2015 World Cruise More questions

[bay guy]

My wife and I are considering going on the 2015 World Cruise on Amsterdam. From looking at the boards here, it seems that there are several VERY well experienced World Cruisers so I hope you can answer some of the many questions we have running through our heads.

1) What type of temperatures do we pack for? It seems like the majority of the cruise is in the southern hemisphere so I would assume mainly spring/summer type clothes for that time of year with a light jacket and possibly sweatshirt or just layers. Correct?

2) What is the general dress code for these trips? Is it mainly casual with some formal nights, coat and tie, thrown in every once in a while or is it a lot of coat and tie at dinner with day casual?

3) I know there is laundry service available and self serve laundry areas. We have some detergent allergies so would we be relegated to doing our own laundry the entire trip or can the laundry accommodate those issues?

4) I assume we would have to pack enough personal care products (soap, shampoo etc) to last the entire trip versus being able to find many familiar products in port. Correct?

5) We would have to handle all of our payments back home for utilities and credit cards etc on line. Have you found this to be an issue? Is the wifi on board secure enough to feel comfortable doing those transactions which couldn't be set up as automatic withdrawal from an account?

6) What do you do about your mail? There may be bills which come via mail which you didn't think about paying in advance. Do you have someone check your mail for you and perhaps give them permission to write checks on a limited basis to pay bills which can't be sent to you?

7) The longest cruise we've been on is 2 weeks and we have some concerns about being on board one ship for that length of time. Any thoughts to assuage those doubts? We have been on about 50 cruises over the years.

8) Shore excursions. Do most folks tend to set up private tours or go through HAL? Any estimate on approximate amount of money we could expect to pay for shore excursions for the entire cruise? Are many of the ports easily done just by stepping off the ship and exploring on our own say with a hired cab driver?

9) Any other things you can think of that I haven't addressed here would be greatly appreciated. I've looked at a couple of the World Cruise threads here and the majority of the chatter seems to be more welcoming people back they've met before on these trips with little in the way of the Q&A things I've put here.

 

Thanks for any input. Greatly appreciated.

[KirkNC]

We have not been fortunate enough (YET) to go on a WC and I am sure you will get some great responses but one thing that also might be helpfull is looking at the blogs that various WC do here on Cruise Critic. They are interesting in and of themselves but also often will provide insight into the type of questions you are asking. Hope you make the trip!

[ajcruiser]

My wife and I are considering going on the 2015 World Cruise on Amsterdam. From looking at the boards here, it seems that there are several VERY well experienced World Cruisers so I hope you can answer some of the many questions we have running through our heads.

1) What type of temperatures do we pack for? It seems like the majority of the cruise is in the southern hemisphere so I would assume mainly spring/summer type clothes for that time of year with a light jacket and possibly sweatshirt or just layers. Correct?

 

Correct.

2) What is the general dress code for these trips? Is it mainly casual with some formal nights, coat and tie, thrown in every once in a while or is it a lot of coat and tie at dinner with day casual?

 

About 1-2 formal/week, 1-2 sportcoat/week, the rest casual.

 

 

3) I know there is laundry service available and self serve laundry areas. We have some detergent allergies so would we be relegated to doing our own laundry the entire trip or can the laundry accommodate those issues?

 

The HAL detergent is eco friendly but you will have to check the specifics of their product.

 

 

4) I assume we would have to pack enough personal care products (soap, shampoo etc) to last the entire trip versus being able to find many familiar products in port. Correct?

 

Shampoo, lotion, etc are supplied...but if you have allergies, bring your own.

 

 

5) We would have to handle all of our payments back home for utilities and credit cards etc on line. Have you found this to be an issue? Is the wifi on board secure enough to feel comfortable doing those transactions which couldn't be set up as automatic withdrawal from an account?

 

Try to set up as much as possible on auto-pay. The wifi is very slow and will cost you to pay all your bills. It is better to download your emails then switch to "work offline".

 

 

6) What do you do about your mail? There may be bills which come via mail which you didn't think about paying in advance. Do you have someone check your mail for you and perhaps give them permission to write checks on a limited basis to pay bills which can't be sent to you?

 

A friendly postmaster at your office may agree to hold your mail until you return. Otherwise put a temporary forward to someone you trust or have a neighbor collect the mail for you.

 

 

7) The longest cruise we've been on is 2 weeks and we have some concerns about being on board one ship for that length of time. Any thoughts to assuage those doubts? We have been on about 50 cruises over the years.

 

It is a common theme for cruise comedians to reflect on what it is like to be in a small room with your significant other for 100+ days. There will be moments of tension...but many pax keep rebooking world cruises so it can be done:)

 

 

8) Shore excursions. Do most folks tend to set up private tours or go through HAL? Any estimate on approximate amount of money we could expect to pay for shore excursions for the entire cruise? Are many of the ports easily done just by stepping off the ship and exploring on our own say with a hired cab driver?

 

It's a mix. We have done different ports in different ways. Where security is an issue (e.g. Safaga) you are better off or may have to use HAL. Many ports have great alternatives. Check the specific port boards. How comfortable are you with foreign languages, foreign currencies, etc?

 

 

9) Any other things you can think of that I haven't addressed here would be greatly appreciated. I've looked at a couple of the World Cruise threads here and the majority of the chatter seems to be more welcoming people back they've met before on these trips with little in the way of the Q&A things I've put here.

 

Don't overpack. Hope to see you onboard in 2015.

 

Thanks for any input. Greatly appreciated.

 

You're welcome.

[bay guy]

Ajcruise,

 

Thanks for your input. Very helpful. Hopefully, others will have suggestions as well.

 

One question I guess I should have made a bit clearer is in regards to the dress at night. On these cruises, is formal considered tuxedo or is a dark suit suitable?

[ajcruiser]

From HAL's site:

 

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies may wear a suit, cocktail dress, gown or fancy blouse/top with slacks and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week.

 

 

I did forget that the mid-category was eliminated so it is either Formal or Smart Casual...even easier.

[ajcruiser]

...oh, and you will have to file for an income tax extension unless you give someone power of attorney since you will be filing late.

[CMJ33]

My wife and I are considering going on the 2015 World Cruise on Amsterdam. From looking at the boards here, it seems that there are several VERY well experienced World Cruisers so I hope you can answer some of the many questions we have running through our heads.

 

7) The longest cruise we've been on is 2 weeks and we have some concerns about being on board one ship for that length of time. Any thoughts to assuage those doubts? We have been on about 50 cruises over the years.

 

 

If your longest cruise was 2 weeks I would suggest taking it in steps. Maybe try 30 days and go from there. Going from 14 days to 114 days is a huge step. Try and found out what your limit is.

 

We have wanted to do a WC but have found out the hard way that 30 to 40 days is our limit.

 

I am not trying to put you off from doing a WC. If you think you can do it - go for it.

[bay guy]

Keep the info coming. Everything has been very helpful.

[Scrapnana]

I haven't done a world cruise yet (it is three weeks away) but here are a few things I am going to do.

 

Toiletries - I am going to buy them after I fly to the port (flying in two days early) so I won't have to worry about the weight.

 

My daughter lives two miles from me and she will be collecting the mail, paying my bills (that I can't pay online), and also completing my income tax return for me. I had a power of attorney drawn up in case she has any problems with taking care of my house, finances, etc.

 

The postal service will box up all your mail and send it to whomever you choose but it costs somewhere between $15 and $20 a week.

 

I am taking my iPad with me and will be using it to keep in touch, post my blog, pay bills, etc. I will be buying an internet package.

 

My longest cruise has been two weeks but I have no worries about 118 days on a world cruise. I love sea days (that is really important for a world cruise) and there will be plenty to do.

 

From reading the Amsterdam roll call for the 2013 and the 2014 world cruises, it seems that many independent tours are set up. Being active on your roll call is something I find very important. It is great to get to know people in advance and get support as needed (I worried myself silly about getting visas and my roll call "talked me down":D).

 

There are always a number of people blogging from the World Cruise. Follow those as they progress. I learned a great deal from reading them over the last two years as I planned my world cruise.

[rkacruiser]

All of the posted advice is relevant and valid. The biggest "pain" currently for long cruises is the mail situation. The Post Office will hold mail for 30 days and I would have a friend pick it up and put in my house, turning in a new hold mail request at that time. They will no longer allow this to be done. I used the mail collection service that they offered. I may be mistaken, but I think they will still hold the mail for 30 days, box that and send it to whomever/wherever, and then continue this for as long as desired. The fee is charged for each collection/delivery period.

 

I filed for an income tax extension; I was able to arrange for all of my monthly bills to be paid automatically from my bank account, except for one insurance bill. That I paid in advance before I left home.

 

The Grand World Voyage was a memorable, eye-opening, pleasant experience. One gets to know the crew so much better and, of course, they get to know you, too. I met many very pleasant people, some of whom have become friends. (And, to be truthful, I met a few with whom I hope I never sail with again. And, they may feel the same way about me, as well.)

 

I hope to do another one at some point in the future.

[Maryandi]

I fill out a temporary 'Change of Address' form with the proper dates

of when to Transfer the mail to our son's house and when to restart it back to us.

 

We have done this about 6 times with no problems.

 

No Charge for this at all.

[take us away]

Have also used the free 'temporary forward' for the mail with no hassles and this can stay in effect for 6 months but can be renewed. Best part is that the PO does not notify the sender of the forward so no addresses get changed as would happen with a regular forward. We were out for 9 months with no problems with the mail or anything else.

 

Also, please remember that the internet on the ship is not a secure server. May be paranoid about hacking but would never access any accounts, etc. from the ship or on shore. Allow my sister access to pay my credit cards on line for me and we always let her know when we use a card so she will know the charge is 'real' as have had an illegal 'piggy back' charge once after using the card in Colombia. Also know people who have 'pre-paid' their cards. My sister receives our forwarded mail so checks to make sure there are no bills to be paid. If that does happen, she pays from a joint checking account we set up for this as a few show up even with most everything on auto-pay. Also gave her limited POA in the event of an emergency.

 

Best advice anyone gave me (it was my dad) was to not wait any longer than absolutely necessary as life is just way too short and there is too much to see and to do. A friend has a quote from S Sontag - I have not been everywhere but it is on my list - which I love. I subscribe to both of these tidbits with all my heart!

 

We bring our own toiletries as have favorites which we may never be able to find in a foreign port. The ship will have laundry packages but all HAL ships have self-service laundries if you want. Talk with HAL about laundry detergent as have seen people bring their own due to allergies. You just need to make sure the ship can handle what you will be using due to environmental concerns. Formal dinner (at least 1 per week) with a dark suit is perfect; tuxedoes are great but definitely not needed. Just ask on the CC board about venturing out on your own as many people have been there and done that, which is great. Example: Hong Kong is safe to wander in and use public transportation but Viet Nam may require a bit more caution / organization. Some ports are far from town and are container ports, some are right in the middle of town. World cruises have port lecturers (these are NOT like the shopping lecturers on shorter cruises) who will let you know what to expect and will answer your questions as needed. They have 'office hours' to help you plan you time in port one on one.

Edited December 20, 2013 by take us away

[CaveDiving]

Hi Bay Guy,

 

We are about to leave for our sixth world cruise so I feel comfortable trying to answer your questions.

 

1)What type of temperatures do we pack for? It seems like the majority of the cruise is in the southern hemisphere so I would assume mainly spring/summer type clothes for that time of year with a light jacket and possibly sweatshirt or just layers. Correct?

 

Yes, that is correct. The warmest outfit I have is a T-shirt, long sleeved polo shirt, polorfleece anorak and a light windbreaker jacket with a knit hat, gloves and a scarf. This for me is good down to around 45 degrees and if it’s much colder than that, I stay on the ship and drink hot cocoa.

 

2) What is the general dress code for these trips? Is it mainly casual with some formal nights, coat and tie, thrown in every once in a while or is it a lot of coat and tie at dinner with day casual?

 

A coat and tie or a tux perhaps twice a week or a few times fewer. A few of us choose to wear a jacket (usually with a button down shirt and no tie) every night to dinner but that is a personal choice.

 

3) I know there is laundry service available and self serve laundry areas. We have some detergent allergies so would we be relegated to doing our own laundry the entire trip or can the laundry accommodate those issues?

 

I never have had a problem so I can’t comment on this. I would suggest you try the laundry service and see if it is acceptable. It really is a blessing on these longer trips.

 

4) I assume we would have to pack enough personal care products (soap, shampoo etc) to last the entire trip versus being able to find many familiar products in port. Correct?

 

There are products available in all of the developed stops (not say, New Guinea or Easter Island). But if you require only specific brand name products, yes, you would need to bring them.

 

5) We would have to handle all of our payments back home for utilities and credit cards etc on line. Have you found this to be an issue? Is the wifi on board secure enough to feel comfortable doing those transactions which couldn't be set up as automatic withdrawal from an account?

 

We have virtually all of our monthly bills charged to our Visa card and then once a month download the Visa monthly statement, check it, and then pay it (also on line) from our checking account. We have been doing this for a bunch of years and have never had a problem.

 

6) What do you do about your mail? There may be bills which come via mail which you didn't think about paying in advance. Do you have someone check your mail for you and perhaps give them permission to write checks on a limited basis to pay bills which can't be sent to you?

 

We have our mail held by a mail forwarding service until we return. If you start a year ahead, you can determine which bills need special consideration about paying ahead. In fact our pest control service is the only one for us.

 

7) The longest cruise we've been on is 2 weeks and we have some concerns about being on board one ship for that length of time. Any thoughts to assuage those doubts? We have been on about 50 cruises over the years.

 

Think of the trip not so much as a quickie vacation but rather as a life style. You will slide into this mode quickly when dealing with many of the other pax on the ship.

 

8) Shore excursions. Do most folks tend to set up private tours or go through HAL? Any estimate on approximate amount of money we could expect to pay for shore excursions for the entire cruise? Are many of the ports easily done just by stepping off the ship and exploring on our own say with a hired cab driver?

 

I would say the ratio of private to HAL excursions for us is roughly 50-50. You can estimate the cost from the shore excursion booklet available several months before you sail. Yes, there are a number of ports where you can simply walk off the ship, a number more where HAL supplies a free shuttle to the center of town from where you can walk and several where there are tour guides hawking tours right at the cruise terminal.

 

9) Any other things you can think of that I haven't addressed here would be greatly appreciated. I've looked at a couple of the World Cruise threads here and the majority of the chatter seems to be more welcoming people back they've met before on these trips with little in the way of the Q&A things I've put here.

 

As has been recommended previously, I would suggest you read the several blogs which are about to start for this year’s world cruise and from previous years’ world cruises to get more of an idea of what the experience is like. Yes, there is a bunch of greeting messages in the world cruise threads, but this is related to the cruise being a life style type of event.

 

Come along and GO FOR IT. You’ll probably have the experience of a lifetime but be careful, it is addicting.

 

Scott & Karen

[twodogmom]

I have only been on one WC, 2014 will be my second, and I booked 2015 when it was first offered.

 

I paid the one who takes care of my lawn, windows and does bug spraying in advance. My telephone, gas and electric, water are all paid automatically from my checking account. My accountant automatically files an extension for state and federal taxes.

 

My mail at one location will go through the door and I'll have a bit box for it to go into. I imagine I'll have it all over the floor, it should be fun opening the door once I get home. At my other residence I have a service who will pick up and hold my mail for me. It is only $7 a month.

 

I travel solo. One thing arrange for your medications in advance. I waited a little to long. It will be taken care of, but it is a pain to carry so much medications with me, and I only take 4 different pills a day. I am diabetic and I found my numbers really go down on the longer voyages. In fact, on my last one I stopped taking one med because of my numbers. You seem to become healtier on the cruises, you eat better and walk more.

 

You will make life long friends, and want to return to see them the following years.

 

Book early so you can get your choice of cabins or dinning time. If you like early dinning it fills up early.

 

I still have trouble trying to figure out how much cash to take. I have left over travelers checks from my WC 2012 I'll be bringing, and still worry about having enough money. I always seem to bring enough cash home to last me 4 or 5 months after the voyage. I don't really use my credit cards when I'm traveling, I pay cash.

 

Book, enjoy and don't worry to much.

[FireEater]

Best advice I can give is to have your residence checked on a regular basis. For theft, but mainly water damage from broken water lines from washer, sinks, toilets, dishwasher. I would say at least weekly if not more, have your place checked out. Seeing the state you live in, maybe some can be shut off prior to leaving?

Edited December 21, 2013 by FireEater