2015 World Cruise

[MrsWaldo]

I actually started looking at WC and basically they count me out :(

 

Too much of Australia and NZ on the itinerary but that is what the market wants.

 

I still do not understand why most of the cruises head to North Queensland in January when it is the absolute worst time of year to be there.

 

I agree whole heartedly with the "full package"

 

I choose to live where I like it and have amenities that suit me so if I was heading off cruising for 5 months then I'd want to be sure I could "live" with the experience.

[seabournaddict]

 

With that said, I would not just do a full World Cruise on any cruise ship because if you are going to be on that ship for 110-130 days you better make sure that you will be satisfied with that experience since about half the days are sea days. Being on a full World Cruise is quite different than being on board for 10-20 days so I would put more emphasis on the complete package then I would for a shorter cruise. Just my view.

 

Keith

 

and, therein lies my problem! I KNOW the Seabourn product. We are Diamond members. ALL our cruises are very long ones not 10 to 20 days, more like months, but not WC! We LOVE sea days. Everything about a WC suits us very well. We DO NOT know the Silversea product and that is the problem. We would stay with Seabourn very happily but just cant envisage spending that amount of money on a cruise that repeats the same ports over and over ( knowing you can do these same ports at another time of year for a lot less money).

[oregon50]

That is a problem. A bigger problem is getting on a ship for 100+ days and finding that the other line has a different standard for acceptable food.

As you know, there are plenty of people that dive head first into a world cruise and seem to make the best of it.

[Laylam]

.....I still do not understand why most of the cruises head to North Queensland in January when it is the absolute worst time of year to be there......

I agree, hot and humid at best or cyclones!!

[zorro90068]

I agree, hot and humid at best or cyclones!!

 

I did this year on the Odyssey in Dec and we were very lucky in having some great weather....now when I did the return and left Auckland on Feb 23rd to Singapore that was nothig but a monsoon for the whole month of March!

[Keith1010]

That is a problem. A bigger problem is getting on a ship for 100+ days and finding that the other line has a different standard for acceptable food.

As you know, there are plenty of people that dive head first into a world cruise and seem to make the best of it.

 

My recommendation is that before anyone takes a World Cruise that they try out the cruise line on a much shorter voyage to be sure they will be happy with the various amenities. I would also try out the ship unless it was an identical sister ship of one I had previously sailed. With that said I have known many people whose first world cruise was on a cruise line that they had never sailed. Most liked it but some said they wish they would have sailed the line first. I am talking about each of the luxury lines that offer world cruises.

 

Keith

[wripro]

Keith,

 

I agree completely. When I say itinerary is the driving force I mean it's a personal choice. If the itinerary works for you then go for it. If not look elsewhere. The cruise lines will offer what they offer. We get to choose if we like it.

[Keith1010]

Henry, yes, I agree.

 

Keith

[redheadednancy]

Some of my favorite World Cruise itineraries others might not have thought were great such as the 30 or so days in the Middle East but I thought it was extraordinary.

 

 

Keith

I so agree. We did 36 days which included the Middle East and it was one of my most favorite itineraries. Fortunately we were in Cairo in April of this year when all was quiet!! I was so surprised. I did not think I would like it as much as I did and I would like to go back and see more.

[Laylam]

I so agree. We did 36 days which included the Middle East and it was one of my most favorite itineraries. Fortunately we were in Cairo in April of this year when all was quiet!! I was so surprised. I did not think I would like it as much as I did and I would like to go back and see more.

Firstly, I apologise for being slightly off topic, but RHN I am interested to know, on that itinerary, was India the only country where you needed to personally apply for a visa? Did Seabourn organise the other 4 or 5?

[redheadednancy]

Firstly, I apologise for being slightly off topic, but RHN I am interested to know, on that itinerary, was India the only country where you needed to personally apply for a visa? Did Seabourn organise the other 4 or 5?

Yes. We did it online and it had to be "exact" as your picture had to be "exact" size. We were very careful to do everything as correctly as possible and of course having to send your passport with the application is a little scary but we did and everything came through fine. You can't do it until 90 days before you get into country. It was expensive we thought, around $400 total as I remember but they were efficient. You send them to different places.(depending on where you live)..ours went to Washington DC.

 

We were fascinated by Mumbai. Had a wonderful slum tour and really saw the city in detail (two days there) and an excellent guide...Mumbai Magic. I loved the food too. Great trip.

 

Seabourn took care of everything else.

[Laylam]

Thank you RHN, very helpful. We booked with Mumbai Magic after reading your review at the time. I feel like I am wishing my life away but roll on March 2014!

[redheadednancy]

Thank you RHN, very helpful. We booked with Mumbai Magic after reading your review at the time. I feel like I am wishing my life away but roll on March 2014!

We also are wishing our life away a little---back on Spirit in Sept. I must say again, do have the slum tour as part of your guided tour. I was amazed. We had a student guide who is joining the Merchang Marines. His family has always lived there but it's not a slum like we have in America. They get free housing but everyone works. Since they have no welfare system, they have to figure out a way to get income. It was fascinating to see how they use materials again and again and how a box of cardboard can provide income for several families... To walk through and see them recycling absolutely everything makes me appalled at the waste in the US. One place just did buttonholes that we peeked in. I could go on and on. Anyhow, we hope to do it again...in between riots and demonstrations in the Middle East!! We were lucky this time, hope you are too.

[cwn]

We also are wishing our life away a little---back on Spirit in Sept. I must say again, do have the slum tour as part of your guided tour. I was amazed. We had a student guide who is joining the Merchang Marines. His family has always lived there but it's not a slum like we have in America. They get free housing but everyone works. Since they have no welfare system, they have to figure out a way to get income. It was fascinating to see how they use materials again and again and how a box of cardboard can provide income for several families... To walk through and see them recycling absolutely everything makes me appalled at the waste in the US. One place just did buttonholes that we peeked in. I could go on and on. Anyhow, we hope to do it again...in between riots and demonstrations in the Middle East!! We were lucky this time, hope you are too.

 

RHN...were your two days with Mumbai Magic done as a private tour? What were your favorite sites?

[redheadednancy]

RHN...were your two days with Mumbai Magic done as a private tour? What were your favorite sites?

Yes, private tour and great price. email me at nancy@arnettonline.net and I'll send you a copy of our itinerary with what we loved most. We saw Mumbai from top to bottom with a driver and guide for two days and we put the tour together ourselves as a combination of what they recommended and what Seabourn was doing and what we wanted to see.

[cwn]

Nancy, you have mail.

Thanks Carolyn

[redheadednancy]

Nancy, you have mail.

Thanks Carolyn

Carolyn, haven't forgotten you or a couple of others that wrote me. I have to find it in my past history trip stuff and I have a ton of company for this holiday week. I'll get to it in the next few days for sure!!

[markham]

BristolGolfer,

 

I just heard back from Paula in reservations that the WC 2015 is going to be announced in early fall while you had heard late this month. It's too bad that one of the 2 sources is wrong when communicating information for sales purposes should be easy and straightforward.

 

I had been in contact to complain about Seabourn's non-policy about smoking in interior spaces, in particular the Observation Bar. Again, no information for us non-smokers there either.

 

Happy sailing!

[BristolGolfer]

Hi Markham

 

Hmm...late fall...that's annoying but perhaps it's to do with the build and launch of the new ship.

 

It won't really effect our decision though as we will do the whole 4 month cruise if the itinerary is right or just half the cruise if it's the same 'old' boring stops - FL, Pacific Islands, Oz etc, etc.

 

Best Regards

V & H

[markham]

BristolGolfer,

 

She said it would be announced early fall- so maybe in 2-3 months instead of in 2-3 weeks. I would like to think that Seabourn can manage a routine such as itinerary planning separately and alongside ship build planning. So let's see how things go!

 

Yes, and let's hope for a change to the usual WC itinerary. I think by now we could run our own excursion packages in most of them!

 

Happy sailing!

[DCCruiser57]

What's even more astounding is that Seabourn just told my travel agent that they do not plan to announce the speakers/lecturers, world events and the complimentary shore excursions for the 2014 world cruise until sometime in the fall even though final payment is due at the end of August.

[zorro90068]

What's even more astounding is that Seabourn just told my travel agent that they do not plan to announce the speakers/lecturers, world events and the complimentary shore excursions for the 2014 world cruise until sometime in the fall even though final payment is due at the end of August.

 

As WIPRO said, just cancel before final payment and wait and see what guest lecturers are announced and if you are please rebook it....itès not like it will sell out!

[Keith1010]

As to 2014 it sounds easy enough, but if one is booked for the entire WC I would not recommend canceling it to then rebook it. While it might not be sold out you likely will not get the cabin or even the category you want. And then there are the flights to secure.

 

Personally, I don't make my cruising decisions on who the lecturers will be on any cruise nor on the specific events but this approach seems to show a lack of focus on a World Cruise which to me just is very surprising on the part of Seabourn. Maybe after a few years of doing World Cruises they are not pleased with the results.

 

Regarding 2015, to me it is very surprising to that Seabourn is waiting so long to announce WC15. I remember a few years ago that they actually had their WC itinerary out before Regent (who at the time was offering World Cruises), Crystal and Silversea. Now they have gone the other route. Crystal announced their WC15 itinerary end of March of 2012 and it has attracted a lot of interest in bookings like nothing I have ever seen. A world cruise is a major commitment particularly if you are sailing all or a major portion of it and people want the information 18 months to even 2 or more years prior to the sailing. For some they go on World Cruises often and just want to finalize their plans sooner rather than later and for others it is a cruise of a lifetime and thus they want to plan for it far in advance.

 

Not sure why they are waiting. I am sure that ports have been secured for a long time. It does sound like they are missing the" boat" on marketing it.

 

Keith

[Mr Luxury]

Keith,I think that it is a HAL thing controlling this, rather than the old Seabourn way.

[rols]

I am in email contact with John Delaney (Pres Sale & Marketing) in Seattle & he told me that the 2015 world cruise details would be out end of this month or early July.

 

V & H

 

Is it out yet? I have a 'big figure' birthday in 2015 and we intend to be on a ship that day, we just need Seabourn to tell us what options we have.