Dreaming of a ''World Cruise'' I may be insane what do you think.

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, drsel said:

What are the normal laundromat charges on a regular 10 to 13 night Princess cruise?

 

 

If I recall correctly, $1 to wash and $1 to dry.  On some ships that have laundromats, US quarters are accepted by the machines.  On others, special coins must be obtained from the Front Office.

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, drsel said:

What about your laundry for hundred days? Is there a laundromat on the ship?
Or do you have to pay the expensive laundry charges?

 

The Amsterdam did not have laundromats.  Even if they did, when I have sailed on ships that did, during "reasonable hours of the day", the machines were always in use.  I decided that if I wanted to use those machines, I had to do so very--and I mean very--late at night or very early in the morning. 

 

Have you heard of "laundry room wars"?  Fortunately, I have not witnessed any confrontations.  However, once while I was sitting in the room waiting for my clothes to dry, a fellow guest entered and said:  "You are still using two of the machines?"  One other day, I entered the laundry room and there were dry clothes that had been dumped onto the floor because their owner had been tardy in removing them from the dryer when another guest wanted to use that dryer.  That was the day when I decided I would do my laundry after the Late, Late Show on the ship.  Nothing quite like doing one's laundry and then folding it and storing it during the hours of Midnight-2:00 A. M.  I will willingly pay whatever the laundry charges may be and be most thankful that such a service is provided!    

 

Once I gained cruise loyalty status that provided "free laundry", I never considered using laundromats even if they would be available.  The ships' laundry do an excellent job for my clothing.  Better than I do myself, at times.  When was the last time I ironed my socks?  My underwear?  In the years that I have used a ship's laundry, there were only two disappointments:  a pair of slacks that had shrunk and a shirt that was slightly scorched in one spot because of the heat of the ironing device.   

 

If one is going to do a long cruise and wants clean clothes, one needs to expect to use the ship's laundry.  (The dry cleaning service that is usually available is also good.)  

[LewiLewi]

On 10/11/2020 at 6:40 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

The Amsterdam did not have laundromats.  Even if they did, when I have sailed on ships that did, during "reasonable hours of the day", the machines were always in use.  I decided that if I wanted to use those machines, I had to do so very--and I mean very--late at night or very early in the morning. 

 

Have you heard of "laundry room wars"?  Fortunately, I have not witnessed any confrontations.  However, once while I was sitting in the room waiting for my clothes to dry, a fellow guest entered and said:  "You are still using two of the machines?"  One other day, I entered the laundry room and there were dry clothes that had been dumped onto the floor because their owner had been tardy in removing them from the dryer when another guest wanted to use that dryer.  That was the day when I decided I would do my laundry after the Late, Late Show on the ship.  Nothing quite like doing one's laundry and then folding it and storing it during the hours of Midnight-2:00 A. M.  I will willingly pay whatever the laundry charges may be and be most thankful that such a service is provided!    

 

Once I gained cruise loyalty status that provided "free laundry", I never considered using laundromats even if they would be available.  The ships' laundry do an excellent job for my clothing.  Better than I do myself, at times.  When was the last time I ironed my socks?  My underwear?  In the years that I have used a ship's laundry, there were only two disappointments:  a pair of slacks that had shrunk and a shirt that was slightly scorched in one spot because of the heat of the ironing device.   

 

If one is going to do a long cruise and wants clean clothes, one needs to expect to use the ship's laundry.  (The dry cleaning service that is usually available is also good.)  

Some cruise lines have laundry room hours. Open from 8AM to 7PM.

[Porky55]

10 hours ago, LewiLewi said:

Some cruise lines have laundry room hours. Open from 8AM to 7PM.

Most cruise lines have Laundry hours I have found. Just miss a Port day on a WC now and then and the laundry will be all yours 👍 and hand wash of course.

These are great  https://thescrubba.com.au

 

[rkacruiser]

39 minutes ago, Porky55 said:

Just miss a Port day on a WC now and then and the laundry will be all yours 👍

 

 

One does not spend $$ on a world cruise or any other itinerary in the laundry room during a port visit.  Just my opinion, of course.   If one can afford the price of a cruise, one ought to be able to afford whatever the laundry charges are to have clean underwear and socks, etc.  

Edited October 14, 2020 by rkacruiser

[Porky55]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

One does not spend $$ on a world cruise or any other itinerary in the laundry room during a port visit.  Just my opinion, of course.   If one can afford the price of a cruise, one ought to be able to afford whatever the laundry charges are to have clean underwear and socks, etc.  

Haha of course - but there are numerous repeat World Cruisers who may have already visited some ports 🤔 as we have.

 

Sometimes we require more than underwear and socks cleaned and the ships laundries are sometimes a little ‘heavy handed’.

And we are yet to find out what the  “New Normal” will be with cruising ....... 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Porky55

[drsel]

there are numerous repeat World Cruisers who may have already visited some ports [emoji848] as we have

Wow, you have done multiple world Cruises, along with so many others.

 

And I am still wondering how to justify the exorbitant cost of a world Cruise.

 

I did a transcontinental 29 night Cruise from Venice to Bombay with 17 port days, but only because that was a real bargain--only $1353 per person including all port fees and taxes and gratuities

 

 

 

 

[getting older slowly]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

 

And I am still wondering how to justify the exorbitant cost of a world Cruise.

 

To be honest if you can't justify the cost of a WC.....

 

Don't do one then.... as it is time to move on...

 

Go for shorter cruises   which fit your budget 

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, drsel said:

And I am still wondering how to justify the exorbitant cost of a world Cruise.

 

Mine was in 2008.  Compared to the prices being charged today, I understand what you are saying.

 

Was whatever I spent--and there were were many dollars spent above the basic cost for the cruise for many reasons--worth it?  Absolutely!  Memories, friends made during the cruise, pictures, experiences:  all are worth every cent that I paid.  

[shofer]

I'm glad I found this thread.  We are seriously looking at the World cruise for Jan '22.   For a balcony cabin, it would be mucho $$$ but we are in our 70's and love to cruise.  It would also hit every destination we haven't already seen.   Our kids tell us to spend the money and not save it for them.    The Covid situation would have to be resolved, of course.   Can't travel without a vaccine.  So just watching and waiting.

 

[Gwendy]

You don’t have to justify the cost of a world cruise, you either do it or you don’t.  Last year I was going to replace my old car with a new one, looked at kms I do and decided to use the money for half world cruise instead.  So glad I did, with the current situation who knows if I will ever be able to do it again.  So many memorable moments. Yes I had been to some of the ports before, but there’s always something new to see.  Only disappointment we could not get ashore on Easter Island.

[drsel]

You don’t have to justify the cost of a world cruise, you either do it or you don’t.  Last year I was going to replace my old car with a new one, looked at kms I do and decided to use the money for half world cruise instead.  So glad I did, with the current situation who knows if I will ever be able to do it again.  So many memorable moments

I am really happy for you.Kindly Give some more details of your half world Cruise.

Which Cruise ship and date of departure?

where did it start and end ?

how many nights ?

what was the cost ?

how many port days and sea days?

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Gwendy said:

You don’t have to justify the cost of a world cruise, you either do it or you don’t.

 

Absolutely!  If one has wanted to do so, if one has the financial resources to do so, and if one has the time and the health to do so, then DO IT!

[getting older slowly]

7 hours ago, drsel said:

I am really happy for you.Kindly Give some more details of your half world Cruise.

Which Cruise ship and date of departure?

where did it start and end ?

how many nights ?

what was the cost ?

how many port days and sea days?

 

really  you can find out all this on the net

 

So much depends of which legs of a WC you take and with which line you sail

 

Which Cruise ship and date of departure?   

One you like and a date which suit yourself

where did it start and end ?

Start at port and end on the other side of the world

how many nights ?

Depending on legs   but half a WC so 50-60 nights

what was the cost ?

Alot of money

how many port days and sea days?

Depending on legs chosen... but generally between 50-60% sea days

 

 

And remember a World Cruise is not for everyone

Edited October 19, 2020 by getting older slowly

[Gwendy]

On 10/19/2020 at 4:03 AM, drsel said:

I am really happy for you.Kindly Give some more details of your half world Cruise.

Which Cruise ship and date of departure?

where did it start and end ?

how many nights ?

what was the cost ?

how many port days and sea days?

 

 

 

Cruise was on Sea Princess, I joined in Dover UK after flying from Australia.  Disembarked Brisbane, Aus. From memory 54 nights, can’t recall breakdown of sea/port days but longest sea stretch was 10 days because we couldn’t get ashore at Easter Island. 

Cost as a single in an interior cabin and including business class airfare from Brisbane to London was approx $22,000.  Package offered 3 months out from sail date.

This was the third half world cruise I have completed.  I liked this one because it had a number of ports I had not been to, and the ones I had been to, I was happy to go back to.

[drsel]

6 hours ago, Gwendy said:

Cruise was on Sea Princess, I joined in Dover UK after flying from Australia.  Disembarked Brisbane, Aus. From memory 54 nights, can’t recall breakdown of sea/port days but longest sea stretch was 10 days because we couldn’t get ashore at Easter Island. 

Cost as a single in an interior cabin and including business class airfare from Brisbane to London was approx $22,000.  Package offered 3 months out from sail date.

This was the third half world cruise I have completed.  I liked this one because it had a number of ports I had not been to, and the ones I had been to, I was happy to go back to.

Thanks for the info.

I was wondering if a 29 night Cruise from Venice to Bombay counts as a quarter world Cruise? 🤔

17 port days,  a real bargain--only $1353 per person including all port fees and taxes and gratuities.

Venice, Bari, Corfu, Kalamata, Athens, Santorini, Heraklion in Crete,  Suez canal, Aqaba, Eilat, Red Sea, Salalah, Muscat, Maldives (3 nights), Colombo, Goa, Bombay

Edited October 21, 2020 by drsel

[Smokeyham]

Just to add to what others are saying, I would agree that a world cruise can be a wonderful experience based on the experiences that friends who have done this have had.  I am still planning to do one, hopefully in the next two to three years, depending on the Covid situation.

 

To me, one aspect that will make the world special will be moving aboard for the extended length of time and really settling into ship life and becoming part of a community of people who are sharing an adventure.   

 

Two things that I have read consistently on the world cruise boards that strike me are:

1. Prior to committing to a world cruise, take an extended cruise on board the same ship (preferably in the same cabin) as the one that I want to do the cruise on.   You want to be sure that the ship is the right fit for you.

 

2. Consider lines that are more cost-inclusive (drinks, tips, laundry, shore excursions, etc.) as the total trip cost may actually be similar or even slightly less.

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

21 minutes ago, Smokeyham said:

To me, one aspect that will make the world special will be moving aboard for the extended length of time and really settling into ship life and becoming part of a community of people who are sharing an adventure.   

 

21 minutes ago, Smokeyham said:

1. Prior to committing to a world cruise, take an extended cruise on board the same ship (preferably in the same cabin) as the one that I want to do the cruise on.   You want to be sure that the ship is the right fit for you.

 

I agree.  

If one has familiarity with the cruise line and/or the ship used for the world cruise, an extended cruise is not needed, I don't think.  Even sailing on a segment of such a previous world cruise does not provide a 100% accurate description of what one might experience on later world cruise.  It may; it may not.  The guests aboard and the ship's Senior Officers (including the Executive Chef in the galley) when you cruise will have influence on what you experience.  

[Smokeyham]

8 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

If one has familiarity with the cruise line and/or the ship used for the world cruise, an extended cruise is not needed, I don't think.  Even sailing on a segment of such a previous world cruise does not provide a 100% accurate description of what one might experience on later world cruise.  It may; it may not.  The guests aboard and the ship's Senior Officers (including the Executive Chef in the galley) when you cruise will have influence on what you experience.  

Good points......   The things that I would like to be sure I understood are items like the general characteristics of other passengers on board, the dress code, the style and layout of the vessel and cabin, the atmosphere on board, etc.   Some of those things you can learn about from reading or watching videos, but I think a lot you can only learn from being on board.

[LocoLoco1]

World cruisers typically don’t do their own laundry. Extremely long cruises will be the LAST offerings to re-start Post-Covid. You’re not insane, but reality tells me the ENTIRE World will need to be vaccinated before World cruises resume. 

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, LocoLoco1 said:

World cruisers typically don’t do their own laundry.

 

Don't know which World Cruises you have completed, but on our 2, that was not our experience. The laundry rooms are often some of the busiest places on the ship. Suspect it may vary with cruise line.

 

With our first WC on Princess, about 1/2 pax were Elite, so had included laundry, but most of the non-Elites used the laundry rooms, as the ship's laundry service took about 3 days.

 

On our recent Viking WC, only a few suite pax had included laundry, so best guess is about 80 to 90% of pax were using the laundry rooms. The laundry rooms were complimentary and available 24/7, with them used from about 05:00 to late evening every sea day.

[Gwendy]

17 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

Good points......   The things that I would like to be sure I understood are items like the general characteristics of other passengers on board, the dress code, the style and layout of the vessel and cabin, the atmosphere on board, etc.   Some of those things you can learn about from reading or watching videos, but I think a lot you can only learn from being on board.

One other thing to be aware of with Princess, they did not have the Elite lounge open every night and with the smaller ships no International Cafe.  The staff last year seemed a bit jaded towards the end of the cruise, service with a smile, or just service was not always there.

[Gwendy]

On 10/21/2020 at 11:31 PM, drsel said:

Thanks for the info.

I was wondering if a 29 night Cruise from Venice to Bombay counts as a quarter world Cruise? 🤔

17 port days,  a real bargain--only $1353 per person including all port fees and taxes and gratuities.

Venice, Bari, Corfu, Kalamata, Athens, Santorini, Heraklion in Crete,  Suez canal, Aqaba, Eilat, Red Sea, Salalah, Muscat, Maldives (3 nights), Colombo, Goa, Bombay

 

4 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

One other thing to be aware of with Princess, they did not have the Elite lounge open every night and with the smaller ships no International Cafe.  The staff last year seemed a bit jaded towards the end of the cruise, service with a smile, or just service was not always there.

A world cruise is sold as a world cruise.  It generally consists of a number of segments,  otherwise it is just a long, lovely cruise.

[rkacruiser]

On 10/21/2020 at 8:16 PM, Smokeyham said:

The things that I would like to be sure I understood are items like the general characteristics of other passengers on board,

 

The characteristics and "tone" provided by the guests on my 2007 world cruise segment was surprisingly different than what I experienced during my Grand World 2008 World Cruise.

 

Some of the guests were different.  The Hotel Manager was a "newbie" for such a cruise.  The Master of the ship was, I recall, the same.  

 

One "pays one's money and one takes one's chances". It will, still, turn out to be an extraordinary cruise experience.  

[Smokeyham]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

The characteristics and "tone" provided by the guests on my 2007 world cruise segment was surprisingly different than what I experienced during my Grand World 2008 World Cruise.

 

Could you tell us a little more about what the differences were?