Insignia WC

[zoncom]

I am on 11 April Shanghai-LA on outside G. I am curious how they will handle the volume of all these extra. overlapping cruisers? Sounds like a booking nightmare. Comments?

[Jancruz]

I am on 11 April Shanghai-LA on outside G. I am curious how they will handle the volume of all these extra. overlapping cruisers? Sounds like a booking nightmare. Comments?

 

There will not be any overlapping cruisers..

Jancruz1

[zoncom]

Because so many will not transfer bookings?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I'm confused about what you mean about overlapping cruisers. Have they changed the segments offered? Seems like there are quite a few full WCers who are just cancelling--that should free up some space.

[zoncom]

Upon further reading, looks like many wanted full WC or nothing.

[Mura]

I think it makes sense that people who booked for the whole 6 months wanted exactly that. Those who booked individual segments (or multiple segments) won't really be affected -- unless, of course, as repairs get underway they decide they have to push back the March 22nd boarding. Wouldn't that be fabulous?!

 

We never would have booked the entire thing -- I can't get DH to agree to more than 2 weeks on board although our recent cruises have been more like 2-1/2 to 3 weeks, and when you factor in pre- and post-cruise stays it becomes 4 weeks. But even I cannot really contemplate being on board ship for that long.

 

And our cat wouldn't forgive us ...

 

Mura

[SellaVee]

I am on 11 April Shanghai-LA on outside G. I am curious how they will handle the volume of all these extra. overlapping cruisers? Sounds like a booking nightmare. Comments?

 

I'm not sure who the overlapping cruisers would be. Anyone on the world cruise would already be doing the Shanghai- LA segment so it shouldn't affect you at all.

 

We're on the Singapore to Shanghai leg and I'm not completely confident that Insignia will make it to Singapore in time - a push back wouldn't surprise me.

[warburg]

My husband and I have sailed on more than 50 cruises, the longest, 42 days. That one touched our outer limits of life on board. When I was a child we had a cabin cruiser, and we spent whole summers on board. The difference then was that we dropped anchor and dinghied in to somewhere almost every day.

 

Today, our dog is of one mind with Mura's cat. He gets upset when we bring suitcases from the storeroom. The only time it wasn't too bad was this last time. We used LuggageForward, and the bags were taken more than two weeks before we departed. Within a day, he forgot the evil luggage. We will use LuggageForward again for our next cruise. It isn't just about keeping our Chihuahua happy. Carry-on is great, when it works for us.

 

World Cruises are wonderful for those can manage them. We have taken occasional WC segments, and we really enjoyed them. The itineraries were fabulous. However, they always involved very long return flights. For those people who so looked forward to Insignia's upcoming WC, I hope they find alternatives. Happy New Year everyone.

 

Mary

[zoncom]

My parents had a cabin cruiser too. My Father wanted to retire on it. Mother told him he was crazy. I am wondering if I will get cabin fever on Insignia 72 days. Did 47 days on X once.

[orchestrapal]

My parents had a cabin cruiser too. My Father wanted to retire on it. Mother told him he was crazy. I am wondering if I will get cabin fever on Insignia 72 days. Did 47 days on X once.

 

Completed 38 days on Regatta earlier this year. Previous cruises about 30 days each and the 38 days was about a week too long. We are not interested on most of what is offered on the ship CD, Trivia or other games. The lectures were dreadful and on a very low level and the food which we used to love was several steps below what we had on previous cruises. We would be ready to jump ship on any cruise more than 4 weeks in the future unless it was very port intensive. Everyone has to decide for themselves what is good for them.

[Emma Chisit]

My husband and I have sailed on more than 50 cruises, the longest, 42 days. ........Mary

 

Our longest cruise was 42 days as well – our honeymoon in 1966.

We travelled a lot thereafter and lived in a few countries, but always considered ourselves landlubbers, believing that cruising was for the newly wed and nearly dead. Keen cruising friends dragged us on a cruise in 2006….and so it began….

Since then our longest cruise was 35 days on Nautica in 2012. We were booked for 62 days on Ocean Princess in 2015, but cancelled and instead booked 71 days of the 2016 Insignia World Cruise. I reckon that will be as long as we can ever manage….the appeal for us is that we are on the Miami to Singapore "Grand Voyage". So it's a long flight at the start, but a short hop home from Singapore at the end ...

[Wendy The Wanderer]

However much I like being at sea, I could not imagine spending a month onboard a cruise ship, let alone the six months of the extraordinarily long Oceania WCs. So, I've said it.

 

But I'd love to hear from those who either are booked on these huge journeys, or aspire to be, and tell me why they want to do it. Is it the retirees' version of backpacking for a year? What are your aspirations and fantasies about this trip? How the heck will stay healthy and not eat too much rich food? The organizational challenges of all the visas, shots and excursion planning just floors me.

 

And of course, I'm looking forward to hearing the real experiences of these cruisers during and afterwards.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Wendy The Wanderer

[LHT28]

Wendy we have been on for 24-32 day cruises & for me after a few weeks you are sick of eating rich foods

We tend to stick to light lunches ..salads etc.. we have 3 courses at dinner or pick at the buffet

The only thing I have trouble with is desserts ...cannot seem to just have one :D

[kimanjo]

However much I like being at sea, I could not imagine spending a month onboard a cruise ship, let alone the six months of the extraordinarily long Oceania WCs. So, I've said it.

 

But I'd love to hear from those who either are booked on these huge journeys, or aspire to be, and tell me why they want to do it. Is it the retirees' version of backpacking for a year? What are your aspirations and fantasies about this trip? How the heck will stay healthy and not eat too much rich food? The organizational challenges of all the visas, shots and excursion planning just floors me.

 

And of course, I'm looking forward to hearing the real experiences of these cruisers during and afterwards.

 

 

I too, would like to hear from these loooong journey takers.

 

I am convinced I would love to take one. To "see" the whole world in one go, and then revisit to explore the places I liked most.

 

I really can't afford one, but they sure do appeal to me.

 

I think I would do okay?? I don't know what a ship has that my home doesn't? It has a gym, dining, laundry, someone to clean my room, a view. OK, a ship has MORE than my home. I like having to drive less and less. Cars are a pain. To be "delivered" place to place would be nice.

 

Maybe it's not like that at all?

 

What is it like?

[Porthopper101]

I too, would like to hear from these loooong journey takers.

 

 

 

I am convinced I would love to take one. To "see" the whole world in one go, and then revisit to explore the places I liked most.

 

 

 

I really can't afford one, but they sure do appeal to me.

 

 

 

I think I would do okay?? I don't know what a ship has that my home doesn't? It has a gym, dining, laundry, someone to clean my room, a view. OK, a ship has MORE than my home. I like having to drive less and less. Cars are a pain. To be "delivered" place to place would be nice.

 

 

 

Maybe it's not like that at all?

 

 

 

What is it like?

 

 

My husband and I love long cruise. Our first cruise was 82 days on Queen Victoria. The second cruise was 116 days on Queen Elizabeth. The third cruise was 120 days on Queen Mary 2. The fourth was 96 days on Queen Victoria.

 

We booked 180 days WC on Insignia. Since O has cancelled the first 70 days, we will be joining the in Singapore. We are trying to book the July 8 from Miami to Singapore October 11. Total 190 days. Hope they have a cabin for us.

 

M

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited December 27, 2014 by Porthopper101

[Travelcat2]

However much I like being at sea, I could not imagine spending a month onboard a cruise ship, let alone the six months of the extraordinarily long Oceania WCs. So, I've said it.

 

.

 

If the itinerary were right, you might be surprised how quickly a 28 day cruise passes. Not sure if you have done a multi-stop Scandinavian cruise with an emphasis on Norway. We looked forward to each and every day for 28 days. We ate less, drank less and spent as much time as possible ashore.

 

In terms of WC's, I love to follow them (I'm following a Crystal WC at the moment) but could not actually do one. Even if our kitties were not an issue, there are so many ports that we have been to previously that the excitement would not be there for us. On the other hand, spending the last few years of my life on a ship is rather appealing in some ways.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

If the itinerary were right, you might be surprised how quickly a 28 day cruise passes. Not sure if you have done a multi-stop Scandinavian cruise with an emphasis on Norway. We looked forward to each and every day for 28 days. We ate less, drank less and spent as much time as possible ashore.

...

 

I think that's the ticket, eating and drinking less, lol! No, I haven't done a Norway cruise, or the Baltics (I did Norway by land in my 20's.) If we do the Norwegian fjords, it'll be the Hurtigruten, the full trip of which is about 14 days I think. Fourteen days is the longest cruise we've done. On the other hand, we've done trips of a month or close to a month, and it's been great--that seems like a nice amount of time to be away and travelling.

[hondorner]

My very first cruise with Oceania was 26 days from Miami to Manaus, Brazil and back to Miami, aboard Regatta. I loved it, didn't want to get off. My longest before then had been 12 days, and I was ready to get off after 10. The difference? Simply Oceania, and I've been hooked ever since.

 

My longest so far was 34 days aboard Marina from the first day she sailed with passengers (Barcelona to Miami), then the 3 day christening cruise to the Bahamas, then through the canal to San Francisco. Loved every moment.

 

We did 24 days on NCL Star from Copenhagen to Iceland and back to Copenhagen (12 days), then stayed on board for the 12 day repositioning cruise back to Miami -- with just one port in the Azores. 11 sea days total! We were in a fabulous Family Suite, had more than enough to do every day, and would sail Star or Dawn (the only ones with the same Family Suites) again in a moment. We love sea days, had the time of our life. School was in session, it was a long cruise, and it was a little more expensive than the Summer Caribbean cruises, so the fellow passengers were more like Oceania passengers than what most associate with NCL.

 

At home, on over 7 acres in Okeechobee, my life is totally different. Almost every day involves one or another project, and Betsy thinks I spend my life at Home Depot. Just today, I spent my day crawling under the house and pulling wire to convert our jacuzzi to 220V. Tomorrow, the project is installing TV on our pool deck. Then, I've got to get back to work on the carriage doors I'm building for the garage (now that we've totally remodeled that), and now that our side entrance has been enhanced and landscaped, it's time to start on the front gate. I could say it never ends...but, blissfully, it does, when we take a cruise (or a road trip).

 

We didn't travel much while the kids were growing up and we were working, so now we have a lot to do to catch up to many of the fine folks here. Short cruises just don't do it. The only way we'll ever get to see Africa, Indian, Asia, Australia & New Zealand and the South Pacific is a World Cruise, especially since I just don't want to fly that far, even in business class, even at someone else's expense.

 

Will I get tired of 6 months at sea? I doubt it. Every port will be different, the memories will be fabulous, and the sea days we love are well spaced to enjoy and recover from all the touring and sensory overload.

 

Will I ever do it again? In a word, Nope. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. It will be great to see the world, but it will be sweet to get back home and get back to wor....fun, playing with my toys...I mean tools!

[cbb]

Mr. Wonderful says that every home project is an excuse to buy more tools!

[Waynetor]

For us the 180 day world cruise was to be a one time cruise but we have done some around 2 months and I was never bored.

To get a feel of what it is like there are a number of blogs from people that do w/c on other cruise lines.

One of these is by Jeff on Holland America. He is currently combining a world cruise with several others for a total of 220 days.

http://amazingvoyages2.blogspot.ca

I was planning to do a live from thread for Oceania inaugural w/c but that will have to wait until 2016.

On a longer cruise you really have to pace yourself as far as food goes - there always is another nice meal coming.

For Oceania w/c most of the visa were to be handled on board - the 3 we needed ahead were processed by a service company as part of the cruise package.

For those who prefer independent tours, there is a lot of planning but the research can be very educational about the places you are going to visit.

One downside to me is the entertainment - with some passengers just doing segments some entertainment gets repeated so you have to be able to enjoy evenings without many shows.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

...

At home, on over 7 acres in Okeechobee, my life is totally different. Almost every day involves one or another project, and Betsy thinks I spend my life at Home Depot....

 

The only way we'll ever get to see Africa, Indian, Asia, Australia & New Zealand and the South Pacific is a World Cruise, especially since I just don't want to fly that far, even in business class, even at someone else's expense.

 

Will I get tired of 6 months at sea? I doubt it. Every port will be different, the memories will be fabulous, and the sea days we love are well spaced to enjoy and recover from all the touring and sensory overload.

...

It will be great to see the world, but it will be sweet to get back home and get back to wor....fun, playing with my toys...I mean tools!

 

You've hit upon something, Don. I think if I did something like this I'd want to bring some of my "projects" with me. Fortunately I'm not into home improvement, per se, so it might be easier. I think I'd bring some crocheting to do, and probably my drawing gear--perhaps those long sea days would be an incentive for me to really try to learn how to draw. But some projects of some kind, would be essential.

 

As for the travel part, I hear you. Although I can still cope with those long flights, it would be nice to minimize the number of them.

 

Not sure about those tight little cabins, though.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Jancruz]

It was always my dream to do a world cruise but I know it will never happen now..if Oceania had had it 10 years ago, I would have tried like heck to get Stu to go..but now the age and doctor thing comes in to play also we now have a dog..so I will live vicariously through Dons and othere peoples posts while they are on the cruise..

Stu and I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2015..and fair skies and following seas..

Jancruz1

[Wendy The Wanderer]

It was always my dream to do a world cruise but I know it will never happen now..if Oceania had had it 10 years ago, I would have tried like heck to get Stu to go..but now the age and doctor thing comes in to play also we now have a dog..so I will live vicariously through Dons and othere peoples posts while they are on the cruise..

Stu and I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2015..and fair skies and following seas..

Jancruz1

 

Jan you are so right, on all counts, especially including the vicarious pleasure! We might still be able to do it, health-wise, if we chose the winter (we are Canadian snowbirds so eschew doctors for almost six months anyways.) But the pet thing would certainly preclude this for many.

[PaulMCO]

Our longest has been a 35 day Capetown to Singapore. It was great and we dreaded to leave the ship (could have spent another 2 weeks).

 

Only negative to the long cruises is that the menu repeats several times (in a 35 day it was 3 times).

 

I have seen the world (currently at 95 countries) -- but each port I can find something new to do. Our bucket list is still long..

 

I think is is the same on whether to do a WC, my DW would never leave her babies (dogs, cats, pig, horse, mule .....) for that long a time.

Edited December 28, 2014 by PaulMCO

[cbb]

Sukey,

RE: Taj Mahal overland

Mr Wonderful had downloaded the 2015 catalog and I also found it on the O website under another cruise so I was remembering the details fairly correctly.

 

We haven't signed up for any of the overland excursions yet, obviously, so we've time to decide whether to do this or not.

 

My cold is so draining that right now getting up and going to the fridge feels like an overland excursion!! Thanks for your help!!! c