World Cruise Questions

[lbt43]

Hi All,

What would you say the difference is between royal caribbean's new world cruise is to traditional world cruises offered by lines that are synonymous with World cruising?  To me, the royal cruise just looks like a bunch of different repo cruises.  Any enlightenment on this?

[Flatbush Flyer]

36 minutes ago, lbt43 said:

Hi All,

What would you say the difference is between royal caribbean's new world cruise is to traditional world cruises offered by lines that are synonymous with World cruising?  To me, the royal cruise just looks like a bunch of different repo cruises.  Any enlightenment on this?

Can’t tell you anything about Royal Caribbean other than asking the question: would you want to eat Royal’s food for that long a time?

 

FWIW: Many, if not all, of the premium/luxury lines’ ATW cruises are sold first to those wanting the entire ATW experience. Once certain ATW booking targets are met, “segment” cruises are then marketed as individual or multi-segment itineraries. In essence, the ATW itinerary is developed with marketable segments in mind. This keeps the ship full and the itineraries interesting no matter how long you’re onboard.

 

IMO, If you want to do (and can afford the time, energy and cost of) an ATW cruise, pass over mass market lines for all of the obvious reasons. Remember too that while their cabin prices may look attractive, all of the non-included items and nickel/diming over those approx.5-6 months will end up with a “bottom line” cost that is probably more expensive than the inclusive premium/luxury lines. AND we haven’t even begun to address the Quality and Service considerations....

Edited December 5, 2021 by Flatbush Flyer

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, lbt43 said:

To me, the royal cruise just looks like a bunch of different repo cruises.  Any enlightenment on this?

 

I don't disagree with your assessment, but, there must be a reason why their marketing department obtained approval for such a cruise to be offered.  I have no idea as to what that reason might be.  

 

The demand for 2023 and 2024 world cruises seems to be so great that Royal Caribbean may have felt that the time for them to "join that party" had arrived.  So, develop a most unique world cruise itinerary, "throw it out there", and see what happens?  

 

Flatbush Flyer offers many good thoughts.

 

I suggest that you post your question on the World Cruise Message Board of CC and see what responses you get.  

[LHT28]

Most world cruises are made up segments of various lengths

Some World cruises  start from 75 days + 

Not everyone gets on at the 1st embarkation port & stays until  the end of the cruise

Some will get on for just the segment they are interested in  others will do the full cruise

 

[Ashland]

Apparently the RCI offering is over 70% booked and I believe in February it will open up to book individual segments. So, looks like they were right to test the water and join the World Cruise party. 

[Omax4]

On 12/5/2021 at 3:04 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Can’t tell you anything about Royal Caribbean other than asking the question: would you want to eat Royal’s food for that long a time?

 

FWIW: Many, if not all, of the premium/luxury lines’ ATW cruises are sold first to those wanting the entire ATW experience. Once certain ATW booking targets are met, “segment” cruises are then marketed as individual or multi-segment itineraries. In essence, the ATW itinerary is developed with marketable segments in mind. This keeps the ship full and the itineraries interesting no matter how long you’re onboard.

 

IMO, If you want to do (and can afford the time, energy and cost of) an ATW cruise, pass over mass market lines for all of the obvious reasons. Remember too that while their cabin prices may look attractive, all of the non-included items and nickel/diming over those approx.5-6 months will end up with a “bottom line” cost that is probably more expensive than the inclusive premium/luxury lines. AND we haven’t even begun to address the Quality and Service considerations....

While I agree that the Quality and Service of Royal Caribbean don’t compare to other luxury cruise lines, you are being a little harsh. I would have no problem with eating their  food for an extended period of time. There is nothing wrong with it. As a matter of fact, I think it’s probably better than Princess.

 

And are you aware that Royal’s world cruise includes Wi-Fi, a Premium Drink Package, Business class airfare, 7 shore excursions, and laundry for the entire voyage? What else would you want included in a world cruise? Royal still would not be my first choice if I was to do a world cruise but they are including many things that I don’t think nickel and diming would be a major concern compared to other cruise lines. I mean unless you do Regent, no one else includes all shore excursions. Viking includes one per port but not the best ones. 

Edited December 7, 2021 by Omax4

[Stefan_Varong]

  

On 12/5/2021 at 10:04 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

.... would you want to eat Royal’s food for that long a time?

 

In any case the cruiseline should fit to one’s desires. I would never go on a long cruise with a line I never sailed before with, not even on a top of the notch luxury line. I made the experience that a line others said about having sooo good food I only eat well in a speciality restaurant at additional costs, while in the MDR I experienced the food quality as poor. Paying once in a while for a special dining experience is fine, an entire week additionally just for having decent food is bad enough, but for weeks or even months? An absolute no go! Good food in the MDR is definitely a must for me. Of course it is completely a question of personal taste, but who is happy with the food at a special line should have no reason not to book with them. 

 

  

On 12/5/2021 at 9:28 PM, lbt43 said:

To me, the royal cruise just looks like a bunch of different repo cruises.

 

The time of the RC cruise is incredible long. When I looked out for my own world cruise I studied the offers of Cunard and P&O (both about 100 days) well, but although some very interesting destinations were included in these cruises, these were too much a rush around the globe for my taste. A bit more time than Phileas Fogg had would be fine for me. So I ended up with booking a 126-day cruise, now by circumstances postponed to 2024. Although I am sailing at the same time as RC’s ultimate world cruise takes places I had a look at it. It really looks good, just for me as European it spends too much time in Europe, for Americans exactly this could be very attractive of course.
 
Everybody who ever did a B2B knows that the change of guests influences a cruise, the composition of the crowd can change significantly. And it disturbs life aboard, since luggage transport is blocking lifts or staff is needed to proceed the muster drill short before leaving port instead of serving a cocktail to those who enjoyed the day ashore. Of course this is not completely avoidable, also my world cruise collects guests in three countries at the beginning of the cruise, but thereafter it will become calm. I assume it is an economical decision of cruise lines to offer segments to get the ships fully booked.

 

  

On 12/5/2021 at 10:04 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

IMO, If you want to do (and can afford the time, energy and cost of) an ATW cruise, pass over mass market lines for all of the obvious reasons. Remember too that while their cabin prices may look attractive, all of the non-included items and nickel/diming over those approx.5-6 months will end up with a “bottom line” cost that is probably more expensive than the inclusive premium/luxury lines. AND we haven’t even begun to address the Quality and Service considerations....

 

Believe it or not: the price matters! Of course everybody doing or seriously considering a world cruise is definitely not the poorest part of the society, nobody for whom a four day cruise is an unreachable once in a lifetime dream. But still the price related to the value matters. For my own now cancelled world cruise 2022 I budgeted 100 € for excursions in each port, while I booked excursions for an average of just below 83 €. I wasn’t looking for the cheapest and even skipping a few free excursions where I found excursions more suitable to my taste. In these days sticking to ship excursions could be necessary, my experience is that I more often paid less when arranging excursions individually, so in future the effective costs could be even less. When I booked a drink package was included during a special offer period, who books now for 2024 can buy it right now for 3,654 €, and for that one including top brands it would be 4,914 € instead. For washing and ironing service I calculated 240 € (up to 300 pieces). My flights were 247 € (Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines short haul flights economy on rebookable tariff), additionally to flight luggage (23kg suitcase plus hand baggage) 2 extra standard bags collected at home and sent to the ship and back for 180 €. Mandatory tipping was 1260 €. Adding-up all these things resulted for me in 6,990 €, if no drinking package would be included and even buying the most expensive one it would result in 11,904 €. These costs are definitely not so much as the entire ticket price and still remain at the fraction of the costs the top end cruise lines want to get. It doesn’t matter whether I compare with Regent, Viking, Silversea, or Seaborn, their starting prices for comparable long cruises are - even if I add all additional costs as mentioned - at least twice as expensive. Not to take into the account that I am sailing alone and the supplements are often enough ridiculous high, while I paid 50% more over the passage ex port taxes. The claim to pay at the end even more when booking with a mass market line is definitely wrong. Yes, service and quality might be a bit better at high-end cruise lines than on lines of the mass market. Whether one is willing to pay the double or even triple price for this is up to the individual traveller. I for my part prefer to invest that money in another cruise.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, Stefan_Varong said:

  

 

In any case the cruiseline should fit to one’s desires. I would never go on a long cruise with a line I never sailed before with, not even on a top of the notch luxury line. I made the experience that a line others said about having sooo good food I only eat well in a speciality restaurant at additional costs, while in the MDR I experienced the food quality as poor. Paying once in a while for a special dining experience is fine, an entire week additionally just for having decent food is bad enough, but for weeks or even months? An absolute no go! Good food in the MDR is definitely a must for me. Of course it is completely a question of personal taste, but who is happy with the food at a special line should have no reason not to book with them. 

While I agree with you regarding choosing a line that “fits ones desires,” I must point out that some of your statements are overgeneralized. For example, on a premium line like Oceania, where the specialty restaurants are available without any extra charge, the superior quality of ALL the food and dining venues is the same. What is different between and among them (from poolside café “Waves” to GDR to any one of the specialty restaurants is the menu focus and dining ambiance.

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 hours ago, Omax4 said:

I would have no problem with eating their  food for an extended period of time. There is nothing wrong with it. As a matter of fact, I think it’s probably better than Princess.

I wouldn’t exactly call that a “glowing endorsement.”

I’ve had Royal’s food: “One and done.”

[Stefan_Varong]

3 hours ago, Stefan_Varong said:

 I made the experience that a line others said about having sooo good food I only eat well in a speciality restaurant at additional costs....

 

is definitely not

  

8 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

... overgeneralized. For example, on a premium line like Oceania, where the specialty restaurants are available without any extra charge, the superior quality of ALL the food and dining venues is the same.

 

The opposite is true. This is my personal experience in one single case where others exactly were very happy about the food. I didn’t mention the name of the line not to go into discussions about the food quality, just because there are people who love what I regard concerning the preparation (not concerning the products used) as substandard. This means: if people like that it’s fine, I don’t. This is not about spoiled or otherwise ingredients, or about dirty plates, or about not kept promises, this was only about personal taste and experience. Of course you have the same right about RC, as others have the opposite opinion. That is why I said the cruise line should fit!

[Omax4]

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I wouldn’t exactly call that a “glowing endorsement.”

I’ve had Royal’s food: “One and done.”

It was not meant to be a glowing endorsement. It is good. Not very good or excellent. But good. As I said, I would not do a world cruise on Royal but I think it’s great that there are people who would. 

[SargassoPirate]

After 50-some cruises, (RCI, Celebrity, Princess, HAL, NCL, Viking, Cunard) I can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal on a cruise.  Some are better than others, true, but never bad.  I wouldn't choose a WC solely for the perceived quality of the food.  I choose any cruise for the itinerary, with a nice mix of ports and sea days.

 

But then, my benchmark may be a bit skewed since I also take long motorcycle trips where sometimes dinner is an MRE warmed up on the bike's transmission while I set up my tent.  At those times, such as camping in Yellowstone or in the Arizona desert, the meal is secondary to the ambiance of the location.

 

To each his own.  There are lots of ships that sail the seas and even a bad day at sea is better than a good day at the office.

[Stefan_Varong]

Again: I can only talk about myself, my experiences, and my expectations. And to say it clearly: with most lines I would sail again without hesitation.
 
I consider a cruise ship being something very different from camping in nature far from civilisation. Where you don’t have the possibility of fine cooking it is pretty hard to do so, but where you have and don’t do so I regard it as a problem. Not to forget that we are talking about months and not about one or a few night(s).
 
And yes, I had bad meals at cruise ships, the quality differences I experienced as enormous! Usually not so bad to return what was served (I only did once with a single course, exactly on a ship that delivered all other meals at high standards, so it was clearly an exception), but definitely substandard. I think it is a very questionable policy to send fresh bread to the restaurants that are paid for, while the included ones serve lesser quality. A restaurant serving such food close to home would never see me again.
 
So I completely agree with the question of wanting to eat their food for months, just that this question can’t be answered generally. And I would not advise to sail a cruise line for their food only, but to think whether one would be happy with the food served on that line for a long while.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 minutes ago, Stefan_Varong said:

.... And I would not advise to sail a cruise line for their food only......

Are you aware that there’s at least one cruise line where many regulars choose its ships on longer itineraries primarily because of the excellent food?

You’ll hear from many folks here on CC that itinerary is all that is important since the ships are all so similar. In reality, it’s exactly the opposite. For example, Roman antiquities,  Chilean fjords and the Moai on Rapa Nui remain the same regardless of what ship you’re on. But that ship’s onboard experience can differ significantly. It’s your “home away from home” and the quality of your sustenance (from eating to sleeping) is a critical factor when you’re on a months long cruise. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

After 50-some cruises, (RCI, Celebrity, Princess, HAL, NCL, Viking, Cunard) I can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal on a cruise.  Some are better than others, true, but never bad.  I wouldn't choose a WC solely for the perceived quality of the food.  I choose any cruise for the itinerary, with a nice mix of ports and sea days.

 

But then, my benchmark may be a bit skewed since I also take long motorcycle trips where sometimes dinner is an MRE warmed up on the bike's transmission while I set up my tent.  At those times, such as camping in Yellowstone or in the Arizona desert, the meal is secondary to the ambiance of the location.

 

To each his own.  There are lots of ships that sail the seas and even a bad day at sea is better than a good day at the office.

See post #14.

[Stefan_Varong]

59 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Are you aware that there’s at least one cruise line where many regulars choose its ships on longer itineraries primarily because of the excellent food?

 

I definitely would not advise to base the decision for a world cruise on food only. Of course it plays a role, an important role, it is even a very good reason for excluding a cruise line. But I would not decide for a cruise boring me with a line I just love the food on. There are some cruises that are offered by many lines every single week in summer (or winter), all visiting the same ports. In this case the food might be the only important difference. This of course is not the same with grand voyages or world cruises. Perhaps they all visit Rome, but not all visit Korea and Hawaii and Tahiti and South Africa and the Amazon and New York… As I wrote yesterday I excluded lines for their “fast” 2022 itinerary with too long times on sea, too little days in port. Matters! It is a combination of all: feel at home (very correct!), great food (personal taste), and love the places visited! Not to forget that everybody has personal interests, for me every square meter used for a casino is wasted space, others complain that they couldn’t gamble enough, when at sea their favourite game is not available during morning hours already. Royal Caribbean - to return finally to the topic - offers definitely a unique voyage. Your question about their food is legitimate, just must be answered individually, neither you nor me can do it for lbt43.

[BVILady]

For some people the price matters, especially when you are traveling solo. As I had posted on a previous post, I have developed a spread sheet to reach my total cost:

 

Cruise Calculator
Flight
Hotel pre-cruise
Transfers
Luggage Shipping
Pre-Cruise Total			$                           -
Number of Sea Days
Numer of Port Days
18 weeks
Base Fare
Port Fee's
Insurance
Fuel Surcharge $ 9.00	128	9
Service Charge	128
Shore Excursions	Port-days:	avg.
less 15 included
?		150	$                           -
estimated Internet:
3 GB x 4?
		weeks
Laundry weekly
Hairdresser			$                           -
Pedicure/Manicure			$                           -
spa-Treatments			$                           -
		x day
Coffee's			$                           -
Cocktails/Wine/Drinks			$                           -
Shops/Misc.
Speciality Dining
Souvenirs
Port Food/Drinks
Cruise Total:			$                           -
Post Cruise Transfers
Hotels Post Cruise
Airfare Post Cruise
Post Cruise total			$                           -
Estimated total

 

With having been quoted around $ 100,000 for single occupancy on cruise lines for the World cruise, I have been able to reach an estimated total of $ 43,000.00 each now for 2 World cruises, which itineraries bring me to different area's of the globe with only a few overlaps. The base price is low due to my early booking of 2023 and moving 2022 to 2024 at no additional cost.

I have to fly from my home all the way to Europe but since I do that on points it is no problem and I don't need that included in the fare. And I have calculated a 2-weeks stay before the cruise to be sure I am not going to have any problems due to Covid-regulations. Luggage shipping from my part of the world to the ship and back is like $ 300 per suit-case each way, not breaking the bank and no reason for me to change cruise-line.

I also have calculated each excursion at $ 150.00 - when I have seen most of them listed for below $ 100.00 on the cruise which had been previously cancelled, so I should be safe with higher priced excursions. I personally felt to tell guests excursions are included but then only include one per port, which have not been the one's I would have chosen very unfair.

But it is every bodies choice which cruise line they prefer. I have traveled on quite a few, since my bookings have always been based on itinerary and date, so which ever one fit my schedule was the one I booked. And I have been several times on the cruise line I am doing my WC's on, so know what to expect. For me the base-price traveling solo is a major decision point.

[SargassoPirate]

BVlLady, I like your spread sheet idea.  Putting the pencil to the total costs helped me make the decision to cancel my Amazon cruise and go for a WC that included the Amazon.  Putting the pencil to it also helped me decide to cancel a P&O WC booking and go for the HAL world cruise. 

 

I'll be able to check two items off my bucket list for around $40K cruise fare with HAL - as a solo traveler.

 

As I have stated before, my cruising needs are simple - an inside cabin to sleep and change clothes, a promenade to enjoy, and a wee dram or three in the evening.  I enjoy that I can unpack once and the hotel moves from port to port.  Food?  I've never had a bad meal on a cruise, nor have I ever gone hungry on a ship.

 

A person can be about as happy as they make up their mind to be.

[Stefan_Varong]

2 hours ago, BVILady said:

For me the base-price traveling solo is a major decision point.

 

Exactly! I said it as well: the price matters! At the end you will be on a ship you like, see what you want - and do two different world cruises for less all-in than the price you have been quoted for one on other lines for the bare cruise package. It is not about a cruise that is inferior, it is not about a cruise with bad food, ship, service, whatever. For sure not a bit cheaper cruise that will result in higher costs compared to those including a few items more, as suggested. In the end it is the question, whether the little bit more others offer is worth the double, the triple price or even more - and still not covering everything you mentioned in your calculation.

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, BVILady said:

I have developed a spread sheet to reach my total cost:

 

I am very impressed with the detailed estimates in so many categories!  I think I am a "planner", but I am a poor one in comparison to what you do!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here is my cost calculator.   You can fill it out online.  

 

https://www.theinsidecabin.com/world-cruise-cost-calculator/

 

 

[BVILady]

13 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is my cost calculator.   You can fill it out online.  

 

https://www.theinsidecabin.com/world-cruise-cost-calculator/

 

 

Very informative and more sophisticated then mine. Great to be able to fill it in online. Mine has been more catered to my own needs, since I don't gamble. Thank you! I am sure that will be helpful to most cruisers not on all-inclusive fares! Will be on a different Costa ship next summer so will have more prices to work with on my calculator, but figure what estimates I have worked with so far should cover the costs. Had previously seen laundry prices on several ships so taking advantage with prebooked 25 pieces at Euro 19.99 is a steal and you bet I have prebooked these already for my 2023 cruise and 2024 cruise - prices will only go up. Costa has also posted now an offer on the WC Euro 120 for 3 excursions, which will work out at Euro 40 each and on top of that they offer a 25 % discount on any other excursions you book, so my $ 150.00 per excursion might be to high, but over-estimate will cover me for more expensive excursions and give me extra spending money 😊. Can't wait to actually get on a ship again.

[Stefan_Varong]

15 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is my cost calculator.   You can fill it out online.  

 

https://www.theinsidecabin.com/world-cruise-cost-calculator/

 

 

 

I tried the sheet as well. Definitely great for a first impression, my own sheet is way more for organising the entire voyage than for a fast calculation before booking. May I tell a bit of constructive criticism? I missed the item laundry, perhaps an idea for the next edition. And I found a little bug in the service fee: after entering 61 port and 65 sea days for my own cruise the 126 days showed correctly, but the entire charge was 1,575 instead of 1,953 (based on the default 15.50 in the sheet). The value seems to be 12.50 instead. Changing the fee into the 11 € for my own cruise the amount of 1,575 remained unchanged, obviously the formula is not linked to the variable. Besides: I found the item “expected casino losses” very true, but also a bit funny. I am no gambler, but those who do expect to win, don’t they?

[Stefan_Varong]

1 hour ago, BVILady said:

my $ 150.00 per excursion might be to high

 

It really is! I estimated a 100 € average per excursion and in the end my booked average price was 83 € - without being cheap in my selection and while in Sydney, Cairns, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai and Athens free excursions were offered I didn’t book them, but others I liked more. Of course financially it is better to estimate too high than too low.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Whatever “version” of a “cost calculator” one uses, it can be a real eye-opener for anyone who has a history of basing cost comparisons solely on the published “cabin fare.”

 

At least a decade ago, I started looking more at what I call, the “net daily rate” of a cruise (I.e., all required and optionally preferred costs “door-to-door” for a trip that includes a cruise). I’m talking about everything from cabin fare to ground transportation to airfare et al. all of which I total and divide by days away from home.
 

Talk about an “aha” experience! Suffice to say that first “net daily rate” cruise calculation catalyzed the end of “mass market” cruising for us.

 

FWIW, we also have a trip excel spreadsheet we refer to as the “cheat sheet.” It is a single sheet (two sided/hard copy) compilation of daily activities that includes supplier info, times, reservations, contact info for any/all emergencies, money conversions, county phone codes, taxi rates and even a small list of common phrases in the languages we will encounter. 
They are not lockstep instructions as much as they are a general reminder of things both set-in-stone (e.g., tours, flights...) and reminders (e.g., laundry?).

On our usual cruises of a month +\-, they come in handy more than one might think.

(BTW, we also load them onto our phones).

Edited December 11, 2021 by Flatbush Flyer