World Cruise Questions

[BVILady]

On 12/5/2021 at 8:04 PM, Ashland said:

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. 

I agree with Ashland it looks like the Royal Caribbean WC will be a real World Cruise and only maybe some people booking segments. The cruise is exceptionally long (it is 274 days if I remember correctly). The price for me was just to much. I had been quoted $ 102,000 for single occupancy and even there are some excursions included and internet and other extra's in the end the cost would have been just more then what I am willing to spend so there came my decision to take 2 World cruises calculated fully paid for less then the base price from Royal Caribbean. I have nothing against Royal Caribbean will be cruising with them next summer in the Med. Being retired I want to make sure I get what I pay for and do a lot of traveling as long as I am still able and I have a lot of time to research research research. Can't wait to get out there again!!! Whatever cruise you will decide on, enjoy your cruise. As Sargasso Pirate says :

 

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

[SargassoPirate]

The freedom to choose what cruise line/ship/itinerary works for me is part of what makes the research for any cruise, especially a world cruise fun.  My cruising style would not work for some people, but like BVIlady, if I can two cruises in for the price of what some people pay for one, then I'm happy.

 

Once I leave my humble inside cabin and hit one of the lounges for a wee dram and some music, who can tell if I'm traveling in steerage or in a suite?  And better yet, what difference does it make?

[SargassoPirate]

With "all inclusive", packages or cruises, somebody is paying for the "extras".   I prefer a lower cruise fare with a good itinerary and then I can choose what "extras" are worth spending on.  I don't need an excursion in every port, nor do I feel the need to go ashore in every port.  Specialty dining doesn't do a lot for me either.  I don't need an all inclusive cruise or a drink package for, say, $60 a day,  when all I really want is a wee dram or three in the evening.  I certainly don't need to pay a higher fare in order to get an all inclusive drink package.   

 

To some folks, the all inclusive cruise may be appealing, but when you break the added cost down it may not be such a good deal. It certainly isn't for me.

 

People should find and read the book  "The Richest Man In Babylon".  

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by SargassoPirate

[BVILady]

Concerning Drink packages - a funny one for all of you. On the first day on a cruise with HAL I had been sitting at the bar with a young lady and the bar-tender convinced us what a good deal the drink-package at $ 49.00 per day would be. Foolishly after the young lady signed up I did so too, only to run to Guest-services an hour later to have them take it off my account again. I do like my glass of wine with dinner - preferably the wine of my choosing, so I order a bottle and then have as much of it as I like on any given day and it is the wine I choose - not what is allowed on the drink-package. Having some accounting in my back-ground I figured out that there was no way I would spend $ 49.00 a day on drinks. in my case I would have been sloshed the entire cruise drinking all that. Just think it would have worked out being a job, being on an excursion all day and now having to catch up with drinking 🙂  So considering my accounting-background I can just imagine how miserable I would have been if I would have signed up for a cruise with all included excursions and not liked them and not being a penny-pincher just a frugal shopper would have ended up having to pay again. If I am so lucky to get to these places I do want to experience there what I like to experience. I think it is great  if persons do have the money that they do not care how much they are spending on their cruise, so good for you. I just will always want to know what I am paying for as long as I don't reach the income bracket where money is absolutely now object.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, BVILady said:

Concerning Drink packages - a funny one for all of you. On the first day on a cruise with HAL I had been sitting at the bar with a young lady and the bar-tender convinced us what a good deal the drink-package at $ 49.00 per day would be. Foolishly after the young lady signed up I did so too, only to run to Guest-services an hour later to have them take it off my account again. I do like my glass of wine with dinner - preferably the wine of my choosing, so I order a bottle and then have as much of it as I like on any given day and it is the wine I choose - not what is allowed on the drink-package. Having some accounting in my back-ground I figured out that there was no way I would spend $ 49.00 a day on drinks. in my case I would have been sloshed the entire cruise drinking all that. Just think it would have worked out being a job, being on an excursion all day and now having to catch up with drinking 🙂  So considering my accounting-background I can just imagine how miserable I would have been if I would have signed up for a cruise with all included excursions and not liked them and not being a penny-pincher just a frugal shopper would have ended up having to pay again. If I am so lucky to get to these places I do want to experience there what I like to experience. I think it is great  if persons do have the money that they do not care how much they are spending on their cruise, so good for you. I just will always want to know what I am paying for as long as I don't reach the income bracket where money is absolutely now object.

Exactly why so many smart cruisers choose “premium” lines over both “luxury” and “mass market” ones.

 

Premium lines are flexibly inclusive. On a line like Oceania, the cabin price includes airfare. If you don’t need it or you want to DIY, you can opt for an air credit (terrific if you are driving to the port to get the same credit as someone flying intercontinentally). And the included “O Life” perk lets you choose from among booze, tours or SBC. Don’t want any of them, choose “cruise only” pricing. Even then, you get unlimited internet, no charge for specialty restaurants, excellent ratios for space and crew per passenger, exquisite cabin amenities and what many food magazines and critics agree is the “finest cuisine at sea.”

In addition, many of Oceania’s “preferred partner” travel agencies will share commissions at approximately 5-10% of the commissionable fare.

If you do the real “bottom line” math on Oceania comparisons, you’ll quickly understand why loyal HAL, Celebrity, Viking et al. “Wannabes” try Oceania once and never go back to the others.

 

[Stefan_Varong]

39 minutes ago, BVILady said:

 there was no way I would spend $ 49.00 a day on drinks

 

Exactly this is fitting your cruise to your needs. Only you know what you are used to. With a look into the price list of the bar you have an idea what you would spend on daily basis and with that knowledge it is very easy to decide. And obviously you know how to add some amounts. It is very easy to decide in the case I mentioned in my reply on SargassoPirate when the free drinks at lunch and dinner can be upgraded for 15 €. If I am very reserved and only order three cappuccinos a day (I am a coffee junkie, can be easily two digits on a sea day) only 6.15 € remain for a drink. In this case it is very well spent money. 49 or 60 $ to spend on daily basis is way harder of course. Only stupid cruisers are throwing money away, even those can’t spend a buck twice. These days cruise lines are giving perks to convince people to cruise again, but there are people that really seem to believe that they get goodies for free in regular tariffs.

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Stefan_Varong said:

 

I am to the point when arrogant people in complete ignorance are telling stupid stories. “Over-exaggerating”? Since you refuse to calculate: a starting price of about 58,000 $ is more than three times 14,500 €. Quotes of 100,000+ again fit into the ratio seen the factual just below 30,000 €. And reading seems not to be yours either: “everybody living in or near the port” is not really “everybody”,  but obviously a small part of the pax on a ship! Logical thinking is allowed, deliberately wrong quotations are not. The only “everybody” and "all the others" I definitely wrote about is really true: “Your assumption is that everybody is stupid, just you aren’t”, just as "you told that payment of inflated prices would be cheaper and all the others have no clue." You may have your opinion, just you are not entitled to your own facts. Now you may get angry again, enjoy reality (if you can)!

 

An interesting first sentence, especially in light of your comment in an earlier post - "even if they are adding ridiculous bad excursions only, where guests pay twice: for the “included” excursion and for a second they want to do."

 

I can only assume your earlier comment is in reference to Viking Ocean. Based on this comment, surely you must have first hand experience of Viking's included excursions on a World Cruise. As a regular poster on the Viking Board and all Viking World Cruise Roll Calls, I don't recall seeing you posting any cruise feedback. Please advise which Viking World Cruise you sailed on to experience the "Bad" included shore-ex.

 

My wife and I completed the 2020 Viking World Cruise and booked a number of the "Included" shore-ex. As with every tour, the quality varied with the guide and quality of transportation. However, I note on Komodo Island the "Included" shore-ex was the Komodo Dragon walk and NO extra cost optional shore-ex was available to see the dragons. The only optional tours were to a beach. In Safaga, the "Included" shore-ex was a 10 hr tour to the Valley of the Kings.

 

Yes, the "Included" shore-ex in each port is normally 1 - 3 hrs, providing an overview of the local area. This is no different that the basic tours provided by other cruise lines, we just don't have to pay for it, and we are also guaranteed a spot on the tour, even when tours are full. Yes, you can also book a 2nd tour, which costs money, but that is no different than other cruise lines. With Viking you only pay for the 2nd optional tour, whereas on other cruise lines you pay for both tours.

 

I believe you are alluding to the fact that with Viking, we have already paid for an "Included" excursion in each port. Further proof that you most likely haven't completed a Viking World Cruise, or reviewed the base fare. When you add everything else that is included, if Viking charged for a tour in each port, the base fare would be significantly higher. They have metrics on how many book the "Included" shore-ex and include an appropriate amount in the fare.

 

Personally, having completed World Cruises on both a mainstream line and a premium line, I have zero desire to sail mainstream again with multiple thousands of pax. All-inclusive works for us, and based on our needs actually provides a slightly cheaper overall cruise from door to door. However, I accept we all have different expectations and the mainstream model is both cheaper and preferred by some.

[BVILady]

I had booked with Oceania once and had to cancel my booking because it was just to much of a hassle for me to get a visa for India. That had been before e-Visa's and I would have to fly down-island, very expensive and time-consuming. For example on expense I paid the same amount round trip to Nairobi my son had to pay round trip to Barbados and I can't get down-island trips on points. I had never gotten any option "cruise only", maybe that had not been a thing done then. It was only a 2 week cruise, date and itinerary suited me, so did not do the thorough calculations I am doing for a WC As I remember there was no flights included, since that would have been no good for me, they usually do not include my airport 🙂 and I do like to use my points instead of spending any money, whether cash or included (so calculated) in price. .

[Stefan_Varong]

45 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

An interesting first sentence...

 

I admit, I was is sharp in style, mostly because the person I answered to clearly misbehaved and refuses to understand that his estimations are not true in the light of mathematics. Let’s now have a look to the facts in neutral wording. All excursions are booked base on the description the provider offers, regardless whether it is a cruise line or third party. Who has never done exactly this excursion before has to rely onto this description. Very most of the included Viking excursions all extreme short walking or panoramic tours with a length between one to three hours only. The most positive exception in Egypt you mention is long, a very natural thing since travelling to the Nile from the Red Sea takes seven or eight hours for both directions. At least in this case it is not the cheapest possible solution, perhaps even the best value of all included excursions. In every respect much more positive compared to the visit of Jordan, where only an excursion within the city limits of Aqaba is included, while the excursion to Petra is not. Nevertheless, it remains a positive exception. Since I got the link to these excursions mailed yesterday I had a look and the very most included excursions really disappointed me. If I would have been offered these included excursions in a bundle after a booking I really would be upset and look for an alternative, because the very most of the included excursions I never would book. In this meaning they are bad indeed and paying twice for excursions would be the result in most cases. Such a policy makes it extremely unlikely that I ever will book a cruise with this line. Sure, everybody can make selling a package of what ever more attractive as individual items, it is a question of calculation and enlarges guest loyalty during the cruise. But it only works if both parties are happy with it. You may like it of course, but I regard it as a very disappointing collection of excursions and certainly not a pleasant business conduct.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, BVILady said:

I had booked with Oceania once and had to cancel my booking because it was just to much of a hassle for me to get a visa for India. That had been before e-Visa's and I would have to fly down-island, very expensive and time-consuming. For example on expense I paid the same amount round trip to Nairobi my son had to pay round trip to Barbados and I can't get down-island trips on points. I had never gotten any option "cruise only", maybe that had not been a thing done then. It was only a 2 week cruise, date and itinerary suited me, so did not do the thorough calculations I am doing for a WC As I remember there was no flights included, since that would have been no good for me, they usually do not include my airport 🙂 and I do like to use my points instead of spending any money, whether cash or included (so calculated) in price. .

Don’t blame visa issues on the cruise lines.

As for the availability of ”cruise only” pricing, it’s been that way for many years (at least in the US). And even for “O Life” pricing (choice of perks), you can opt for an air credit if you choose to DIY. 
Few other cruise lines build such flexibility into their inclusion package.

[BVILady]

Viking Cruise excursions. The Cruise industry is a business so every item included is calculated in, they will not give anything for free. Whatever they do include they will get at a very low cost-price. for example if you do have an island tour, let's say 40 people in a bus. the cruise line will sell it for $ 80.00 per person, the bus-driver will get $ 20.00 per person and will go home very happy, he turned over $ 800.00 in one day. the guide is most probably not as lucky, he/she will get $ 60.00 for the day. Please remember in some Third World Countries they will get much less. The rest is profit for the tour-operator and for the cruise-company, I do think the cruise company get's about 40 % of the profit kick-back. So if the island-tour is one of the free-bees included in the all inclusive the cruise-company will have a very good rate from the tour-operator (for the people actually going on that excursion) because they are still selling all the other excursions where both of them will make a nice profit.

I don't have to go on a cruise with Viking to see, that the free excursions they are offering are not to my liking and I would be forced to purchase other excursions, so whatever had been calculated into my price for the cruise is a total loss for me.

I have never been on a cruise where any of the excursions has been sold out. Actually when I was in Russia and went to St. Petersburg I had booked the English excursion but the ship had also offered a German excursion and I switched because they did run this excursion for only 2 people booked and me joining them we walked straight into the Hermitage and had the best service ever. So why would an excursion be sold out, you just add another bus or whatever.

I am not on the Viking board because i did not book the Viking cruise but I am lurking on it. What very much surprised me, that the booking of excursions are not open to everybody at one time but by category, so if you a poor cabin-guest you might find the excursion you want already booked, looks to me like a class-system I don't want any part off. But the most important thing is, that you love what you booked and that you will enjoy it, no matter what a schmuck like me thinks. So the upmarket cruise ships are selling prestige - fine with me, it is something I do not need.

[BVILady]

8 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Don’t blame visa issues on the cruise lines.

As for the availability of ”cruise only” pricing, it’s been that way for many years (at least in the US). And even for “O Life” pricing (choice of perks), you can opt for an air credit if you choose to DIY. 
Few other cruise lines build such flexibility into their inclusion package.

I have not blamed the Visa-Issue on the cruise-line, don't know where you got that from, I did cancel because it was to much of a hassle for me, nothing to do with Oceania. The problem with Visa's for me is my place of residence, Embassies in the US and US-visa-services cannot provide them, not even for US-Citizens residing here.

[SargassoPirate]

BVILady, The only way I could get my money's worth out of a drink package on a world cruise would be if they included a 30 day detox at the Betty Ford Clinic afterwards.  Geeze.  I drink one or two in the evening, if at all.  It just doesn't make sense.

 

You have to remember, if the "house" is offering something that seems to be a good deal - it is.  For the house.

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, BVILady said:

Viking Cruise excursions. The Cruise industry is a business so every item included is calculated in, they will not give anything for free. Correct in that you get nothing for free. However, cruise pricing is a highly complex subject and is driven more by supply and demand than pricing each individual component. Mainstream cruise lines will reduce fares (at times below break-even) to fill the ship, as more money is made from pax once aboard than what is paid in cruise fare. With Viking, the cabins tend to increase in price - since booking in Dec 2020, our cabin increased about $12,000 after the ship was sold out. 

 

Whatever they do include they will get at a very low cost-price. Drinks packages most definitely yes, since they purchase at true duty-free prices. Based on mainstream cruise line bar prices, the cost of 1 drink more than covers the cost of the bottle. When I worked for P&O/Princess a bottle cost is UKP 1 and when our son worked for them it was US $4 per bottle and the ship still made profit at those prices. Shore-ex the mark-up varies by region, but is close to 100%. The profit from shore-ex in some regions is the ship's largest profit generator. With a Viking World Cruise, the included shore-ex cost again varies by region, cheapest in Asia/India and most expensive in Europe/Aus/NZ. The average cost for the included shore-ex is

probably about $30-40

 

for example if you do have an island tour, let's say 40 people in a bus - haven't been on an "Included" or "Optional" shore tour with Viking when the bus was full. Most of the large 50 - 60 seat buses had only about 35 pax. One tour had as few as 4 pax.

 

I have never been on a cruise where any of the excursions has been sold out - you have been very lucky. On our Princess World cruise, many of the tours were sold out. On non-WC's we have experienced numerous sold out shore-ex.

 

So why would an excursion be sold out, you just add another bus or whatever - tour vendors do not have unlimited resources, especially in the current post-COVID environment.

 

What very much surprised me, that the booking of excursions are not open to everybody at one time but by category, so if you a poor cabin-guest you might find the excursion you want already booked, looks to me like a class-system I don't want any part off - so your cruise line doesn't have loyalty perks and special areas for suite/higher level loyalty. That is also a class system, which is of no interest to us. We book the 2nd lowest cabin category based on location and have never not got a shore-ex we wanted. Even if full, we would book a private tour. I am more than capable of that.

 

But the most important thing is, that you love what you booked and that you will enjoy it, no matter what a schmuck like me thinks. So the upmarket cruise ships are selling prestige - fine with me, it is something I do not need - personally, we like Viking based on the laid back and spacious atmosphere and brilliant crew, who have one of the best, if not the best contract in the industry. Wouldn't consider it prestige, but that is just me.

 Please see comments in red.

Edited December 12, 2021 by Heidi13

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Stefan_Varong said:

 

I admit, I was is sharp in style, mostly because the person I answered to clearly misbehaved and refuses to understand that his estimations are not true in the light of mathematics. Let’s now have a look to the facts in neutral wording. All excursions are booked base on the description the provider offers, regardless whether it is a cruise line or third party. Who has never done exactly this excursion before has to rely onto this description. Very most of the included Viking excursions all extreme short walking or panoramic tours with a length between one to three hours only. The most positive exception in Egypt you mention is long, a very natural thing since travelling to the Nile from the Red Sea takes seven or eight hours for both directions. At least in this case it is not the cheapest possible solution, perhaps even the best value of all included excursions. In every respect much more positive compared to the visit of Jordan, where only an excursion within the city limits of Aqaba is included, while the excursion to Petra is not. Nevertheless, it remains a positive exception. Since I got the link to these excursions mailed yesterday I had a look and the very most included excursions really disappointed me. If I would have been offered these included excursions in a bundle after a booking I really would be upset and look for an alternative, because the very most of the included excursions I never would book. In this meaning they are bad indeed and paying twice for excursions would be the result in most cases. Such a policy makes it extremely unlikely that I ever will book a cruise with this line. Sure, everybody can make selling a package of what ever more attractive as individual items, it is a question of calculation and enlarges guest loyalty during the cruise. But it only works if both parties are happy with it. You may like it of course, but I regard it as a very disappointing collection of excursions and certainly not a pleasant business conduct.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Another consideration for Viking when planning the "Included" shore-ex is that many of the pax are repeat World Cruisers and are on for the entire duration, as they have no segments.

 

The 2023 World Cruise will be our 3rd and we have aleady been to Petra, so we have no interest in returning. We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit, but have no desire to hike back up hill in that heat. I expect at least 50% of the pax are repeat World Cruisers and have already visited Petra, plus many others have also already been to Petra. Therefore most of us would not be interested in this tour, if it was the "Included" shore-ex. For our next call in Aqaba, our plan is to sign up for the "Included" Aqaba tour in the morning and the book Wadi Rum - either a Viking optional tour or a private tour.

 

When the "Included" shore-ex is short, it provides us with an opportunity to book another tour, or just wander around town. 

 

I concur, most of the "Included" shore-ex are basic, but this works for us, as we do book private tours, or just wander in many ports. We also consider ship's shore-ex a minor consideration when selecting preferred cruise lines.

 

That the beauty of this industy, they have a cruise line that meets the needs of almost everyone.

[Stefan_Varong]

7 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

We also consider ship's shore-ex a minor consideration when selecting preferred cruise lines.

 

As I said before in this thread the best excursions ever I organised myself. So I also book cruises without knowing what the cruise line has to offer as shore excursions and select the best according to my own desires. It comes to a very different consideration as soon as I go on a cruise where in all ports excursions are included. As homo economicus I am aware that this is not a present the cruise line gives me out of generosity, but offered to earn money. And if I pay for a product I want to get a good product for my money. If I take my own world cruise the excursions I had booked for 2022 (based on the valid corona rules through the cruise line only) the costs for the entire cruise would have ended up to be the by far largest part of the additional costs of my cruise. So it is both cost intensive and a very relevant part of a cruise. Ship excursions are for me no central factor to select a line, but making me paying for excursions I’d refuse in very huge numbers to participate in is definitely a reason not to book. With such a price tag and the claim to include excursions in every port I expect quality and no sales strategies offering in 90% the cheapest product available only, instead of at least a reasonable selection. Yes, there are enough ports I have more than once, but I definitely don’t want to visit the same port again and again and again. Also for world cruises there are enough offers to see different parts of the world, BVI Lady booked two in consecutive years with completely different itineraries on the same line. Of course it is my personal view that Petra belongs to the places that can be visited more often than once only. But neither Petra nor Wadi Rum are among the included excursions. I am aware that Petra has one of the most expensive entrance tickets on the world, but it remains the most important site in entire Jordan. Including would have underlined the qualitative status of the line.

[BVILady]

I really think that everybody should book what fits them best. The entire argument was only about people claiming that their all-inclusive was a better economic deal. If you are happy with what your cruise line offers and willing to spend the money that is the only thing which counts. I hope that the World Cruises which are operating in 2022 are going to be not affected with any Covid problems. Had been told off on facebook about people cruising when the reports came out about 17 persons with Covid on one of the ships when innocently saying "Good for them to be vaccinated and go on with their lives" that I was ignorant and arrogant 😀😁😀 So all the best to all us ignorant and arrogant people getting on with our lives cruising. Enjoy your cruise.

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 minutes ago, BVILady said:

I really think that everybody should book what fits them best. The entire argument was only about people claiming that their all-inclusive was a better economic deal. If you are happy with what your cruise line offers and willing to spend the money that is the only thing which counts. I hope that the World Cruises which are operating in 2022 are going to be not affected with any Covid problems. Had been told off on facebook about people cruising when the reports came out about 17 persons with Covid on one of the ships when innocently saying "Good for them to be vaccinated and go on with their lives" that I was ignorant and arrogant 😀😁😀 So all the best to all us ignorant and arrogant people getting on with our lives cruising. Enjoy your cruise.

See post #37.

[Jim Avery]

Have not been on this thread for a while.  All I can say is wow!!  Such animosity and argument when the subject is rather silly to argue over.  The people on this planet that can even consider a WC, no matter which line,, is so tiny.  We are so fortunate.  And here's the thing.  No matter what line, no matter what ship, no matter what options are purchased or not world cruises are not cheap....  Reminds me of a question often asked me in my marine survey business.  I can be inspecting a large yacht and the buyer will look at me seriously and ask:  "is this yacht a good investment?"   I have to laugh.  Yachts, like private planes or yes world cruises are not a "good investment".  There are two and only two reasons to take one.

1.  You want to take a world cruise.

2.  You can take a world cruise. 

So the bottom line is go for it.  Which ever line you choose I can guarantee that next year you will not be any younger and the world cruise will not be any cheaper.. 🍸

[Stefan_Varong]

18 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

There are two and only two reasons to take one.

1.  You want to take a world cruise.

2.  You can take a world cruise.

 

And definitely only one of them is not enough!

[Flatbush Flyer]

22 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Have not been on this thread for a while.  All I can say is wow!!  Such animosity and argument when the subject is rather silly to argue over.  The people on this planet that can even consider a WC, no matter which line,, is so tiny.  We are so fortunate.  And here's the thing.  No matter what line, no matter what ship, no matter what options are purchased or not world cruises are not cheap....  Reminds me of a question often asked me in my marine survey business.  I can be inspecting a large yacht and the buyer will look at me seriously and ask:  "is this yacht a good investment?"   I have to laugh.  Yachts, like private planes or yes world cruises are not a "good investment".  There are two and only two reasons to take one.

1.  You want to take a world cruise.

2.  You can take a world cruise. 

So the bottom line is go for it.  Which ever line you choose I can guarantee that next year you will not be any younger and the world cruise will not be any cheaper.. 🍸

Just like the only two days of great joy for a boat owner (bought and sold)😎

[Stefan_Varong]

Obviously I misunderstood what Cruise Critic is for. Here a single poster attacks with deliberately wrong quotes, invented statements, constantly promoting a single cruise, telling the readers that only who books his favourite line are smart, while those who calculate and even offer handy tools are obviously not. Although it has been deleted before I have to say it again: this person is free to have his own opinion, but instead he wants his own facts. Since Cruise Critics seems to be a place for such a kind of trolling I doubt whether this is a place to exchange experiences, to get and offer help, contributing seems senseless to me. Good Bye.

[Heidi13]

9 hours ago, Stefan_Varong said:

Obviously I misunderstood what Cruise Critic is for. Here a single poster attacks with deliberately wrong quotes, invented statements, constantly promoting a single cruise, telling the readers that only who books his favourite line are smart, while those who calculate and even offer handy tools are obviously not. Although it has been deleted before I have to say it again: this person is free to have his own opinion, but instead he wants his own facts. Since Cruise Critics seems to be a place for such a kind of trolling I doubt whether this is a place to exchange experiences, to get and offer help, contributing seems senseless to me. Good Bye.

 

If you have issues with a single poster, don't let it negate your overall experience. The software has a tool to "Ignore" users.

 

On the poster you wish to ignore, hover over their name/avatar and select "Ignore". You will no longer see posts from that user.

[Heidi13]

On 12/13/2021 at 11:08 AM, Jim Avery said:

Have not been on this thread for a while.  All I can say is wow!!  Such animosity and argument when the subject is rather silly to argue over.  The people on this planet that can even consider a WC, no matter which line,, is so tiny.  We are so fortunate.  And here's the thing.  No matter what line, no matter what ship, no matter what options are purchased or not world cruises are not cheap....  Reminds me of a question often asked me in my marine survey business.  I can be inspecting a large yacht and the buyer will look at me seriously and ask:  "is this yacht a good investment?"   I have to laugh.  Yachts, like private planes or yes world cruises are not a "good investment".  There are two and only two reasons to take one.

1.  You want to take a world cruise.

2.  You can take a world cruise. 

So the bottom line is go for it.  Which ever line you choose I can guarantee that next year you will not be any younger and the world cruise will not be any cheaper.. 🍸

 

So true Jim.

 

Definition of "Yacht" - a large hole in the ocean in which to throw copious quantities of money.🙂

[Jim Avery]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

So true Jim.

 

Definition of "Yacht" - a large hole in the ocean in which to throw copious quantities of money.🙂

And the ever popular BOAT:  Break Out Another Thousand......