Longest world cruise ever just announced by RCL

[OnTheJourney]

7 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

(Tinker, Tara, and Spike send their best!)

LOL!!!!   😺😹😾   Let's see pics of them.....

 

Just went through the itinerary...97 sea days....yikes....guess I'd have to pack aLOT of books to read....

Edited October 28, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[Jim Avery]

Yes, pets are the biggie.   We certainly miss ours but we are able to leave for as long as we wish.  When travel inevitably slows we are sure to have a few pets...  And a pool?  Yes that can be a problem.  Years ago I left a pool in Florida for almost 4 weeks.  When I returned the pool was literally full of thousands and thousands of tadpoles!  Had completely jammed the sand filter media.  I won't do that again...😳

[Jim Avery]

28 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Most interesting in the itinerary is how they are in China for 3 days, then Japan for 2 days, followed by South Korea, but then a return to China for 2 more days and then Japan again for 6 more days. Different ports, but still...seems unusual to backtrack?  They also spend 4 days in France, then move on to Spain-Morocco-Portugal-Spain-Ireland, but then return to France for 3 more days. Might it have something to do with refueling / taking on more food?  The one 'backtrack' if it could be referred to as such crosses over into the next segment, so maybe they wanted to offer some of the same ports for people who aren't doing the previous segment. 

 

Another thing I was wondering....is only one captain (and maybe other officers as well) on duty for an entire world cruise? Are there regulations as to how many consecutive days they can work? I figure Andy and Jim can easily answer that one....

On the Inaugural WC we had one Captain for the duration.  On the Ultimate WC, first half, they changed out twice during the 128 days.  Two Captains splitting time.  As to limits, I used to sail 6 months at a time regularly.  I am not aware of any limits on months at sea.  Andy?

[OnTheJourney]

5 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

When I returned the pool was literally full of thousands and thousands of tadpoles!  Had completely jammed the sand filter media.  I won't do that again.

I shouldn't lol...but....LOL  One time we were on a summer trip (while still teaching). My Dad volunteered to take care of things; however, for whatever reason (surely not intentional I'd hope) he decided to completely shut down the pool...no filter...no circulation...for somewhere between 2-3 weeks.....we returned to a stagnant swamp. It was like opening the pool in spring all over again. 

Edited October 28, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

Yes, pets are the biggie.   We certainly miss ours but we are able to leave for as long as we wish.  When travel inevitably slows we are sure to have a few pets...  And a pool?  Yes that can be a problem.  Years ago I left a pool in Florida for almost 4 weeks.  When I returned the pool was literally full of thousands and thousands of tadpoles!  Had completely jammed the sand filter media.  I won't do that again...😳

 

Did you think to go in to the fresh frog's legs business?

[Twitchly]

5 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

 Years ago I left a pool in Florida for almost 4 weeks.  When I returned the pool was literally full of thousands and thousands of tadpoles!  Had completely jammed the sand filter media.  I won't do that again...😳

I wish I could unsee that image in my head …

[Heidi13]

20 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Most interesting in the itinerary is how they are in China for 3 days, then Japan for 2 days, followed by South Korea, but then a return to China for 2 more days and then Japan again for 6 more days. Different ports, but still...seems unusual to backtrack?  They also spend 4 days in France, then move on to Spain-Morocco-Portugal-Spain-Ireland, but then return to France for 3 more days. Might it have something to do with refueling / taking on more food?  The one 'backtrack' if it could be referred to as such crosses over into the next segment, so maybe they wanted to offer some of the same ports for people who aren't doing the previous segment. 

 

Another thing I was wondering....is only one captain (and maybe other officers as well) on duty for an entire world cruise? Are there regulations as to how many consecutive days they can work? I figure Andy and Jim can easily answer that one....

 

Best guess for the back tracking is they have already incorporated unpublished mini-segments into the itinerary, so to help fill the ship. Further proof it isn't a real WC, more an extended series of B2B2B.

[Heidi13]

20 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

On the Inaugural WC we had one Captain for the duration.  On the Ultimate WC, first half, they changed out twice during the 128 days.  Two Captains splitting time.  As to limits, I used to sail 6 months at a time regularly.  I am not aware of any limits on months at sea.  Andy?

 

Jim - I believe MLC 2006 introduced that all seamen should be given leave after a max of 12 months. In my deep sea time, we wrked 4 months on and 2 months off.

 

The Viking Masters are on day for day contract, with 10 weeks on/off being a popular option

 

Longest contract I am aware of was the 30 month P&O Far East contract. If you signed up for that one, you received premium pay and got 1 return flight home in the middle.

[OnTheJourney]

FWIW, another thread reports that the full cruise is nearly 70% sold out already and that they will release segments for sale if there are any cabins left. No idea how the person who is reporting this would know for sure. Maybe info from a TA. 

Edited October 29, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[BVILady]

On 10/29/2021 at 2:14 PM, OnTheJourney said:

FWIW, another thread reports that the full cruise is nearly 70% sold out already and that they will release segments for sale if there are any cabins left. No idea how the person who is reporting this would know for sure. Maybe info from a TA. 

I do think the itinerary will be interesting for quite a lot of people and for the 274 days the price is not bad especially for couples. Have not seen the single-rate.  I had been tempted first but since I have cruised quite a lot previously the itinerary isn't so exciting for me any longer. Sure there are some stops on their itinerary I have not visited yet but not enough to consider it. Right now I am booked on 2 World cruises which itineraries compliment each other, one more Asia/Australia/Pacific the other one Around Africa and around South America, again lot's of ports I did see already but not too many sea-days in between. Just saw a question on Facebook somebody asking for fellow-cruisers for the Viking World Cruise in December 2021, told them to check here. Is the Viking WC still happening?

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, BVILady said:

Is the Viking WC still happening?

In '23. You can find out lots on that on the Viking Ocean forum. 

 

1 hour ago, BVILady said:

Right now I am booked on 2 World cruises

How long are they?  There would be loads of ports on the RCL world cruise that I've not been to, having not yet been to Australia, Asia, or Africa. They are all on my list, but wouldn't be interested in doing any of them by cruise. 

Edited October 30, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, BVILady said:

I do think the itinerary will be interesting for quite a lot of people and for the 274 days the price is not bad especially for couples. Have not seen the single-rate.  I had been tempted first but since I have cruised quite a lot previously the itinerary isn't so exciting for me any longer. Sure there are some stops on their itinerary I have not visited yet but not enough to consider it. Right now I am booked on 2 World cruises which itineraries compliment each other, one more Asia/Australia/Pacific the other one Around Africa and around South America, again lot's of ports I did see already but not too many sea-days in between. Just saw a question on Facebook somebody asking for fellow-cruisers for the Viking World Cruise in December 2021, told them to check here. Is the Viking WC still happening?

 

Affirmative, the 21/22 Viking WC is still sailing. They are still tweaking the itinerary, but shore-ex are being booked and Visas are being acquired.

[FlyerTalker]

270+ days on Royal Caribbean.

 

At least here in the USA, doesn't the 8th Amendment prevent the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment?

[BVILady]

On the Journey each of my Cruises is 128 days. My Adult-kids and me do a lot of land-trips individually like 1 week in one spot then moving on the the next spot for 1 week, usually 4-6 weeks. The world is to large to spend time in each place. After my son and me lucked out to be in Kenya on Safari in January 2020 right before everything closed up I was looking for a cruise including Africa and the cruise I found also included around South America which I had done on Princess already. But since you only spend one or 2 days in any port I was happy to do around South America again. We had been in Asia before like cruising and spending time in Hong Kong and Singapore and I have been around Australia and New Zealand but again haven't seen everything yet, so the other cruise I am doing is also doing various Pacific Islands usually not so easy to get to and since I am not looking for Beach vacations not for me for an extended stay and places like South Korea, Petra and the Suez Canal. I am booked on Costa which is not so popular on Cruise Critic but me being European a good fit for me and the price for single cabins can't be beat. After going 30 days around South America previously I know I can handle the 4 month on the ship. I travel for the excursions and the possibility to see so many different places is very exciting for me.

[BVILady]

10 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Affirmative, the 21/22 Viking WC is still sailing. They are still tweaking the itinerary, but shore-ex are being booked and Visas are being acquired.

I am so envious. 😊Can't wait to hear about it all. My cruise for 2022 has been cancelled but will be in Europe next summer on 2 cruises with my Adult-kids and Germany, Spain and Portugal on-land, so at least going to be traveling again.