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sjde
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Can you sail on Cunard and not dress formally? Can't imagine why not. Would they make you walk the plank?? :')

 

As far as the real total cost of a world cruise, the base cruise fare is just the start. You also need to add the cost of the many things that you'll need while traveling for months.....laundry, medical care, internet, excursions, visas, luggage delivery, taxes/fees, gratuities, OBC, airfare, etc. Some cruiselines include these things in the base cruise fare and others don't, so you'll need to add them onto the base fare if not included.

 

Hi GB,

 

We originally booked Oceania -- New York to Sydney for a great price. We were going to pick up a different ship to complete the route, but like I said, we were wait-listed and the price was really climbing -- didn't think they would ever move us off that list. We've cruised two different R-class ships and they are fine for port intensive cruises, but not ideal for the open ocean.

 

We booked "cruise only" with Oceania because all of their perks do not merit their larger price tag. On Cunard we got free gratuities and $750 ship board credit, all for $157 dollars per person per night. I would much rather have Oceania food, but Cunard is similar to HAL in that department. HAL would have been our second choice.

 

We will do the formal thing to eat in the dining room, as Cunard's buffet is less than stellar. Hard to do Cunard and not dress up.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

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R-class ships and they are fine for port intensive cruises, but not ideal for the open ocean.

 

 

We sailed on Insignia in December and it did fine on the ocean. It has stabilizers.

 

 

We booked "cruise only" with Oceania because all of their perks do not merit their larger price tag.

 

 

Actually they do....because you are going to have to spend money to buy them on other ships or on your own.

On Cunard we got free gratuities and $750 ship board credit, all for $157 dollars per person per night.

 

 

Is that for an inside cabin? An inside cabin on O is $36,000....minus the $19,000 in perks equals $17,000. Divide that by 180 days and the daily cost is $94.

 

 

We compared 10 cruiselines for a world cruise. The total value of the included perks from Oceania made the real cost much cheaper than appears at face value. You have to compare apples to apples.

Have fun on your cruise!! :D

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We compared 10 cruiselines for a world cruise. The total value of the included perks from Oceania made the real cost much cheaper than appears at face value. You have to compare apples to apples.

Have fun on your cruise!! :D

 

Is that for an inside cabin? An inside cabin on O is $36,000....minus the $19,000 in perks equals $17,000. Divide that by 180 days and the daily cost is $94.

No way the perks equal $17,000. ;p

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Is that for an inside cabin? An inside cabin on O is $36,000....minus the $19,000 in perks equals $17,000. Divide that by 180 days and the daily cost is $94.

No way the perks equal $19,000. ;p

 

I see you are on the Insignia for 161 days. Oceania is an excellent choice and I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. The ports are amazing! If you can get one of the 23 inside cabins, the price is sure better than the luxury lines. I love Oceania's food. (1/2 a year onboard I would gain 35 pounds!:o)

 

We are only sailing for 87 days and that's going to be a challenge for us. Cunard has many more at sea days and that's not ideal, but we will leave from San Francisco and return to NYC. No over seas flights. Not sure I could do 180 days on any ship?

 

We spend most of our income on travel, but $80,000 is out of the question. Sounds like you spent some time researching, which is great, and I think you are getting a great deal. For sure, a trip of a lifetime.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hi GB,

 

We originally booked Oceania -- New York to Sydney for a great price. We were going to pick up a different ship to complete the route, but like I said, we were wait-listed and the price was really climbing -- didn't think they would ever move us off that list. We've cruised two different R-class ships and they are fine for port intensive cruises, but not ideal for the open ocean.

 

We booked "cruise only" with Oceania because all of their perks do not merit their larger price tag. On Cunard we got free gratuities and $750 ship board credit, all for $157 dollars per person per night. I would much rather have Oceania food, but Cunard is similar to HAL in that department. HAL would have been our second choice.

 

We will do the formal thing to eat in the dining room, as Cunard's buffet is less than stellar. Hard to do Cunard and not dress up.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

 

What level cabin did you book? Do you have a feel for how Cunard is for solo travelers?

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I see you are on the Insignia for 161 days. Oceania is an excellent choice and I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. The ports are amazing! If you can get one of the 23 inside cabins, the price is sure better than the luxury lines. I love Oceania's food. (1/2 a year onboard I would gain 35 pounds!:o)

 

We are only sailing for 87 days and that's going to be a challenge for us. Cunard has many more at sea days and that's not ideal, but we will leave from San Francisco and return to NYC. No over seas flights. Not sure I could do 180 days on any ship?

 

We spend most of our income on travel, but $80,000 is out of the question. Sounds like you spent some time researching, which is great, and I think you are getting a great deal. For sure, a trip of a lifetime.

All the money for the cruise is coming from my 401K! I don't make much money, but I've always been a good saver. My frugality has paid off in a wonderful trip of a lifetime. :cool:

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What level cabin did you book? Do you have a feel for how Cunard is for solo travelers?

 

Hi Anne,

 

We booked the basic inside guarantee cabin. The cost was less than $13,000 per person and included $750 SBC and free gratuities. We booked this cruise last summer, 2017.

I travel with my wife, so I really don't have a feel for solo travel on any cruise line. I've heard they charge an additional 65% or 75% per cabin for single occupancy. In the grills and on certain voyages they charge 100% just like there are two people in the cabin. Perhaps you could find solo travelers over on the Cunard board to give you their experiences?

 

Good luck and enjoy!

Kel:D

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  • 4 weeks later...
Can you sail on Cunard and not dress formally? Can't imagine why not. Would they make you walk the plank?? :')

 

As far as the real total cost of a world cruise, the base cruise fare is just the start. You also need to add the cost of the many things that you'll need while traveling for months.....laundry, medical care, internet, excursions, visas, luggage delivery, taxes/fees, gratuities, OBC, airfare, etc. Some cruiselines include these things in the base cruise fare and others don't, so you'll need to add them onto the base fare if not included.

 

Completely agree, you must add the cost of everything, especially on a World Cruise to compare options from different lines. Our 2015 Princess WC the base fare was about 65% of the base fare of our future 2020 WC on Viking Ocean, with the Viking cruise being 2 weeks longer. Cabins are comparable, both m'ships balcony, with Viking cabin about 100 sq feet larger.

 

My current estimates of total cost project the Viking cruise will be a few dollars cheaper per day. With Princess, everything was extra, except laundry & internet (Elite benefits). I believe we had a few hundred dollars OBC.

 

This is our first cruise with Viking Ocean, but laundry & internet are free for all, and we have $9K OBC, free drinks package, free tour in every port, free gratuities, free transfers & business class flights and free Visa's (provided we use their provider).

 

Yes, we could easily reduce the total daily cost of a non-inclusive cruise line, but we have no desire to fly long haul in economy, or spend weeks researching then applying for the many required Visas. Some Visas can be applied for online, but others require an actual visit to Embassy/Consulate.

 

Would be interested in others experiences that have completed multiple WC on all-inclusive v's non- all inclusive cruise lines.

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  • 1 month later...
This is our first cruise with Viking Ocean....we have $9K OBC....

Heidi,

 

I was looking on the Viking website and this is what they listed for OBC:

 

 

  • $2,000 per person shore excursions credit, which can be used toward optional shore excursions or overland tours.
  • $1,000 per person shipboard credit, which can be used toward spa services, onboard shops & beverages.

That would equal $6,000 total for 2 people, but really only $2,000 is OBC....the rest says it's only toward excursions (although, it seems strange that if you get a free tour in each port, why would you need thousands of dollars for tours??).

 

You've mentioned in many posts that you'll be getting $8-9K in OBC. That doesn't seem to add up and not what any other person could expect to get.

 

We will have $3,990 OBC each on Oceania ($7,980 for 2 people), but won't need much since everything we need is included in the cruisefare.

 

Does Viking include free medical care?

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We benefited from a Viking error. When I made the initial inquiry direct with Viking, the customer service agent inadvertently provided us an extra $1,000 each. This was included on their provisional invoice/booking form.

 

When I visited our travel agent to complete the booking, she noted the additional OBC was removed from the updated invoice. She called back to question. The following day a Viking Manager acknowledged their error and approved the additional OBC. Therefore, from Viking, we have US $8,000 OBC. Viking policy permits TA to provide a max of $500 pp in the currency of cruise payment. We are paying in CAN$, so our total OBC is US $8,800.

 

We are planning to use the OBC to complete the overland excursion to the Taj Mahal and probably the overland tour in Egypt. Both those tours would use up the entire OBC.

 

I believe Viking provided free medical on the 2018 WC, but it isn't included for 2019 or 2020.

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We benefited from a Viking error. When I made the initial inquiry direct with Viking, the customer service agent inadvertently provided us an extra $1,000 each.

We are planning to use the OBC to complete the overland excursion to the Taj Mahal and probably the overland tour in Egypt. Both those tours would use up the entire OBC.

 

I believe Viking provided free medical on the 2018 WC, but it isn't included for 2019 or 2020.

That's a great mistake in your favor...hope you enjoy the added OBC, especially the overland trip!

 

But, when you tell others about the benefits of a Viking world cruise, I think it's only fair to list the actual amount of OBC that someone will receive, which is $1,000pp. Since the $2,000 is for shore excursions only, it's really not OBC, although it is good for using as you are. So, a couple can expect $2,000 OBC together....not $8,000-9,000. And what you get from your TA also doesn't count as OBC from the cruiseline. Just trying to help those who are looking to compare world cruises and need accurate info to make their decisions. :D

 

Too bad Viking ended free medical care....that's really valuable on a long cruise and in areas that might have "ify" medical facilities/practitioners.

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That's a great mistake in your favor...hope you enjoy the added OBC, especially the overland trip!

 

But, when you tell others about the benefits of a Viking world cruise, I think it's only fair to list the actual amount of OBC that someone will receive, which is $1,000pp. Since the $2,000 is for shore excursions only, it's really not OBC, although it is good for using as you are. So, a couple can expect $2,000 OBC together....not $8,000-9,000. And what you get from your TA also doesn't count as OBC from the cruiseline. Just trying to help those who are looking to compare world cruises and need accurate info to make their decisions. :D

 

Too bad Viking ended free medical care....that's really valuable on a long cruise and in areas that might have "ify" medical facilities/practitioners.

 

Go-Bucks - Good points.

 

While the Viking website splits it up into shore-ex credits and gift shop/spa credits, on the invoice it shows as $3,500 gift shop and $500 spa credits pp. So in reality I consider it a lump sum that is applied to our onboard account. The TA credits are also available to anyone who uses a TA to book the cruise. Also on the My Viking area for booked pax it shows as a single amount, not split into separate amounts for shore-ex, gift shop or spa.

 

With everything else virtually all-inclusive, the significant OBC is definitely incentive to use ship tours over private tours.

 

The free medical would have been nice to save the hassle of submitting insurance claims post cruise and waiting for the cheque to arrive. However, we always take out significant medical insurance, especially when crossing into the US.

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The free medical would have been nice to save the hassle of submitting insurance claims post cruise and waiting for the cheque to arrive. However, we always take out significant medical insurance, especially when crossing into the US.

Even though we will have free medical on the ship, we also got travel insurance. If we need care while off the ship or need to be evacuated, we will have it covered by the insurance.

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