Chas2crews

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi, I have been on multiple Silversea Cruises and I sailed Mass Market for many, many years.......

You cannot compare the 2 lines........THAT is apples to oranges.  

 

Oh, I am sailing on the Dawn in April 2022😃

Perfect, Lois R.  I would love to hear your thoughts on the Dawn.  I have done Crystal once, so I am aware there is a difference.  It never hurts to do Days Inn to help you know what is great about the Ritz Carlton.  

I did say I would update this thread.  My first luxury cruise, solo, will be on Silversea Dawn in March 2023.  That leaves plenty of time to do some RCCL so I will have a fresh baseline against which to compare.  

On 6/18/2021 at 4:25 PM, MaineYachtClub said:

Have you looked at a European river cruise?  The boats are small but luxurious. There are lots of ports.  Land is almost within reach on both sides, literally when in a canal lock.  And who can say no to the Danube?

You are onto something, Maine, and she has mentioned that as an alternative. My only river cruise to date was on the Zaire River (that name alone should tell you much), so I would like to get in my luxury ocean cruises before it is all over.  You need to stop giving practical advice, please!

Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I’m warming up to Regent the more I hear.  It will be fun to see what the Final Four selection will be.  I will keep you posted for sure.
 

On 5/14/2021 at 5:58 PM, seamus69 said:

I think it is pretty unreasonable for her to not even try a single cruise with you when you offer to limit your cruising to suit her.  Unless she is cripplingly terrified of boats, I think she owes it to you to suck it up and at least try one cruise.  The poster suggesting booking around land travel is a good idea.  A LOT of avid cruisers take their first cruise with apprehension and end up loving it.  Maybe she won't be a huge fan but she might realize it is not the trip from hell she envisions.

 

Best of luck!

Seamus, I like your approach.  It is not so much total terror but the health issues and not seeing land.  I think I will try to sneak in an Alaska cruise as a possibility since it is probably the best way to see the 49th state first time through and land is frequently visible.  My one challenge is since luxury cruises are going to be my splurge, I hate the idea of doing it on an Alaska run where I have been a few times land and sea. So, we’ll noodle on it. 

Thanks, Reina.  I hear your point.   For the time being, however, this seems to be the compromise. When one wants to cruise and the other does not, the “compromise” can’t be a bike tour for example. 

11 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

In the T&Cs they have mentioned that:

 

The referred booking must be from a guest who has not previously sailed with Silversea, and is a friend or family member of the Venetian Society member. Sharing the Venetian Society member number in public forums or social media or with people or travel advisors who are not friends to use, constitutes an improper use of the Referral Promotion. This may result in the revocation of referral savings.

 

In the event of suspected fraud or action conducted in bad faith with the aim of manipulating the Referral Promotion, Silversea reserves the right to immediately void any claims, cancel bookings or terminate membership of the Venetian Society.

QED

Good conversation, all.  I did not realize it was a Venetian society thing.  But to cruiseEJ’s point, I toss it to the group what is the right thing.  I can share my email to cement the friendship, but again, if it is not the way it works, I am okay.

I am checking here to make sure I am doing this all Kosher.  I am looking at my first Silversea cruise in March 2023, traveling solo transoceanic.  As I am getting close to booking, deposit etc., it appears that if I am referred by someone, I get $500 as a discount or OBC, I am not sure.  I have my own travel agent, and I assume she cannot refer me.  But is it appropriate if someone here does it?  Even if technically it is doable, does it violate some unwritten code?  It is only $500 bucks at the end of the day, and it would not be worth it to me to get off on the wrong foot.  Thanks. 

1 hour ago, mchell810 said:

 

You may want to look at Azamara for the the Capetown -- LIsbon trip: they reposition a ship from Europe to Africa and back again at the end of the season.   The link below is for the 2023 trip, but they are running it in 2022 as well.

 

https://www.azamara.com/voyage/jr21r005/21-night-western-africa-voyage

Thanks, Mchell.  I like this, but I remain wary of the Azamara ownership change.   I am lucky though in that I don't go anywhere before 2023, so I will have time to see how the new owners work with the company.  

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I doubt that a luxury line will provide a better experience than Panama Canal cruise with Holland America or Princess.  What you do want is a ship that will provide unobstructed forward and aft views when you transit the Canal.  You want a ship that will have commentary by either someone from the Canal Authority as you transit the Canal. 

Perfect analysis, RKA, and I like your assessment that the transit needs a professional touch more so than a luxury ship, although I imagine having both is nirvana. 
 

That “sense of entitlement” with the 2008 world cruise just goes to show that ships, itineraries and passengers all have individual rhythms, and like snowflakes, no two experiences  are exactly alike. 

10 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Check out  Oceania or Azamara  for  2022

they both do that itinerary

But  the Oceania one is a segment of the RTW cruise

Yes, LHT, I had my eye on Oceania for sure. I think it is on Nautica, which may sell out fast based on what I am hearing. Hopefully, they will do it in 2023 or 2024 as well. I think Covid makes 2022 RTW cruising a gamble as I am not sure the rest of the world will get vaccinated by then. 

This is why they say YMMV, Heidi.  This information is very helpful as I was never going to be able to do an entire true World Cruise, and I fully intend to sample four different cruise lines.  So it looks like it probably will be a blend of segments, B2Bs, repositionings, or trans oceanics. Not a WC as a purist would see it, but enough over a 3-year period to give me the taste of what it might be like.  Budget wise, it will almost certainly cost more than staying on one ship for 120+ days, but some of the funds were going to be baked in by trying the 4 different lines anyway. 

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Be careful in not including a Panama Canal transit somewhere in your plans.  Panama Canal has locks; tropical/mountainous scenery.  The Suez has no locks; desert with some habitation visible along the Canal.  And, lots of obvious military presence.  They are different from each other and both are very interesting in their own unique way.  

To be clear, I will definitely do Panama Canal.  But it seems based on comments, I may not need to do that on a luxury line or as a part of my poor man’s simulated World Cruise.  

“disconcerting.”

18 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

I haven’t really enjoyed the couple of times we did part of a W/C and would hesitate to do just a short leg again, as each time the majority were on for the whole trip and you were made feel like an interloper by some, maybe we were unlucky but it really didn’t feel the same.

I find this concerting for sure, as feeling like an interloper can be uncomfortable for 21 to 28 days.   With some of the other comments and maxing my budget at probably $75k, I may give up the World Cruise concept and instead do some regional cruises that cover areas I want to hit.  But it might be a catch-22, as many regions (Capetown to Lisbon) seem to only be done as part of a World Cruise segment.  I will keep gathering input, and thanks mucho for the follow up. 

4 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Your $50K budget is a problem.

 

I have looked at a couple of options to do a world cruise in legs, but all in one go, so Syd-USA west cost, time on land, canal to east cost, time on land, to UK, time on land etc.

 

‘’The cruise fare alone ran to about $50K each.

Great analysis, Gut.  I am thinking the budget goes up for sure, but like the vermouth in a martini, I will likely only have a whisper of a true World Cruise.  I will try to get segments in that hit the Indian Ocean, Crosses the Pacific and transits the Sues canal.  The rest of the world may get covered by land.  

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I agree with all that Heidi 13 posted.

 

If $50,000 is the total that you expect to pay as a solo for your entire plan,  you are going to re-think that figure.    2008, my entire world cruise in an outside cabin as a solo was North of $20,000 and that does not include the cost of shore excursions, etc.  I consider the price I paid then "a bargain" as compared to what it would cost if I were able to do it in 2021.  

 

There's many additional expenses that need to be considered when is on such a long cruise.  If nothing else, what's your bar bill going to be?  Gratuities need to be factored into the budget.  No dining in an extra cost restaurant or dining when off the ship?  

 

HOHO the same ship on the same world cruise might be possible to do, but you would need to arrange air transportation from the port where you disembark and then re-embark at another port.  That would be an interesting thing to do and provide one with an opportunity for some in-depth touring of areas of interest before returning to your floating "home" with crew and guests with whom you already know.  

 

Happy Planning!  Such is exciting to do!!!

Thanks, RKA, and how I wish I could have done it when you did in 2008.   Budget is headed north for sure, and because I want to sample the other lines, it will be less likely I actually stick with one line for a true HOHO.  

10 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Sounds like a brilliant planning opportunity. Here are my comments/thoughts:

 

1) The premium/luxury lines spend many more days on WC's than the mass market lines. From L/A to London our next WC with Viking is 121 days. If you wish to limit each segment to 21 days, you will probably require at least 6 and probably 8 segments to go around the entire World.

 

2) We have already completed 1 WC with Viking and have another booked. Note - Viking WC's sell quickly, with the 23 WC already sold out. I don't expect any segments in 21/22 or 22/23 with Viking, so only Trans-Atlantics and Trans-Pacifics would be available with Viking.

 

3) Westbound is always our preference, as we prefer 25 hr days to 23 hr days

 

5) Lots of Panama options, but Suez may require a WC segment

 

6) Budget could be very low, especially as a solo pax. Don't know about the other cruise lines, but Viking's solo supplement is 100%, with a few exceptions. On some Trans-Atlantics, they have reduced the solo supplement, a few months before departure.

 

I would start looking at WC segments and Trans-Atlantics/Trans-Pacifics, then fill in the gaps with other cruises.

Great points here, Heidi, and sorry I called you RKA!   

10 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Sounds like a brilliant planning opportunity. Here are my comments/thoughts:

 

1) The premium/luxury lines spend many more days on WC's than the mass market lines. From L/A to London our next WC with Viking is 121 days. If you wish to limit each segment to 21 days, you will probably require at least 6 and probably 8 segments to go around the entire World.

 

2) We have already completed 1 WC with Viking and have another booked. Note - Viking WC's sell quickly, with the 23 WC already sold out. I don't expect any segments in 21/22 or 22/23 with Viking, so only Trans-Atlantics and Trans-Pacifics would be available with Viking.

 

3) Westbound is always our preference, as we prefer 25 hr days to 23 hr days

 

5) Lots of Panama options, but Suez may require a WC segment

 

6) Budget could be very low, especially as a solo pax. Don't know about the other cruise lines, but Viking's solo supplement is 100%, with a few exceptions. On some Trans-Atlantics, they have reduced the solo supplement, a few months before departure.

 

I would start looking at WC segments and Trans-Atlantics/Trans-Pacifics, then fill in the gaps with other cruises.

Thanks for replying, RKA, as these are all great points.   I am limited to the 84-90 days, so some of the full world cruise will have to be hinted at. The budget is low for luxury/premium so I know that goes up from here for sure, hopefully only by 50%.   I was thinking your point about plenty of Panama Canal transits means I might leave it out and look for a Trans-Pacific. It will be fun piecing it all together. 
 

Yes, I was using the budget as a target, so I think there will be a cost overrun there, LHT.  The smaller segments are a perfect idea, so I now think I will also make some editing calls, like taking Australia, New Zealand and East Africa out of the mix.  I am reluctant to do it, but as some noted, there are tons of opportunities for Panama Canal transits, so maybe I take that out of the mix as well. Thanks much. 

I know this is a first world problem, but here goes. Not by design, I once had an around the world flight on different airlines going from Newark to India, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong and Newark. For reasons mentioned in other posts, I won’t be able to do the typical 84-day continuous world cruise.  So much like my flights, I would like to try a “deconstructed” world cruise.  To do so, I am aiming for some of the following:

1. Four separate cruises with no one exceeding 21 days, give or take.
2. Four separate luxury/premium cruise lines.  Candidates are Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Oceania, Viking.
3. One direction, probably east to west.
4. A departure city that eventually is the return city (may have to relent on this one.)
5. Includes Panama and Suez Canals transit.
6. Target budget of $50k in a solo cabin (though I remember the story of the unlimited budget that was exceeded!)
7. Not necessary to be in geographic and chronological order.  I.e, I could start Capetown to Lisbon followed by Miami to Seward. Etc. 
8. It will probably be done over 3 to 4 calendar years starting in 2023.

I have a great TA, but thought I would get this group’s learned input so I can help guide her.  I will cross post in the World Cruise board as well. 
 

Thanks for your thoughts 

I know this is a first world problem, but here goes. Not by design, I once had an around the world flight on different airlines going from Newark to India, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong and Newark. For reasons mentioned in other posts, I won’t be able to do the typical 84-day continuous world cruise.  So much like my flights, I would like to try a “deconstructed” world cruise.  To do so, I am aiming for some of the following:

1. Four separate cruises with no one exceeding 21 days, give or take.
2. Four separate luxury/premium cruise lines.  Candidates are Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Oceania, Viking.
3. One direction, probably east to west.
4. A departure city that eventually is the return city (may have to relent on this one.)
5. Includes Panama and Suez Canals transit.
6. Target budget of $50k in a solo cabin
7. Not necessary to be in geographic and chronological order.  I.e, I could start Capetown to Lisbon followed by Miami to Seward. Etc. 
8. It will probably be done over 3 to 4 calendar years starting in 2023.

I have a great TA, but thought I would get this group’s learned input so I can help guide her.  I will cross post in the Luxury board as well. 
 

Thanks for your thoughts 

This is great information and while I had previously put Regent on my “do not cruise” list (they kicked us off when some group reserved the entire ship), post the Azamara sale, I may be bringing them back into consideration.