The World is 70% water… so let’s get on board with CRUISING!
The ultimate dream cruise for many is to set sail on an extended cruise around the world.
At Vacation Rewards you can easily discover a WORLD CRUISE online and choose from a wide array of well-known cruiselines like Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas to name a few. Choose from a complete circumnavigation, a selected shorter segmented cruise, or a Transpacific cruise that will give you a taste for long, lazy sea days. Plus, BONUS – tick off multiple destinations on your bucket list all in one go!
Let’s discover more about a World Cruise, and more…
What is a World Cruise?
A world cruise is just what you imagine it to be – cruising around the globe, seeing different sights, sounds, cultures, countries and more. Not to mention a true holiday at sea, enjoying the wide blue ocean, making new friends with your fellow cruisers and discovering your floating hotel (the ship). Usually between 90 to 120 days (often more) these lengthy cruising holidays appeal to seasoned and experienced cruisers, those setting off on a great adventure, seniors looking to spend their golden years travelling the world and anyone who is looking to expand their horizons.
Is it for you? Well, that depends entirely on your personal preferences of course, but if you love cruising, watching a ship sail in and out of port, enjoy really getting to know people, different cultures, new destinations, and are ready for a laid-back, cost effective way to travel the world, then a world cruise may just be for you.
I’m new to cruising, and thinking of a World Cruise
If you’re new to cruising and are just starting out on what you’ll soon realise is a great way to holiday, then let us first suggest a taste-tester cruise, or a 7-day sail around the Pacific Islands. Want to start out a little more exotic? Try the Caribbean or Hawaiian Islands, or the Mediterranean is gorgeous this time of year – imagine cruising the Greek Islands – Santorini, Mykonos… sounds like fun yes?!? Try cruising out first before your go in for the big one!
What is a World Segment Cruise?
A shorter segment of a World Cruise allows you to choose the parts of the cruise you are interested in – a specialisation if you like. Each segment could be a few days, a few weeks or a month or even more, targeting certain destinations. For example, if you’ve already cruised to the Mediterranean before (although my hand is up to go again!) and you would prefer to only see South America, it could be an option to “segment” that portion of your cruise. By segmenting a world cruise, you can also get a taste of the whole experience of World Cruising when time is limited or you have a budget to stick to.
Be aware though if you do choose to opt for world cruising segments that you may need additional travel arrangements for flights, extensions, stopovers, added tours etc.
Are there other Long Cruises Available?
You can also opt for the very popular Transpacific Cruise, cruising round trip from Sydney and Brisbane to the exotic locations of the Pacific – Hawaii, Tahiti, Bora Bora, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and even Tonga.
Similar voyages leave our shores and head to Asia, taking in Hong Kong, cosmopolitan Singapore, China and even the cherry blossom festivals of Japan. There is a wealth of cruises to choose from as you go sail from one bucket-list destinations to the next!
What’s a Back to Back Cruise?
When you see the terminology Back to Back in connection with a cruise holiday, you will find a combination of sailings rolled into one holiday. The first cruise may leave from one port and arrive in another, just in time for you to board a second ship and sail on to another destination. We love it when cruiselines create a back to back combo, sometimes you can even stay a few days in port to explore before your next ship arrives. Imagine cruising the whole Mediterranean on a Back to Back – sail from Rome to Barcelona on one cruise, and then from Barcelona back to Venice on another… maybe even on the same ship! Think of all the possibilities!
What about a Circumnavigation Cruise?
This is all about immersing yourself in one specific destination and really getting to know a country, culture and the different aspects of a destination. Cruises vary from smaller, more manoeuvrable ships that get you up close and personal with wildlife, landscapes and more through to larger ships that can show you popular highlights, engaging experiences and a whole ship-full of fun. While most Circumnavigation Cruises will range from 10 to 30 days and have the possibilities for segmentation, similar to a World Cruise, destinations can take you around Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, further afield to Hawaii, Cuba, or even Iceland, Japan and more!
Upcoming Options
Next year, Sea Princess departs Sydney on its World Voyage, touching in on Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Egypt, the Mediterranean including Venice and the Greek Isles, Ireland and London, Norway, Iceland, Canada, New York, Colombia, the Panama Canal, Peru, Easter Island, Tahiti and Moorea, before heading home again via New Zealand.
2020 with Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria departing New York or Southampton, UK for Australia, South East Asia, South Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, USA, South America and beyond. What do you think? There are also a few ideal opportunities for cruising a number of favorite destination segments, rather than the whole 108 days – where are you off to next?
Holland America has a Grand World Voyage 2020 or 2021 starting in January for 129 days onboard MS Amsterdam. You’ll cruise from Fort Lauderdale, along the South American coastline to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, the Strait of Magellan, with all of their stunning wildlife and historic discoveries, cruise into the South Pacific to paradise islands, head for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef then across to Singapore. Discover the beautiful Seychelles and Maldives, then an African adventure in Kenya, Zanzibar and Tanzania, before rounding the cape and heading for Barbados and more, before heading home to Florida. Whew! So many destinations.
Are you Prepared for the Adventure of a Lifetime?
Why not set forth and see the World in one go?! World Cruising is arguably one of the best ways to see the World and enjoy the onboard luxuries of a floating hotel and more. A World Cruise is the ultimate holiday at sea, taking you easily to exotic, historic and distant places, to discover a multitude of hidden gems all from the comfort of your deckchair!
Ready to book your World Cruise? Search online now, or call your Vacation Rewards® Travel Specialists for ideas