Worth the Splurge

By Jim Byers

Want to see the world? Consider an extended cruise with plenty of attractive perks.

World cruises have become the next big thing in YOLO travel, and the numbers are mind-blowing.

Cruise lovers can now take voyages that last nine months and visit all seven continents. Royal Caribbean’s inaugural 274-day Ultimate World Cruise will set sail late in 2023 and visit every continent, including 65 countries and 11 world wonders. Silversea, Regent Seven Seas and other lines also are selling world cruises.

Mark Conroy, managing director, The Americas, Silversea Cruises, said the reasons for taking a world cruise vary from marking retirement to major celebrations, like milestone birthdays and anniversaries, to the sheer ease of cruise travel. If you had to buy airline tickets to travel to cities featured on a world cruise, say the Silversea 2024 voyage with 65 ports, you’d almost certainly spend tens of thousands of dollars just on flights.

BREAKFAST IN A MASTER SUITE WITH BALCONY

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Toss in 132 hotel nights at, say, a modest $200 per night and you’re looking at another $25,000. Then add in your meals and transfers and tours. Looking at the big picture, world cruises are a very attractive, more economical and convenient option by comparison.

“People love cruising and people are tired of boredom,” said Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean International’s senior vice president of sales, trade support and service, in an interview last summer. “People are saying ‘I want to go out,’ and they’re spending more on vacations now because they have vacation dollars saved up from 2020 and possibly 2021.”

Earlier this year, Silversea’s world cruise for 2023 sold out in less than a day despite a starting price tag of around $91,000. “It was the most successful world-cruise launch in the history of our cruise line,” said Roberto Martinoli, the company’s president and CEO. “This triumph pays testament to the strong demand we are seeing in the market, particularly from affluent, sophisticated travellers.”

SILVERSEA'S LA DAME RESTAURANT

Jason Montague, president and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said the response to his company’s 2024 World Cruise surpassed expectations as well: “Remarkably, we’ve found that interest hasn’t just come from our past guests. We have seen a strong increase in first-time travellers with Regent, many of whom were keen to book the higher end of our suites.”

World cruises are luxury trips. Some lines may have less expensive rates, but for the three surveyed here prices ranged from $76,000 per person to $350,000 for an over-the-top suite on a longer cruise with a luxury liner. That’s not pocket change unless you’re Elon Musk, but the increasing number of lengthy world cruises clearly demonstrates a strong desire to get away from it all. And cruise lines are jostling to promote their ships and the exotic destinations travellers can visit.

PENGUINS IN ANTARCTICA

Which one is right for you depends, of course, on everything from price to length of time on board the ship to the ports of call along the way. Your style of cruising also comes into play. Royal Caribbean is more family-oriented and uses big ships, while Silversea is high-end luxury and its vessels host less than 400 guests.

It can be confusing, but here are some hints to help you decide which cruise is right for you. Given the number of world trips being offered over the next few years, this is not an exhaustive list. Note that some cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, allow guests to book specific segments of a world voyage. Also, some listed cruises may already have wait lists.

ADMIRING THE BEAUTY OF THE LANDSCAPE

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WHAT TO EXPECT ONBOARD?

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

CRUISE OPTIONS AND PRICES: Royal CaribbeanThe Ultimate World Cruise goes from December 10, 2023 to September 10, 2024, a whopping 274 nights. It begins and ends in Miami on Serenade of the Seas and visits more than 150 destinations and 60-plus countries on seven continents. Rooms listed for roughly $81,000 per person and up.

SHIPS DETAILS: Serenade of the Seas offers onboard panoramic views and acres of glass to enjoy every angle of the surrounding scenery. Adventures onshore range from a miniature golf course, a chef’s table dining experience, rock-climbing, musicals and more. Capacity: 2,476.

BAY OF VIRGINS ON FATU HIVA ISLAND, MARQUESAS ARCHIPELAGO

AMENITIES AND PERKS: Business Class airfare, pre-trip Gala event and hotel night, deluxe beverage package, Wi-Fi package, wash and fold laundry service, gratuities all included.

BONUS: 11 world wonders are featured on the voyage.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS: Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Chichen Itza, Antarctica, Machu Picchu, Tahiti, Bali, South Korea, The Great Wall of China, the pyramids of Egypt, St. Petersburg and Scandinavia.

A PERFORMANCE OF GREASE ABOARD HARMONY OF THE SEAS

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REGENT SEVEN SEAS

CRUISE OPTIONS AND PRICES: The 132-night cruise in and out of Miami from January 6 to May 17, 2024 on the Seven Seas Mariner. The ship will visit four continents and 31 countries, as well as 61 UNESCO sites, with prices starting at around $94,000 per person.

SHIPS DETAILS: Seven Seas Mariner features balconies for all rooms. The smallest suite is 92 square metres (990 square feet). In addition to a putting green and golf nets, you’ll find shuffleboard, a bocce court, a casino and four lounges. Capacity: 700.

AMENITIES AND PERKS: Free roundtrip first class air with free transfers, free exclusive pre-cruise gala event and one-night hotel stay, free pre-paid gratuities, free unlimited Wi-Fi, unlimited laundry, including dry cleaning and pressing, unlimited beverages, including fine wines and premium spirits.

BONUS: Exclusive shore excursions included – 442 in all.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS: Key West, Cartagena, San Francisco, Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, Sydney, Phuket, Mumbai, Jerusalem and Rome.

TAP INTO UNEXPLORED BEAUTY IN BALI

SILVERSEA

CRUISE OPTIONS AND PRICES: The 2024 Far East-West World Cruise departs from and returns to San Francisco, visiting 65 ports in 14 countries over 133 days. Dates are January 15 to May 26 on board the Silver Shadow. Prices start at $103,300 per person.

SHIPS DETAILS: Silver Shadow has one of the highest space-to-guest ratios at sea. Enjoy complimentary Pilates classes and yoga. Savour fine wines and French gastronomy in La Dame restaurant. The Connoisseur’s Corner club is a great spot for a late-night drink and maybe a cigar. Capacity: 388.

AMENITIES AND PERKS: Door-to-door personalized journey to San Francisco in business class, bon voyage reception, dinner and overnight accommodation pre-embarkation, one included shore excursion per port, unlimited Wi-Fi.

BONUS: $1,000 USD onboard spending credit per guest.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS: Kauai, Christmas Island, Samoa, New Zealand, Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Alaska and Vancouver.

ROYAL SUITE ONBOARD SILVER SHADOW

© SILVERSEA