What's life like on a world cruise?
01:59 PM CST on Sunday, February 7, 2010
By JAY CLARKE / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
"One passenger on a world cruise had his private jet follow the ship's itinerary in case he had to fly off to tend to his business. A woman who wore different headwear each day booked a second cabin just to store the 100 or so hats she needed for months at sea. And once, when the dining room was in danger of running out of a world-cruise passenger's favorite ice cream, the ship had a new supply flown to the ship at a distant port of call.
One might think that world cruises, which last around 100 days and can cost into six figures, would suffer the effects of a poor economy. But the number of these cruises, which cater to a very wealthy crowd that often requires a high degree of pampering, is growing. Fifteen ships are embarking on world cruises in 2010, almost twice the number of just two years ago.
"Many thought world cruises wouldn't last because those who went on them were going to die off, " said Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "But they are stronger than ever for two reasons: The average age of passengers on world cruises now is in the mid-60s, and people are living longer and better."
Even in the down economy, bookings are going well, said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Lines, which created the first world cruise on the Laconia in 1922 and has operated at least one every year for the past two decades.
"If you had asked me that question in May or June, when we put 2011 cruises on sale, we'd have been quite nervous, " Shanks said. "But we're surprised at the demand. 2011 is looking good."
In 2010, one line, P&O, will operate three world cruises. Cunard and Princess each will have two. Cruise West is doing its first world cruise, a 335-day journey that the line hopes will extend its reach from regional to international and offer more variety to its repeat guests.
P&O, Saga and one
Princess cruise will depart from ports outside North America, most of the others from Florida. Most world cruises depart in January to give passengers a break from dreary winters. They sail mainly to regions where the climate is moderate.
Full world cruises are generally booked months ahead of time. Most 2010 voyages set sail last month, but segments are still available on most of those sailings.
What kind of passengers do world cruises attract?
"They know what cruising is. They have been places already, so most of it is not a new experience but an experience they want to relive each year," said Albert van Schoonderbeek, a Holland America captain.
Vacation lifestyle "This is their lifestyle. Many are used to having more than one home, and this is their winter vacation," said Regent's Conroy. "We have 250 to 350 passengers taking the full cruise, and 150 of them have gone on every one of our world cruises."
Shanks agreed. "Our [passengers] are remarkably loyal. Some have been on more than 25 world cruises with us."
And they have money.
Princess' 107-night cruise on the Pacific Princess in 2010 and Cunard's 99-night cruise on the Queen Victoria start at a little more than $21,000. Fare for the 111-night world cruise on the new Seabourn Sojourn in 2011 and 2010's 108-nighter on the Crystal Serenity start around $59,000. And a ticket on Cruise West's full 335-night sailing starts at a whopping $233,995. Seabourn includes drinks and tips in its fare, and Cruise West includes gratuities. The others don't.
Those expenses are additional on most ships and can be quite substantial on long voyages. Offsetting this somewhat are incentives offered to passengers: free or reduced air, transfers, upgrades, onboard credits and the like.
Passengers on world cruises fall into two categories, those who book the full cruise and those who book just segments of the total itinerary.
On most ships, full cruisers make up a third to a half of the passengers, but the mix of full cruisers and segmenters varies. Holland America says 85 percent of the booked guests on the Amsterdam's 114-day 2010 Grand World Voyage are sailing the entire cruise. Cruise West says 85 percent of its inaugural world cruise in 2010 are segment buyers, but that's to be expected because of its extraordinary duration of nearly a year.
Worldlies and seggies Sometimes this difference leads to a gentle dichotomy between the "worldlies" and "seggies." For one thing, worldlies are given perks that the seggies don't receive. Seabourn, for example, gives passengers who book the full 111-night world cruise on the new Seabourn Sojourn in 2011 free first-class air or airfare credit, private-car transfers and $1,000 in onboard credits. The line also stages five events solely for the worldlies.
Full cruisers get to know one another over the years and form clubby communities on board.
"We give them exclusive use of one of our smaller lounges, where they meet every day," said Shanks. Cunard also takes them to two special off-ship events, one in Melbourne and one at a Cape Town vineyard, which Shanks himself attends.
Segmenters tend to be younger passengers who can't afford to be away for long periods or people who desire to visit only a specific region.
Quite a few are what are known as "port collectors," passengers who want to add hard-to-reach ports to their bragging-rights collection.
"You only get to ports [such] as Yap, Easter Island, Tristan da Cunha and other remote islands on a world cruise," noted Holland America's van Schoonderbeek.
That's one factor that lures world-cruise devotees. Others may take such cruises to celebrate special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries or retirement, said Conroy.
Some cruise lines use world cruises to introduce new vessels to an affluent market. Seabourn is sending its new Seabourn Odyssey on a world cruise in 2010 and its Seabourn Sojourn in 2011. Silversea's new Silver Spirit headed off in January on a 91-night journey. When they were new, Cunard sent its newest Queens – QM2 and Victoria – on world cruises, and the line will embark its new Queen Elizabeth on one in 2012.
Even for people who book only a short segment of the world cruise, the ambience of these leisurely journeys is unlike that of a traditional cruise of one to two weeks.
Time in port Cruising from one continent to another, the ships spend a good deal more time at sea than short cruises that call on a new port almost every day.
To help pass the time on sea days, ships put on special theme and dance nights, celebrity lecturers and other diversions. Ship libraries, such as the Queen Victoria's spectacular two-story facility, get a lot more business than on regular cruises.
In addition to often-visited ports, these cruises also travel to exotic ports of call.
One ship that visits Sydney, Singapore and Hong Kong, for instance, also calls at New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and Brunei. "And we spend more time in ports," said Shanks, giving passengers greater opportunity for exploring port cities.
And besides providing a unique travel experience, it turns out a world cruise may be good for your health.
"Fourteen years ago, a man who was given six months to live by his doctors chose to go on an around-the-world cruise," recalled Shanks. "He's still sailing with us. He's been on 13 world cruises since and obviously is in good health."
Jay Clarke is a freelance writer in Florida."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/thisweek/stories/DN-jayworldcruise_0207tra.ART.State.Edition1.25b8dac.html
