in their school text books. Grandparents are also sailing with their grandchildren not only to spend quality time with them – but to give an adventure that they would not otherwise have because their parents cannot afford the time off from work. Either way the kids learn up close, their geography, history, natural sciences, as well as touch upon various languages on a world cruise.
After the first world cruise was introduced by Cunard in 1922, the idea of traveling the world had grown in popularity. Over the last quarter of a century or so many cruise lines have joined the ranks and offered world cruises with the option of choosing to sail the entire voyage or a segment or two.
Most of the 2008 World Cruises either have ended or about to. You would think that the ships do not get filled up – well you will be wrong. For instance the Princess Cruise for 2008 sold out completely. The suites and balcony staterooms are the first to go. It has become a very popular way to travel. It is time to look at 2009 if you are interested in a world cruise, a segment, or a grand voyage.
Here are some options:
Princess Cruises is offering two world cruise options – segments are not available, however they offer Connoisseur Cruises and Grand Adventures that sail from 20 – 36 day itineraries.
Tahitian Princess – 107-Night cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Dover, England. Jan 14 – May 1, 2009. Visiting: Caribbean Islands, Panama Canal, South America, South Pacific to Tahiti, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Guam, Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Dubai, Oman, Egypt, Suez Canal, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and England.
Royal Princess – 107-Night cruise from Ft. Lauderdale – Rome, Italy Jan 20 – May 8, 2009. Similar itinerary with the added Jerusalem, Istanbul, Venice, and Florence, Italy.
Holland America's Rotterdam is sailing a 117-Night itinerary from Los Angeles around the globe to New York, Jan 19 – May 16, 2009. This cruise offers segments – 23 night LA to Sydney – 22-Night Sydney to Hong Kong, 36-Night Hong Kong to Cape Town, and 15 night Cape Town to New York.
Cunard Line's 'Queen Victoria' embarks on a a true circumnavigation cruise, 99-Nights sailing from New York to Southampton (you can also do a 105- night round-trip New York with the last 6 nights on the Queen Mary 2). January 10 – April 20, 2009 Itinerary segments: 40-Nights New York to Sydney and 59-Nights Sydney to Southampton.
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 sails a shorter 90-Night circumnavigation cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to New York. This is the largest ship ever to sail the around the word itinerary.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers two world voyages with segments. Regent Seven Seas Mariner cruises from Ft. Lauderdale to Vancouver for 121-Nights - January 26 – May 27, 2009. Segments: 18-Night Ft. Lauderdale to Buenos Aires, 15-Nights Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, 25-Nights Valparaiso to Sydney, 15-Nights Sydney to Singapore, 14-Nights Singapore to Hong Kong, 14-Nights Hong Kong to Osaka, 13-Nights Osaka to Seward, and 13-Nights Seward to Vancouver.
Regent Seven Seas Voyager cruises 116-Nights from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale January 12 – May 8, 2009 which can be extended to a full circumnavigation cruise by adding the New Year's Panama canal cruise bringing the total days to 131-Nights.
Segments: 20-Nights Los Angeles to Auckland, 12-Nights Auckland to Sydney, 21-Nights Sydney to Shanghai, 12-Nights Shanghai to Singapore, 14-Nights Singapore to Dubai, 17-Nights Dubai to Istanbul, 20-Nights Istanbul to Ft. Lauderdale.
There are other cruise lines offering the same or similar options. Choose wisely – check to see how much time the ship stays in the ports that you are interested in. Most of all – if you are thinking about it – make your deposits soon or you will lose out.
