Year long Cruise

[Tampa Girl]

On 5/6/2021 at 6:51 PM, KirkNC said:

You have to wait until the cruise is offered.  It’s only been the last year that sold out.  2022/2023 are skewed by the pandemic but typically before 2020 the ship sailed with 60-70% full cruise passengers.  And don’t forget the Zaandam is larger then the Amsterdam.

 I think that you meant the Zuiderdam?  The Zaandam is not the same size of the Amsterdam, but I thought that the Ziderdam was doing the '23 and '24 WC.

[KirkNC]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

 I think that you meant the Zuiderdam?  The Zaandam is not the same size of the Amsterdam, but I thought that the Ziderdam was doing the '23 and '24 WC.

Yea, thanks for the correction.  Wasn’t it originally going to be the Zaandam after they sold the Amsterdam?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 hour ago, KirkNC said:

Yea, thanks for the correction.  Wasn’t it originally going to be the Zaandam after they sold the Amsterdam?

Wasn’t it originally going to be the Zaandam?   YES it was

[robertandann]

I have macular degeneration and need a shot in my eyeball (yetch!)  every 60 days.  Any way to hop off for a trip home and hop on again (covid not withstanding)?

[wandrr]

In 2017, while on another long cruise, we made a very similar request to the on-board future cruise consultants. We presented it as a bit of a challenge to them, though creating an itinerary for us was a very low priority. They took the challenge and actually had some fun (so they said). They came up with a nine leg itinerary with one flight. The cost for an ocean-view was about $97,000. The itinerary is now meaningless since it included several legs on ships that no longer are in the HAL fleet (Ah, Prinsendam...). The duration was eight months and went from Amsterdam to Vancouver with no port repeats. Unfortunately, we never did do the cruise, but it is clearly feasible.

 

We actually gave them a list of requirements as below:

 

Long Term Cruise
We propose to take a very long term annual cruise basically as a means of part-time or winter
retirement. This cruise will fill the northern hemisphere winter, and will be basically a “back-to-back-to-back-to-back, etc.” itinerary. The following are our requirements for such a cruise:

• On Holland America Cruise Lines ships. Staying on one ship is acceptable as long as the other requirements here are satisfied.
• Cabin for two in the lowest outside category with a window or porthole.
• Initial departure in late September or October or November and final arrival between six and six and a half months later.
• It is very desirable to minimize the repeats of port visits throughout the entire itinerary.
• No more than one cruise of a repeating schedule. In other words, we do not want to do loop after loop around the Caribbean, for example. One loop of a repeating schedule is satisfactory.
• Changes of ships are acceptable at the same port or a very nearby port (for example, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, or Rotterdam and Amsterdam), as long as the delay between arrival and departure is no more than 36 hours.
• Initial departure port and final arrival port may be anywhere in the world.
• A flight between ports is acceptable only once within the entire itinerary, as long as the flight duration is less than twelve hours including flight change times. It is very desirable to minimize the flight duration and connections.
• Segments of long cruises may be included. For example, this itinerary might include one or more segments of a round-the-world or a Grand Voyage cruise.
• “Free” or included cruise amenities shall be traded-in for increased on-board credit or reduced fare, with the exception of unlimited laundry or possibly a few other cost-reducing amenities. In other words, we are not interested in free specialty dining or free shore excursions or similar.

 

[KirkNC]

3 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Wasn’t it originally going to be the Zaandam?   YES it was

Thanks, so I am not entirely loosing my mind 😜😜

[KirkNC]

2 hours ago, robertandann said:

I have macular degeneration and need a shot in my eyeball (yetch!)  every 60 days.  Any way to hop off for a trip home and hop on again (covid not withstanding)?

Pre Covid yes.  I know one lady who went home to a funeral.  Others have gotten emergency medical treatment and rejoined the ship later.  It’s really no different then the off the ship excursions people do for multiple days.

[KirkNC]

1 hour ago, wandrr said:

In 2017, while on another long cruise, we made a very similar request to the on-board future cruise consultants. We presented it as a bit of a challenge to them, though creating an itinerary for us was a very low priority. They took the challenge and actually had some fun (so they said). They came up with a nine leg itinerary with one flight. The cost for an ocean-view was about $97,000. The itinerary is now meaningless since it included several legs on ships that no longer are in the HAL fleet (Ah, Prinsendam...). The duration was eight months and went from Amsterdam to Vancouver with no port repeats. Unfortunately, we never did do the cruise, but it is clearly feasible.

 

We actually gave them a list of requirements as below:

 

Long Term Cruise
We propose to take a very long term annual cruise basically as a means of part-time or winter
retirement. This cruise will fill the northern hemisphere winter, and will be basically a “back-to-back-to-back-to-back, etc.” itinerary. The following are our requirements for such a cruise:

• On Holland America Cruise Lines ships. Staying on one ship is acceptable as long as the other requirements here are satisfied.
• Cabin for two in the lowest outside category with a window or porthole.
• Initial departure in late September or October or November and final arrival between six and six and a half months later.
• It is very desirable to minimize the repeats of port visits throughout the entire itinerary.
• No more than one cruise of a repeating schedule. In other words, we do not want to do loop after loop around the Caribbean, for example. One loop of a repeating schedule is satisfactory.
• Changes of ships are acceptable at the same port or a very nearby port (for example, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, or Rotterdam and Amsterdam), as long as the delay between arrival and departure is no more than 36 hours.
• Initial departure port and final arrival port may be anywhere in the world.
• A flight between ports is acceptable only once within the entire itinerary, as long as the flight duration is less than twelve hours including flight change times. It is very desirable to minimize the flight duration and connections.
• Segments of long cruises may be included. For example, this itinerary might include one or more segments of a round-the-world or a Grand Voyage cruise.
• “Free” or included cruise amenities shall be traded-in for increased on-board credit or reduced fare, with the exception of unlimited laundry or possibly a few other cost-reducing amenities. In other words, we are not interested in free specialty dining or free shore excursions or similar.

 

We have done several long trips on the Prinsendam and one on the Maasdam.  They ranged from 80-100 days.

 

[Tampa Girl]

5 hours ago, KirkNC said:

Yea, thanks for the correction.  Wasn’t it originally going to be the Zaandam after they sold the Amsterdam?

Sorry, I mis-wrote when I said that the Zaandam is not the same size as the Amsterdam.  I believe that they are the same size.  However, it does not have the same number of Neptune Suites as did the Amsterdam.  I don't know about the other cabin classes.    For those of us who are booked on the 2024 cruise, the big question is whether it will be fairly full or follow the pre-pandemic vacancy rate.  (I am hoping for an upsell!)

[KirkNC]

15 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

Sorry, I mis-wrote when I said that the Zaandam is not the same size as the Amsterdam.  I believe that they are the same size.  However, it does not have the same number of Neptune Suites as did the Amsterdam.  I don't know about the other cabin classes.    For those of us who are booked on the 2024 cruise, the big question is whether it will be fairly full or follow the pre-pandemic vacancy rate.  (I am hoping for an upsell!)

Another question with the Zuiderdam is the amount of storage space in a cabin.  I believe I have read several comments that it has less space which can be an issue on a four month cruise.

[Hlitner]

There are a few folks who do cruise nearly all the time.   Some are on "The World" which is a ship full of owned Condos.  We think this would be ideal for a year (or longer) voyage since you would actually have a real apartment that even includes a small kitchen.  

 

I assume that many here are aware there have been a few folks who practically lived on cruise ships.  There was a wonderful couple  (I do not recall their names) who spent several years on the Royal Princess although we are told they did leave for a few weeks a year.  There also used to be a very wealthy lady who lived on the Queen Elizabeth II (QE2) and was well known by many passengers.  

 

Hank

[Djptcp]

I don't think our cat sitter will take care of Madelyn for a year😄 She's doing it for two months straight in 2022 and I think that is probably her limit. DH and I have done 10 and 11 day cruises and that's plenty of time to be away from home. We prefer shorter cruises every couple of months throughout the year.

[albingirl]

21 hours ago, KirkNC said:

Pre Covid yes.  I know one lady who went home to a funeral.  Others have gotten emergency medical treatment and rejoined the ship later.  It’s really no different then the off the ship excursions people do for multiple days.

Yes, but I really do admire people who can do these very long cruises.  For various reasons, I doubt that we could do it.  It's fun to think about it though!!

[Hlitner]

4 hours ago, albingirl said:

Yes, but I really do admire people who can do these very long cruises.  For various reasons, I doubt that we could do it.  It's fun to think about it though!!

When we retired, DW and I had never been on any cruise more then three weeks long because of work/family demands.  After retirement we were in a situation where time was not generally an issue.  We gradually tried longer and longer cruises until we did a 62 day Grand Med cruise on the Prinsendam (our favorite cruise ship) and wondered if it would be too long.  The last night of that cruise, DW mentioned that she could happily do another 62 :).   We are old enough to realize that life is short and if we "think it will be fun" we simply do it!  I guess we could always find reasons to talk ourselves out of trying something new, adventurous, or long...but it is more fun to just do it!   DW likes to say that she does not want to be on her death bed regretting the things we did not do!

 

Hank

[iancal]

Ditto.  This covid business has convinced us even more to get busy and move some  bucket list travel 

to the top of our respective lists. 

 

New countries, new experiences will take precedence over 'want to return' trips. 

 

I would much rather drop dead while experiencing  a new country, new experience, etc. than  passing away on a rocking chair in a home. 

 

I have told our kids not to reclaim the body.  No point.  Just plant me where I dropped.  And plan a trip for yourselves with any left over inheritance money left over!  Life is short.

Edited November 18, 2021 by iancal

[Caribbean Chris]

On 11/16/2021 at 5:24 PM, Hlitner said:

 

I assume that many here are aware there have been a few folks who practically lived on cruise ships.  There was a wonderful couple  (I do not recall their names) who spent several years on the Royal Princess although we are told they did leave for a few weeks a year.  There also used to be a very wealthy lady who lived on the Queen Elizabeth II (QE2) and was well known by many passengers.  

 

Hank

Yes, when I worked for Royal Viking Line, a California woman named Rosemary lived aboard one of the three ships, getting off only for dry docks. I used to see her occasionally whenever I brought groups of travel agents on board for tours & lunches on turnaround days, and my parents sailed with her once on the first leg of the World Cruise. She had a preferred seat by the dance floor in the main lounge and famously tapped interlopers with her cane, informing them to move from her chair.

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Yes, when I worked for Royal Viking Line, a California woman named Rosemary lived aboard one of the three ships, getting off only for dry docks.

I remember her! I felt so sorry for her when Royal Viking stopped sailing, and she lost her home. It truly was her home, as it was where she lived, and the crew/staff treated her as a beloved elder of the family. 
If someone unknowingly sat at her lounge table, the crew would gently suggest they would be more comfortable at a different table, and move them. 

[Caribbean Chris]

53 minutes ago, RuthC said:

I remember her! I felt so sorry for her when Royal Viking stopped sailing, and she lost her home. It truly was her home, as it was where she lived, and the crew/staff treated her as a beloved elder of the family. 
If someone unknowingly sat at her lounge table, the crew would gently suggest they would be more comfortable at a different table, and move them. 

 

That's wonderful that you remember her! Your description of the way the staff & crew treated Rosemary is exactly right. Everyone was quite fond of her.

[boze9999]

On 11/16/2021 at 11:30 AM, robertandann said:

I have macular degeneration and need a shot in my eyeball (yetch!)  every 60 days.  Any way to hop off for a trip home and hop on again (covid not withstanding)?

Yes - you are able to do that  @robertandannI got off a handful of times and rejoined with no problem. You just have to work with HAL in advance so they can coordinate port permissions for disembarkation and re-embarkations at respective ports.