Total cost of a world cruise

[madjohn]

I am just starting to think of a world cruise once DW and I retire.  Probably in 2027 or 2028.  Not looking to go on one of the expensive lines, probably Princess or the like.  Wanting to find a cost breakdown and what cost saving I should be looking for.  Wish to be a budget started.  I have done Google searches and looked on here and can't find a good breakdown.  Any help would be appreciated.  

 

John

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, madjohn said:

I am just starting to think of a world cruise once DW and I retire.  Probably in 2027 or 2028.  Not looking to go on one of the expensive lines, probably Princess or the like.  Wanting to find a cost breakdown and what cost saving I should be looking for.  Wish to be a budget started.  I have done Google searches and looked on here and can't find a good breakdown.  Any help would be appreciated.  

 

John

 

You will find lots of information on many of the threads in the World Cruise Board to assist with planning.

 

We have completed 2 WC's to date and have a 3rd booked for next year.

 

When you refer to expensive lines, I suggest keeping an open mind, as depending on your cruising style, the World Cruises with higher base fares can end up the same cost as mass market cruises.

 

I compared our total daily spend on our 1st Princess WC in 2015 to our 2nd Viking Ocean WC in 2020. At the end of the cruise, when broken down per day, the cost was almost identical. The Viking base fare was almost double the Princess fare, but was all-inclusive, with a huge credit for onboard spend, shore-ex, etc.

 

[SargassoPirate]

Definitely put the pencil to it.  I started researching world cruises around 2017 or so and even had one booked until covid hit and then I started all over.  I have one booked for 2024 and it will also get me to several bucket list locations as I circumnavigate the globe.  That's a built in savings right there.  Leaving from a US port also helps keep the cost down.

 

Also consider your cruising style.  For example, I don't need an all-inclusive since I won't use all of the items offered.  I also don't need a drink package since I don't drink enough to make it pay.  Some of my best days in port are on my own just wandering the town while others need and excursion so as not to miss the must-sees.

 

Direct costs are easy to figure - cost of the cruise and the necessary air and ground transport.  You can also get an idea of shore excursion costs by checking the cruise lines website.

 

Good luck with your planning, which is half the fun of any adventure.

[BVILady]

I agree with Sargasso Pirate. I also prefer an a-la-carte cruising style. I am by no way a teetotaler, but what I do drink is way less then calculated in an all exclusive package. I am booked on a cruise-line which includes beer, wine and water with lunch and dinner which covers most of my needs already and the additional cappuccino's and after-dinner drinks or aperitif's are not going to break the bank. Also doing a lot of research I did not like the excursions usually included in all-inclusive and I noticed whatever excursions I am interested in I would need to pay on top of the fare I already paid for. In my case it is also important that cruising solo my basic fare on the all-inclusive is already much to much for what I am willing to spend. I have a spread sheet where I do work all my estimated expenses and in comparison with all-inclusive I should be able to do 2 World cruises for the price of one, with everything they do offer and more accounted for. I might not have 5 * but am perfectly happy with the 4 * experience. Your cost-analysis  might be different for you booking double-occupancy. Just use your pencil and work it out.

[planetcadillac]

I did a partial World Cruise on the QE2 in 2007. 21 days from Southampton to Los Angeles through the Panama Canal. One fifth of a full cruise but given the length it did give me some perspective on how to plan for something like that. I probably would only do a full World on the QM2 for a number of reasons not withstanding the fact that Cunard has self-service laundry and the atmosphere is more relaxed which IMO is preferred once you get past about 10 days on board. Unless money is no object, most people try to economize on such voyages simply due to the fact that little costs can add up quickly. Hence my point about the self service laundry. It is one thing to do $40 everything in a bag for a 10 day or 14 days cruise but for 110 days that can add up. Same with gambling, alcohol, souvenirs. Even eating one week of indulging you can turn around when you get home but 3 1/2 months of uncontrolled eating you might not have any clothes to wear! While I try not to get anal about every penny, for such a cruise I would make a budget even on paper or the computer and set some parameters. 

 

So if you say OKAY I will spend $1000 total voyage on alcohol. Print a sheet before you leave and keep the paper in your cabin and mark it. Or on your laptop or device if that is better for you. Etc. etc. One advantage of a long voyage is that you can be more restrained in your activities. I may budget one alcoholic beverage a day (see above $10 drink x 100 days = $1000) but on such a voyage I could probably go several days without a drink just because I know I have a lot of time. No pressure "to get it all in" ... I knew of several people on our WC that on sea days never left their cabin save for dinner. Finally, you tend to get to know the long haulers as well as the rest of the pax and you can end up spending time with them and it allows for non-revenue generating activities that help keep the expenses in line. 

 

Good luck!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On 1/10/2022 at 4:59 PM, madjohn said:

I am just starting to think of a world cruise once DW and I retire.  Probably in 2027 or 2028.  Not looking to go on one of the expensive lines, probably Princess or the like.  Wanting to find a cost breakdown and what cost saving I should be looking for.  Wish to be a budget started.  I have done Google searches and looked on here and can't find a good breakdown.  Any help would be appreciated.  

 

John

Here is a blog post I wrote with a detailed discussion and analysis of this question.

https://www.theinsidecabin.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-go-on-a-world-cruise/

I also include a cruise cost calculator to help you examine the impact of various choices

[West Coast Gal]

We were lucky, we booked the 2023 Princess World Cruise (our first) with free drinks, free wi-fi and free gratuities  (though I know we will still tip more). Even though we aren't big drinkers, though it covers coffee drinks and bottled water also, so I figured out that we saved a lot of money.  I would imagine in future years that cruise prices will be going up to make up for all of their loses over the last few years.  So it would be a great idea to do the homework .. .  it also is helpful to get a TA who specializes in cruises.  if you want to go that route and can't find one, let us know.

[shamrockace]

We too are booked on a 2023 Princess World Cruise although we are doing the 97 day instead of the 111 days as we've gone thru the Panama Canal before and can save money there.  We will get on at LA and off in Florida saving two weeks worth of expenses.  As we saved years for this trip and don't expect to ever do it again, we are really being careful with our budget while trying to see all we can on this once in a lifetime trip.

 

We booked an inside cabin and have cruised up to 3 weeks in one with no problems.  We sleep like hibernating bears in our dark little cave and save money.  We also just became elite so we will get free laundry and like West Coast Gal above, we got the early booking package deal.  While we are not drinkers except occasionally, the internet and gratuities being paid ahead will save us money.  Total for both of us is about forty thousand seven hundred with inside cabin, port fees, tax, and the package.

 

I am about 1/2 way done with our excursions and have spent about eight thousand so far.  This includes a four thousand dollar India side excursion for 5 days that includes the Taj Mahal.  Many of the beginning island excursions will be on our own snorkeling or beach day or walking around town so cost will be minimal at those.  But my cost does include the Barrier Reef, Komodo dragons, jumping off Skytower and many other "must do" things.  I've also booked some independent but more thru Princess because of the Covid.  This might change later as things open up, but I didn't want to get left behind on any must do excursions.  I plan to spend about $10,000 on excursions total but that is a guess at this point.  

 

We eat out almost every day here at home and hubby and I are both not adventurous on food so I don't predict eating at most places except on ship.  We generally eat once a day so mostly plan to eat on the ship saving money there.  We are also not shoppers so costs will be minimum.  We are both 60 and we don't spend much on medical either.

 

Allowing for all this, I budgeted sixty thousand for our world cruise.  Do I think we'll spend it all?  No; but I want to allow for any surprises.  

 

There are so many factors that can change YOUR budget.  But just an idea helps, I know.  

[MaineYachtClub]

On 4/2/2022 at 12:23 PM, shamrockace said:

We too are booked on a 2023 Princess World Cruise although we are doing the 97 day instead of the 111 days as we've gone thru the Panama Canal before and can save money there.  We will get on at LA and off in Florida saving two weeks worth of expenses.  As we saved years for this trip and don't expect to ever do it again, we are really being careful with our budget while trying to see all we can on this once in a lifetime trip.

 

We booked an inside cabin and have cruised up to 3 weeks in one with no problems.  We sleep like hibernating bears in our dark little cave and save money.  We also just became elite so we will get free laundry and like West Coast Gal above, we got the early booking package deal.  While we are not drinkers except occasionally, the internet and gratuities being paid ahead will save us money.  Total for both of us is about forty thousand seven hundred with inside cabin, port fees, tax, and the package.

 

I am about 1/2 way done with our excursions and have spent about eight thousand so far.  This includes a four thousand dollar India side excursion for 5 days that includes the Taj Mahal.  Many of the beginning island excursions will be on our own snorkeling or beach day or walking around town so cost will be minimal at those.  But my cost does include the Barrier Reef, Komodo dragons, jumping off Skytower and many other "must do" things.  I've also booked some independent but more thru Princess because of the Covid.  This might change later as things open up, but I didn't want to get left behind on any must do excursions.  I plan to spend about $10,000 on excursions total but that is a guess at this point.  

 

We eat out almost every day here at home and hubby and I are both not adventurous on food so I don't predict eating at most places except on ship.  We generally eat once a day so mostly plan to eat on the ship saving money there.  We are also not shoppers so costs will be minimum.  We are both 60 and we don't spend much on medical either.

 

Allowing for all this, I budgeted sixty thousand for our world cruise.  Do I think we'll spend it all?  No; but I want to allow for any surprises.  

 

There are so many factors that can change YOUR budget.  But just an idea helps, I know.  

The item that I don't see in your budget is travel insurance.  I'm not a gambler when it comes to my health, especially in this time of COVID.  Even a short stay in a foreign medical facility would be scary expensive.  I don't even want to think about the price if someone would have to be evacuated.  Our RTW insurance will run about $8K.

[shamrockace]

The price I quoted was with the Princess plus insurance included. We are currently 59 so we feel the Princess plus will be enough for us. As we get older, we may look at additional. But yes, for others, that would be a consideration. 

[Heidi13]

14 hours ago, shamrockace said:

The price I quoted was with the Princess plus insurance included. We are currently 59 so we feel the Princess plus will be enough for us. As we get older, we may look at additional. But yes, for others, that would be a consideration. 

 

From memory the Princess Platinum insurance had very low medical costs coverage of only $20 to $30K. Is this still the case, and you are comfortable being away for 4 months with that minimal coverage.

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

From memory the Princess Platinum insurance had very low medical costs coverage of only $20 to $30K. Is this still the case, and you are comfortable being away for 4 months with that minimal coverage.

 

Your questions are very important ones when one considers a cruise of any length.  Emergency medical evacuations can be very, very expensive.  And, if Covid continues to be a problem (as I think it will be for awhile), having to be quarantined in a foreign country with your ship sailing on without you:   a cruiser needs to consider such a possibility.  

[cruisermsoon]

Have you looked at the Azamara 2023 World cruise? Everything is included in the price, and there is a very generous on-board spend allowance. The cruise is a long one, at 155 days, but a very interesting itinerary, on one of Azamara's lovely small ships. 

[2ndsailing]

On 6/15/2022 at 8:25 AM, cruisermsoon said:

Have you looked at the Azamara 2023 World cruise? Everything is included in the price, and there is a very generous on-board spend allowance. The cruise is a long one, at 155 days, but a very interesting itinerary, on one of Azamara's lovely small ships. 

We're booked on this World Cruise, but it's 2024, not 2023.

Also includes Air Fare to Fort Lauderdale and home from Barcelona.