Does a cruise like this interest you?

[golfguyhhi]

Just learned of a cruise HAL has scheduled for the end of 2024 -- a single 42 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Lauderdale, made up of two trans-Atlantics.  The cruise goes from Ft. Lauderdale to do a complete circumnavigation of the Med, from Barcelona in the west to Israel, Egypt, in the east, and a bunch of other places throughout, returning back across the Atlantic to Ft. Lauderdale.  HAL is using a 1400 passenger ship.  I've been on HAL and have no interest in going back.

 

BUT...

 

I'd be happy in either an Oceania R or O class on this itinerary.  No dealing with over-the-ocean air for those of us in the US!!!  If Oceania ever offered something like tis, I'd book in a second.

 

How about you?

[Harters]

I'm not sure I want to do a 42 day holiday of any sort. Our maximum up to now has been 21 days (all our previous visits to America and our annual winter break in Spain). By the end of those trips, I'm ready to resume enjoying normal life. And, of course, I doubt whether I could ever afford such a cruise 

[AMHuntFerry]

I would be ecstatic if the QM2 (or similar) would do 5-day each way NYC-UK TAs regularly (i.e., no other routes) from spring to fall (with a few in the off-season). I think the QM2 can go even faster but it might be bumpy and/or suck down fuel. I don't think O's ships can go fast enough to be used in lieu of flying (5 days being ~max), but I may be wrong (O's TAs are usually about 2 weeks long). With the QM2 7 day run, I'm only interested in using it west to east, then flying home after land travels.

[techteach]

42 days is too long for me. I would miss my sewing machine and flowers. We’re scheduled for a 19 day on QM2, 2 TA’s with a 5 day Rotterdam/Bruges. We’ll see how we do. Also, not sure I want to go to where local politics are contentious.

[LHT28]

It would be fine  spring & fall  but in winter   maybe not

Too  many sea days in a row   for me  on the HAL  route

[ORV]

I'd be interested, depending on the fare. We've done 32 days, a little long, but a double TA sounds fun. 

Edited July 28, 2023 by ORV

[Harters]

2 hours ago, techteach said:

not sure I want to go to where local politics are contentious.

Aren't local politics contentious everywhere? I can't think of any country that I've visited where it isn't. 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Harters

[Queen of DaNile]

Definitely would consider it if it was in 2026 or later and round trip Miami.

[ORV]

23 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

Definitely would consider it if it was in 2026 or later and round trip Miami.

Miami, Ft Lauderdale? Is there any real difference?

[pinotlover]

In September or maybe October, Oceania is going to release its 2025- 2026 Schedule. Check back after that release.

 

I would love a cruise where the ship hit the major N. African ports all on one itinerary. Oceania obviously feels there is no such demand, amongst it cruisers, for that itinerary, not even one time. So I wait. Viking had an incredible Adriatic itinerary that we jumped on. Oceania shows no desire to duplicate. O wants one to take 3 cruises to hit those all those ports. 🙄. 
 

As to the HAL cruise listed, we have little desire to do one TA, with multiple sea days, no less two on one itinerary.

[Cruise Junky]

Amount of time doesn’t bother me but the ports are boring and the time of year sucks.  I’d happily spend 40+ days bobbing around the Med, but not on that ship 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Cruise Junky

[Queen of DaNile]

5 hours ago, ORV said:

Miami, Ft Lauderdale? Is there any real difference?

Only that Oceania sails out of Miami and not Ft. Lauderdale like HAL. Big difference IMHO.

[Cruise Junky]

31 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

Only that Oceania sails out of Miami and not Ft. Lauderdale like HAL. Big difference IMHO.

Isn’t it like a $35 Uber ride?

[bob brown]

20 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I would be ecstatic if the QM2 (or similar) would do 5-day each way NYC-UK TAs regularly (i.e., no other routes) from spring to fall (with a few in the off-season). I think the QM2 can go even faster but it might be bumpy and/or suck down fuel. I don't think O's ships can go fast enough to be used in lieu of flying (5 days being ~max), but I may be wrong (O's TAs are usually about 2 weeks long). With the QM2 7 day run, I'm only interested in using it west to east, then flying home after land travels.

The QM2 is capable of doing 5 day crossings, and started out doing them, like its QE2 predecessor on the North Atlantic 'ferry run'.   But Cunard found that passengers on that run wanted a longer experience than 5 days, and after that study settled on mostly 7 or 8 day crossings.   Those truly in a hurry will simply fly.  There are very few nowadays that absolutely won't or can't fly.

The ship will use much less fuel at the slower speed required.  It only uses its gas turbine engines nowadays in cases of medical emergencies or storm route deviations.

[Jancruz]

I am going on a Seder at Sea in April  LA round trip..if that interests anyone..

Jancruz1

[Classiccruiser777]

Roundtrip cruises with little to no flying interest us. We have done several to Europe and the UK from NY and will do more. As the saying goes "it's the only way to cross."

[loge23]

42 days may be a bit too long for us, but FTL to FTL is a winner! No flights!

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, Jancruz said:

I am going on a Seder at Sea in April  LA round trip..if that interests anyone..

Jancruz1

Why is this cruise different from other cruises?  😇

[shank63]

Not interested in 42 days on HAL (or any ship) with 2 transatlantic crossings.

[Jancruz]

5 hours ago, shepherd really said:

Why is this cruise different from other cruises?  😇

There will be a Seder Special dinner and many perks, the Rabbi is very well known

Im looking forward to it

 

Lots of adult children coming with their parents..

Just a different vibe

Jancruz1

[osandomir]

26 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

There will be a Seder Special dinner and many perks, the Rabbi is very well known

Im looking forward to it

 

Lots of adult children coming with their parents..

Just a different vibe

Jancruz1

We have the cruise around British Isles booked at the same time, otherwise we would be happy to join this cruise. We leave in Orange County and I hope Oceania will continue to offer similar cruises out of LA for a quick get away from the West coast. I like that it’ll not require staying in the hotel in Mexico which we don’t want to do anymore. Even better far longer crises from LA in addition to the Panama Canal crossing.

 

Have a great cruise next April.

[Hlitner]

HAL used to have a Grand Med cruise that was round trip from Ft Lauderdale and about 60 days in length.  We did it twice, and the joke was that they would back up the vans from the nursing homes at embarkation and be back ti reload at disembarkation.  Seriously, the cruise worked well for those who could not or would not fly.  They were very enjoyable voyages for those of us who liked many sea days (had 23 on one voyage).

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

As Hank says above, this used to be offered by HAL every so often (every few years) but has not recently been available. I imagine the increased hassle and fares of flying to/from Europe are one factor leading HAL to reintroduce it. 

 

The itinerary is long but not exactly comprehensive. There is a single stop in Spain, none in France or Turkey and only one in Greece. That said, for those who have not done the more southerly Med ports, it is a good opportunity to visit Israel, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.

 

I might have considered it had my recent long (28 day) cruise on HAL been so devoid of entertainment, enrichment, or other daily activities. As it is, not interested in two long stretches of sea days...

 

 

[shepherd really]

44 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

As Hank says above, this used to be offered by HAL every so often (every few years) but has not recently been available. I imagine the increased hassle and fares of flying to/from Europe are one factor leading HAL to reintroduce it. 

 

The itinerary is long but not exactly comprehensive. There is a single stop in Spain, none in France or Turkey and only one in Greece. That said, for those who have not done the more southerly Med ports, it is a good opportunity to visit Israel, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.

 

I might have considered it had my recent long (28 day) cruise on HAL been so devoid of entertainment, enrichment, or other daily activities. As it is, not interested in two long stretches of sea days...

 

 

I don't mind the sea days; I've always been good at doing nothing. And thanks for getting my joke.  I was the youngest of 9, I was always asking a variation of that question at Seder.

[cruisemom42]

21 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

I don't mind the sea days; I've always been good at doing nothing. And thanks for getting my joke.  I was the youngest of 9, I was always asking a variation of that question at Seder.

 

Pass the matzoh!