Aquadesiac

Getting to and from the ship is always the worst part of cruising...

Oh no! We figured Luggage Forward could collect our biggest bags directly from QM2 in New York so at least we wouldn't have to bother with them--just all our carry-on's and medical equipment (2 cpaps, 2 portable oxygen concentrators and all their batteries, tubes & charging cords.) I used to say there were two classes of travel--"First Class and With Children." Now I have to add the one most likely to make me feel like a pack mule--"With Medical Equipment." But I can't complain. All those mechanical wonders have made it possible for us to travel and cruising is perfect for someone like me, who has a condition that requires a little extra help to get along. I'm grateful for the devices that keep me going! Sometimes I joke with the DH that he has a battery operated wife!

Thanks so much for this info, Roy. But anything that requires us to corral all our luggage and waggle it through customs is never a piece of cake! We plan to Luggage Forward to and from NYC to avoid having to schlep it through airports, but it looks like we'll need to deal with it all in Southampton. Thank heaven for porters. Guess I was hoping for something like we experienced on an Alaska cruise on NCL back in 2021. The cruise line had an agreement with the airlines and once we set our bags outside our stateroom the night before disembarkation, we didn't see them again until we landed back in our final airport. But in that case, I don't think going through customs was involved.

We're booked on QA's 2025 maiden world voyage from NYC to Southampton and then on QM2 back to NYC to make our world cruise a true circumnavigation. We can't be the only guests who've ever done this. Does Cunard have a process to transfer passengers from one Cunard ship to another in Southampton? Thanks in advance for your replies!

If you're sailing up Sognefjord to Flome, consider having supper delivered by room service so you can dine on your balcony on the way out. It's one breathtaking vista after another. After a while, my DH and I started to wax fanciful and "see" faces and shapes in the rock formations. It was like we were kids again, lying on the grass while the clouds overhead morphed into dragons and bunnies.

The first time we took my parents to Alaska, we had side by side balconies. I'll never forget wandering out there very early, swathed in my robe, to find my Dad already on his balcony, too. We watched together as the ship overtook a pod of orcas in the dawn light. They swam alongside us, the only sound their puffing breaths in the stillness. Dad had wanted to visit Alaska for as long as I could remember and in that moment, I felt we'd seen the true wild heart of the place. It will stay with me forever. By all means, book the balcony.

Yay for a hidden socket behind the bed! We discovered one on our 2018 WC on Princess and I only hope our 2025 WC on the Queen Anne will yield a similar happy discovery! Fortunately we travel with EU adapters so no worries there. Does anyone know if QA has bedside tables with lamps?

I've always experienced a bumpy ride from the west coast to Hawaii. We were on the Pacific Princess (670 pax) for the world cruise in 2018 which is a small ship, and on the HAL Westerdam (about 2000 pax) for a 30 day south Pacific cruise. I was thankful for my scopolamine patches on both. The only caution is that it's not good to drink while you wear the patch. Not a problem for me since I'm not a drinker, but it can be a consideration if you want to imbibe. Exploring alone...I did a lot of it when I was younger and my DH was on business trips in fascinating cities. I've wandered all over Tokyo, Amsterdam, London & Hanover using public transportation, walking everywhere and seeing everything I wanted to see. Even though I didn't speak the language in some places, I studied my map ahead of time and plowed ahead like I knew where I was going. Did I mention I was younger? Now I think the world has changed, and I have changed, and there is value and safety in numbers. I'd encourage you to strike up friendships with your shipmates and sally forth together on independent excursions if you don't want to use the ship's offerings. We always got to know solo travelers on our world cruises. When you sail that long with others, you become a little village and you take care of your own. You'll be fine. I wish you so well! Hope you have a wonderful time with whatever cruise you decide on.

We're old enough to be on Medicare and have a Part D supplement for meds. Since we pay our premium for this in one lump sum in late December for the next year, we've never had a problem with our insurance denying a prescription written for 5 months worth of our maintenance meds. If I'm going to be gone long enough that I have to take meds off the ship with me, I take a photo of the labels with my phone so I have the script with me, then I carry the day's meds in a small, see-through zipper pouch. I'm not hiding anything. This is especially important in zero-drug tolerance countries like Singapore and the Middle East.

We were on the Viking Star for their 2022 World Cruise--121 days and we were able to use T-Mobile to call home to loved ones in every port we visited. And as an added bonus, I could text with our fam while on the ship through Viking's wifi without any charge, even when we were bobbing around in the middle of nowhere. It's excellent coverage!

Thanks again, Jan. I'll look for your next WC installments whenever they happen!

Jan, I just binge watched your videos up through Valentines Day. What fun! and what terrific attitudes you two have. So what if things aren't perfection? What is? Itinerary changes? Who cares? You just travel on with grace and good humor. I with the DH and I were on the Poesia with you! Just FYI, YouTube says a couple of your uploaded videos aren't yet available. I get that you have wifi issues, but just thought you might want to know there doesn't seem to be access to any more days after 2/14. Thanks for sharing!

All I know about cruise insurance is that using an independent insurance company usually gets you better coverage for less money than using the cruise line's "insurance." Pay particular attention to the medical coverage and medical evacuation amounts. Lost luggage is an inconvenience, but if you don't have adequate medical, your life (and your life's savings) can be in jeopardy.

Does O have ballroom dance classes?

Thanks to all for the info. Most helpful. Now what distinguishes "Tour Price" from "Your World" prices and how do I know which would apply to us? Is this a loyalty perk thing? We've cruised on lots of other lines but we're neophytes on Oceania. We've heard lots of good things about them, but are just investigating at this stage.

Am I missing something? Why aren't the prices of excursions listed on the O website? Is it some kind of national secret? And is there a reason why the "included in OLife" excursions aren't clearly marked? We're considering an 82 day voyage on O and need more information before we pull the trigger. Thanks for any info you can share!

Thanks to both of you! I was hoping the Pacific Princess (May she sail on in peace as the Azamara Onward!) wasn't just a one-off. Duct-taping an extension cord across the room is an accident waiting to happen!

When we were on the Pacific Princess for the world cruise in 2018, we found a number of hidden outlets in our balcony cabin. Under the head of the bed, there was a European plug where we used our converter to plug in cpaps without having to string an extension cord across the room. The plug in in the bathroom that was supposed to be for electric razors doubled nicely as our electric tooth brush charger. And there was another near the antique hairdryer. There was free plug-in behind the TV that I was able to use to create a charging station for my Portable Oxygen Concentrator. So here's my question: Have YOU found any extra plug-ins on Princess ships other than the couple on the desk/vanity area? If so, where? And on what ship and cabin type? I'm particularly interested in the Island Princess because we're toying with another WC, but I suspect there are others like me who would be interested in any ship because what's true for one may apply to others. Also, if you know of any more public plug-ins, please consider sharing those "hidden" gems! Thanks!

We are booked on a Holland America 21 day for October, so I know HAL is accepting me and my POC's. I spent 121 days on the Viking Star during the height of the Omicron surge this year. We were tested every single day and I was always negative, though we did have a few cases on board during those months--one of them the lady who sat next to me during our passenger choir practices. I remained negative. Cruising is not without risk, even if you're in perfect health.

I use an oxygen concentrator to meet my O2 needs during exertion, so I cruise with two devices, one the size of a small rolling carry-on and the other is purse-sized if I'm going to be on rough terrain. I used my Portable Oxygen Concentrators on a 2019 21-day cruise out of NYC to Norway and back on the QM2 and had a wonderful time. But now, I can't book a trip on Cunard because of my pulmonary needs. I can understand the physical limitations of the space it takes to store oxygen canisters, but my POCs don't require that. They pull in room air, scrub out the nitrogen and give me a puff of O2 without storing any in the machine. Both my POCs are FAA approved for air travel and pose no risk to anyone. I've looked all over the Cunard website to see if there's a chat feature because I'd really love to discuss this with the company and find out why, out of all the brands under the Carnival umbrella, Cunard is the only line that will not allow me to sail with them. My POC's have taken me around the world twice--once with Princess in 2018 and just this year 2022 with Viking--and I've never had a problem that required the cruise line to bother themselves about my O2 needs. (One of the reasons I travel with 2 devices. In the unlikely chance that one quits, I have a back up.) My DH and I are really interested in trying a Cunard WC for 2025, hoping that the no POC rule will be relaxed by then. Short of waiting on the phone to speak to a representative who likely won't know anything about the policy or if it will be rescinded any time soon, does anyone know a way for me to communicate with the appropriate people at Cunard? Thanks in advance for your suggestions! Hope to meet you on one of the Queens someday.

By the "starting and ending at the same port" standard, we haven't been on any World Cruises, though we spent 96 days on the Pacific Princess in 2018 sailing west from LA to FLL, and 121 days this year on the Viking Star, sailing south from LA, round the Horn of South America, up to Uruguay, across to the Med, on to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Greece, the Dalmatian coast, Italy, Spain and disembarking in Bergen before flying home.(Here are some of the details about world cruising logistics in the time of Covid: https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/viking-revises-world-cruise-itinerary-eve-departure-and-details-what-went ) Yet, because we started from our own doorstep and returned to the same after such extended voyages, I feel we've had the World Cruise experience even if we didn't begin and end in the same port. They were both worthy adventures and we're richer for having experienced them.

Our 2022 Viking WC was our first cruise on that line, but we'd read so much about it, we felt confident in our decision. We were NOT disappointed! Loved the uncluttered Scandinavian design throughout.. The food was amazing, the thermal suite like heaven, and the smart casual ambience perfect for us. We love smaller ships. That said, even though we got lucky with Viking, we probably shouldn't have invested in a WC without a trial run. There are intangibles that don't show up on YouTube & Cruise Critic because some requirements are specific to us. We had booked a Cunard WC before taking a 21 day to Norway and back on the QM2. It's a beautiful ship and the entertainment was definitely world class (The National Ballet traveled with us for the last week! ) but we discovered some quirks unique to Cunard. I knew it's a more formal line so we were quite prepared to enjoy dressing up. (Love seeing the DH in his tux!) But I have a lung condition that makes me hyper-sensitive to chemical smells and I had not considered that when people dress to the 9's, they use more personal grooming products like perfume, aftershave, hair spray, etc. When I opened the closet in our stateroom for the first time, I was slammed with the remnants of fragrances past. Getting into an elevator often led to a coughing fit for me. So consider what is unique to YOU and plan your WC accordingly. A trial run is highly recommended.

We were on the Viking WC this year on the Star in a DV5. As the oldest ship in the fleet, there were no extra drawers in the closet, but we brought some collapsible bins to make organized use of the shelf above the rod. We also travel with collapsible hanging shelves that velcro over the closet rod. Like Andy & Judi, we asked for the coffee maker to be removed to create a little more storage space. It was a very comfortable cabin for us. We loved the Star and its wonderful crew! The only excursion I wanted but didn't get was a trip inside the Gaudi La Sagra Familia in Barcelona. It wasn't a huge disappointment because we'd seen it in 2018 when we did the Princess WC. But we got every other excursion we wanted because we watched the website like hawks. As soon as the big excursion to Luxor was available for our cabin class, we pounced. You'll love a Viking WC! And for us, at least, a DV5 cabin was perfect.

Forgot to check the follow topic button. I'm interested to hear how others fund their travel.

My DH retired from Google in 2015. While he worked there, he received company stocks each quarter as a bonus. We've been using that bucket of funds to pay for our two world cruises, Princess in 2018 and Viking earlier this year. We've also used some of those funds to buy a house for our daughter, which isn't as breathtaking as you might think. We live in a low cost of living area for the US. We probably have enough left in that pot of money to do one more world cruise, but only if Google and the rest of the stock market turn around. Hoping to book a 2025 WC, but not sure which line. It may depend on itinerary more than the ship. Then we'll have to start saving to finance our traveling. I couldn't bear the thought of going into debt for something as finite as a WC. Yes, the memories are priceless, but debt is not something I'm comfortable with at this stage in our lives. I've begun slipping a little money into what I call my "fun account" each month. If I can at least put away enough for our deposit and a few extras, it'll spare the stock account a bit.