posted 13th December 2023
World Cruising & Transatlantic
What a way to see the world, without having to keep unpacking. Follow in the footsteps of great explorers, making each step you take around the globe count. A classic world cruise that encircles the world will follow a well-established route through Asia, Australasia and the Americas, whereas grand voyages may concentrate on a particular region such as South America, Australasia or Africa. If you want to stay a while then take a break from cruising and just board the next one that comes along whilst you explore that destination, if you have the time in your life to enjoy a long break.
Best time to go:
Most world cruises, and especially those sailing from the UK, depart in early January, offering a welcome escape from the Northern Hemisphere winter, and
returning during the spring. However, the growing number of such voyages and variety of departure points means there are more circumnavigations departing
at different times of the year, while long voyages also depart year-round.
While these sailings cross different climatic zones, it's worth noting that itineraries to Southern Hemisphere destinations including Australasia and South America generally take place during the Northern Hemisphere winter.
Top Tips:
*Book early - world cruises and long voyages tend to be released further in advance than other sailings, sometimes up to three years ahead and booking early means there's more chance of securing the specific cabin you want - important on such a long voyage.
* Splash out - it's worth spending as much as you can afford to secure the best cabin as this will be your home for weeks or months. The bigger the stateroom, the more storage space there will be too.
* Life on an ocean wave - pace yourself as the rhythm on long voyages is quite different to other cruises. Take books to read/load on to devices, select onboard activities and set yourself a goal of learning a new skill.
* Try before you buy - for some passengers, a world cruise might be their first taste of a holiday at sea. It may be best to recommend they dip their toe in the water with a shorter sailing beforehand to check it's right for them.
* Differing departures and durations - in addition to world cruises and long voyages from UK ports, other departure points include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Civitavecchia (Rome), Sydney and Tokyo. Durations for long voyages are from around 30 nights upwards, while world cruises start at around 100 nights, rising to an epic 274 nights.
* Don't go all the way - instead of a full world cruise, opt for a segment lasting from a few weeks to a few months; a grand voyage, which is generally shorter; or a boomerang voyage where you start on one ship and swap to another part way through.
* Ship size matters - depending on whether you want larger ships for their extra facilities and greater mix of guests or smaller vessels which can slip into cosier ports and dock closer to city centres.
* Study the itinerary - to see how many sea days there are (avoid long stretches if you're doing a segment as that will mean there are less port stops), how long is spent in port and whether there are many overnight stays.
* Benefits and perks - many lines offer a string of complimentary extras to passengers booking full world cruises, such as free Wifi (essential), luggage shipping, speciality dining and exclusive experiences. Some include business-class flights, drinks packages and laundry.
* Be prepared - on such long journeys that visit so many different destinations check the validity of passports, whether visas and vaccinations are needed and special travel insurance that covers such a lengthy duration.
