Needing Tips for Booking a World Cruise Segment

[chrismch]

We finally found an Asian cruise that hits all the ports we want. It's part of the world cruise in 2021 that is 24 days on Amsterdam. How far in advance do we need to book? What percentage of the passengers book the full 128 days? Any tips for planning for this type of cruise would be greatly appreciated.

[ski ww]

We have done two segments of a world cruise, both times we booked well we were on the ship for the next year. Don't have any tips as such. A very large number book the full cruise. Enjoy your cruise.

[RuthC]

If the cruise is open for bookings (this usually happens in June about 18 months before the cruise), the segments are also open for booking. You will have to book a guarantee cabin, since full cruisers can't be expected to change cabins during the cruise. 

Other than that, HAL will treat you like the full cruise passengers. You will get the same pre-cruise mailings covering such things as special events. You will get the same pillow gifts as full cruise passengers, and be invited to whatever parties are held during your segment. You will even get documents sent to you! 

Most of the passengers are taking the full cruise, but there will be others on your segment who are not. I didn't find it a concern. 

Have a wonderful time! 

[chrismch]

Since you say that most passengers do the full cruise, that explains why I don't see prices yet. However, what you say about being required to book a "guarantee" cabin concerns me. I want to know where my cabin is located and will not book a guarantee because of past issues with their location due to noise or too far forward or too far aft.

[TonyC1952]

chrismch- you don't get a choice, if you want to book a segment of the world cruise. you can only book a guarantee. and it doesn't look, right now, that HAL is booking segments of the 2021 World Cruise. We did a 28 day segment of the 2019 world cruise, and it was a wonderful experience!

 

[chrismch]

So when are you given the cabin assignment? What if you don't like the cabin location?

[Wehwalt]

I've placed a wait-list deposit on a segment for 2021 and had it confirmed by HAL. 

 

I also did two segments in 2018. I got the assignment a couple of weeks in advance, it was the same for both segments as that had been worrying me. Had I not liked it, I would have asked my TA to ask HAL if there were alternatives. I did that on a segment of the 2016 Grand South America, I wanted one of the Prinsendam's aft-facing Vista Suites, and I wasn't originally assigned to one, but they did allow me to change to one.

 

I do plan to do the whole thing one of these days.

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, chrismch said:

what you say about being required to book a "guarantee" cabin concerns me. I want to know where my cabin is located

 

I never had to book a "guarantee" cabin until I booked the 2007 final world cruise segment from Italy to Fort Lauderdale on the Amsterdam.  I also want to choose my cabin; just not possible on HAL for their segments.

 

I booked the Category of cabin that I thought would be most satisfactory for me wherever on the ship the cabin might be.  Two weeks before sailing, my cabin was assigned.  I was given a one cabin upgrade from Dolphin Deck to Main Deck.  My cabin was located not far from the forward elevator/stairway foyer:  my preferred location on any HAL ship.  The only negative--and for 17 days, it was not irritating, but could be for 123 days--I could hear footsteps above me occasionally.

 

Not being able to choose a specific cabin on a world cruise segment ought not to keep one from doing so, in my opinion.  In some respects, my world cruise segment experience in 2007 was better than parts of my 113 day Grand World Cruise the following year.   

 

 

[chrismch]

What you mentioned, would cause us issues especially if the noise was while we were trying to sleep. Though I'd love to do this segment, I think I'll start looking elsewhere to get the ports we want where we can be guaranteed the cabin we want. 

[rkacruiser]

54 minutes ago, chrismch said:

What you mentioned, would cause us issues especially if the noise was while we were trying to sleep. Though I'd love to do this segment, I think I'll start looking elsewhere to get the ports we want where we can be guaranteed the cabin we want. 

 

I don't recall hearing footsteps above me during the night.

 

I'd suggest that you might consider booking a segment cruise cabin in a Category that would not be on the deck below Lower Promenade Deck.