Planning for a world cruise!

[Aquadesiac]

My world cruise is on Oceania; they include sending 2 pieces of luggage directly to the ship (and home again) so I'll also get to take 2, 70# pieces on the plane with me (they send passengers on first class), plus a carryon and purse. I'm planning to leave plenty of room in a couple suitcases for souvenirs and a good portion of one suitcase will be for meds and toiletries. 4 suitcases per person might sound like alot, but the cruise is for 161 days - luckily there's no need for formal wear, but shoes take alot of room.

 

We will need some formal wear. I think we may have a couple formal nights per segment. We don't mind dressing up occasionally. The DH is taking his tux and I've got some sparkly separates that will keep me happy. And since Princess isn't Cunard, if we want, we can change after dinner and go to the show in our sluvvies!

[Aquadesiac]

My world cruise is on Oceania; they include sending 2 pieces of luggage directly to the ship (and home again) so I'll also get to take 2, 70# pieces on the plane with me (they send passengers on first class), plus a carryon and purse. I'm planning to leave plenty of room in a couple suitcases for souvenirs and a good portion of one suitcase will be for meds and toiletries. 4 suitcases per person might sound like alot, but the cruise is for 161 days - luckily there's no need for formal wear, but shoes take alot of room.

 

I'm hoping to take an empty zippered bag in one of the big suitcases and fill it with toiletries and OTC meds in LA before we board. Then as we used things up, we'll have another bag to bring back souvenirs.

[Aquadesiac]

We always try and pack 1/2 & 1/2...in case luggage is delayed or lost. I always pack a bathing suit in carry on (one of the most difficult things to replace easily for me).

 

Viking is shipping one piece of luggage / pp BUT not home!!! Plus our stateroom ( lower category) is quite small with very limited storage space (3 drawers) so we need to be VERY selective about what we bring. It is hassle pulling out a suitcase from under the bed!

 

Those of you who have done a WC in warm climates HOW much sun screen do you think we will need for 120 days? XXL husband is quite fair!!! Medium wife! I have been keeping track of toothpaste & face cream moisturizer .. most other toiletries are provided.

 

I thought all the Viking cabins were balconies. Is the storage really that bleak? The Viking WC was kind of my "someday if I'm very good girl" pick. If they strip down the cabins like that, I may have to revise my wish list.

[Aquadesiac]

My world cruise is on Oceania; they include sending 2 pieces of luggage directly to the ship (and home again) so I'll also get to take 2, 70# pieces on the plane with me (they send passengers on first class), plus a carryon and purse. I'm planning to leave plenty of room in a couple suitcases for souvenirs and a good portion of one suitcase will be for meds and toiletries. 4 suitcases per person might sound like alot, but the cruise is for 161 days - luckily there's no need for formal wear, but shoes take alot of room.

 

Sounds like a great trip. Have you read the TwoToTravel blog? It's about a couple who made the 2017 Oceania WC. Wonderful insights. Fantastic photography.

[deec]

We were on Viking last Spring....the cabins are NOT sparse and appointed beautifully. Yes, we all have balconies but the storage is limited. 3 drawers, bedside table ( built in USB ports) with a drawer and open space on bottom. Lots of room on top of the closet so I plan to put things in large packing cubes to keep organized. On the desk there is a vanity area that we used for all the misc stuff that can gather ( I need that more than make-up). The bathroom had nice shelves for various things and room under the the sink.

 

We were on a three week cruise...Baltic so we had heavier clothing....We had enough room but I knew 4 months would be a challenge. Thinking of bringing suction hook so we can hang a jacket on that rather than in the closet.

 

The penthouse verandas have far more storage.

 

We are really looking forward to this adventure of a lifetime!!!

Planning is fun but at times overwhelming as we were trying to figure out excursions!

I will make sure to read the blog! I had found a couple of others too...

[momzcruzing]

I am an avid reader of this thread and anything else I can find on World Cruises as I will be doing the World Cruise on the Queen Mary 2 this coming January (2018)

 

I am a bit overwhelmed by the planing but making lists and taking it one step at a time. I have subscribed to Aquadesiac's "Round the World Writer" emails and find her preparations are very helpful. I have ingested every word of Scrapnana's Blog as well as H2SO4's blog and most of what Roscoe has written as well as several older blogs.

 

I have done about 50 cruises on various cruise lines tho mostly RCL, Celebrity & Princess. I have never done a Cunard cruise. I recently retired, making this dream possible, and I am living alone for the first time ever, which I am enjoying but lends a difficulty in turning off utilities, mail, care of car, dogs, etc.

 

I have booked the cruise as a solo thru Roadscholar, as I have done several trips with them and find their product exceptional. That said all my shore excursions are taken care of.

 

I have only done cruises in balcony rooms and suites, but my budget requires this to be an inside cabin since I am solo. (Road scholar would match me with a roommate in a higher level of cabin for a lower price, but and unknown roommate for 123 days is too risky... tho I have taken the Roadscholar roommate match with wonderful success, but this is just too lengthy a time to take that chance)

 

My lists are long, and I am chipping away at them. My major problem is suitcases!!!! Road scholar includes the flight from San Francisco to and from London, but in coach... so one 50 pound suitcase. It will be winter in London, tho most of the Itinerary is hot weather. As many of you know The Queen Mary is a very formal ship, requiring long gowns, etc. Obviously I will pay the $100. each way for the second 50 pound suitcase, but a third is a prohibitive price as is shipping, etc.

 

As Aquadesiac is doing I'd like to buy shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen, hairspray, etc in London before boarding but Roadscholar is keeping our schedule pretty tight so I'm not sure if that is possible. as of right now, my plan is to buy 2 travel sizes of everything to keep things light and keep TSA happy. One in carry on, and one in packed suitcase.

 

I have a food scale in my room and am weighing my jewelry, iPad and everything I plan to take.

 

Sorry this is so long. I continue to hang on every word of advice & idea posted by my fellow travelers.

[Scrapnana]

I am so glad you are doing your dream cruise, momzcruzing! My world cruise was #1 on my bucket list so I did not wait long after I retired to do it. I agree with you about a roommate - a WC is way too long if you should get one that is incompatible.

 

I am sure you already thought of this but mix and match clothing is the way to go. You don't have to have a number of long gowns but a couple of long skirts and/or evening pants with some blingy tops, jackets, scarves/shawls, and jewelry can make dozens of evening outfits. I also suggest a "little black dress". I had never had one (never go anywhere at home to need one) until my world cruise. It became my "go to" dress for many evenings (again with the scarves/shawls, jackets, etc.). My LBD was so useful I bought a similar white dress before last year's cruises.

 

I wrote a number of suggestions after my Cunard WC. I am going to find them and post them.

 

Once again, I am so excited for you and know you will have the time of your life but one warning -- world cruises are addictive!

 

Kathi

[Scrapnana]

These were my suggestions written shortly after my WC in 2014. They are mostly specific to Cunard but there are a few general ones.

 

World Voyage tips

 

1. Print or get your own good maps of cities before leaving home. The Cunard ones are poor and usually there is no scale. Some interesting attractions were missing on them.

 

2. Be prepared for not only slow internet but times (sometimes a day or more) without any connectivity. Often when docked there is no connection or TV reception. Many times you may log in and then moments later lose the connection. You get a few bonus minutes (10-50 depending on the package) if you buy the package in the first 24 hours of a segment. As a World Club member you will get some free minutes of internet during the last segments (earlier if you have sailed on Cunard previously). If you lose minutes due to the system, go talk to the internet guy - you can usually get them back. I started taking a screen shot of the summary usage page (it comes up after you log off the satellite system) after losing about 600 minutes (I did get them back).

 

3. A number of ports have cheap or free internet in the terminal. In my experience these were as slow or slower than onboard because of the number of crew and passengers trying to use it.

 

4. A number of cities have a hop-on, hop-off bus tour. If you are not taking an excursion, this is a great way to see a city and learn more about it. Some companies offer discounts if you book in advance on-line and/or have been on the same company's tour in another city (you must have the old ticket to show). Check out which cities have them before leaving home ( will save you internet minutes onboard).

 

5. Unless you don't have to fly and luggage restrictions are not a problem, don't worry unduly about theme nights. The "Black and White Ball" and "Masquerade" are fairly easy and get the most participation. Most of the other themes had only 25-100 participants. There were a few more taking part on the TA portion than on the others. Watching those who dress for the themes is a lot of fun and there are some who really love doing them.

 

6. US dollars are accepted in a number of ports by local vendors and a few gift shops. According to the Social Hostess they are also the preferred currency for gratuities if you are not using auto-tip or if you wish to tip extra. Be sure to have small denominations ($1, $5, $10, $20 - sometimes the Purser's Office could make change for large bills(notes). I took $1700 with me and spent all but about $125. In some areas they would take AU$, €, or GB£ but US$ were the most widely accepted.

 

7. If you are planning on getting foreign currency onboard be aware that they often run out, so go early. Also, you will likely get a better exchange rate from your local bank. I often get my money from an ATM with my debit card. Some ports have machines in the terminal, many do not. An ATM is best if you have free time in the port. If you are on a ship's excursion you may not get close to one.

 

8. Clothing - Ladies, you can survive with less! Although I did wear all the clothes I took, I had some that I wore only once or twice that I could have left home. I had mostly mix and match formal wear that could have been combined more times than they were. I had fourteen pairs of shoes but really only wore seven pairs due to my feet being swollen the entire trip. I did not miss those that I could not wear. Go with some neutral shoes and don't worry about matching everything. I also took way too much jewelry. I had three large suitcases (going) and a carry-on. My goal for my next World Voyage is to only take two. If you do have a lot of clothes (and are not in the Grills which have larger closets), take wire coat hangars (disregard the sound of Joan Crawford spinning in her grave). Have your steward/ess remove the bulky fixed wooden hangars and you can get more in the closet (this tip was given to me by a roll call friend).

 

9. If you do any kind of needlecraft take it with you. The Needlework/Knitting group meets every sea day and is a great way to meet people you might not otherwise run across. It is fun to see what everyone is doing, gossip some, and talk about what you have planned/did in a port.

 

10. If you are traveling solo there are a number of events run by the social hostess. On sea days there is a gathering each morning. There is a luncheon each segment for solos. The Daily Programme lists a time and place for solos not doing an excursion on port days to get together if they want to walk around port together.

 

11. Get to know the World Voyage Concierge. She can help you with almost everything.

 

12. Most people travel with a small pharmacy of OTC medicines as well as prescriptions that are taken regularly. If you are prone to certain infections, see if your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic you can take with you.

 

13. You might want to take a few thank you cards, birthday cards and anniversary cards. They are sold in the bookstore but are a bit pricey.

 

14. I found some lightweight, fold-up containers (mine came from the $ Store) that turned out to be very useful. I used one for my mini pharmacy, one for various papers I wanted to keep and one for odds and ends although they could have had numerous other uses. Lots of companies make them and they come in a variety of sizes.

 

15. If you have not sailed with Cunard before, be aware that there are certain foods available for dinner in Britannia that are not on the menu. You can usually get meat or chicken, Caesar salad, shrimp salad, fresh fruit, and jell-o. There may be others as well. Ask your server.

 

These are from my experience only.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. If it is something you do not wish to ask on an open forum, you can e-mail me at kmcnana@comcast.net.

 

Kathi

 

PS - I have already disregarded one of my suggestions.:eek: I will be taking three suitcases on my next WC but HAL ships two free (each way) so I will only have to manage one in the airport.

[momzcruzing]

OMG, Scrapnana! I was going to say which suggestion was most helpful but essentially 1-15 are the applicable ones!

 

Will we have any ports in common on our upcoming Voyages?

 

I do have about 5 LBD's however I just managed to shed 40 pounds so the local seamstress is going to be making a profit. I bought a pair of floaty evening pants in both black and white and have lots of tops and scarves. I do have 2 gowns with a full skirt, I plan to take them but worry that they will require their own suitcase, tho they don't add much weight.

 

Having read your blog I am very afraid that World Cruises are very addictive!! THAT could be a problem.

 

I just opened a second ATM, just in case the first card gets shut down in some port despite notification of the bank.

 

Both Roadscholar & Cunard show this as one cruise, not segments, and I have no previous Cunard cruises. Do you think I'll still get some internet minutes during the second half?

[Scrapnana]

Although you are signed up for the whole cruise, Cunard sees it divided up in segments. Looking at your itinerary I'm guessing the first segment will end in Cape Town, the second in Sydney, likely the third when you return to Sydney (lots of Aussies and Kiwis will get on for the Sydney-Sydney segment), next likely Singapore or Hong Kong, perhaps another segment when you return to Singapore, and the last probably Dubai.

 

If you have not cruised on Cunard before you will become a silver member at the end of the first segment, gold at the end of the second, and Platinum after 70 days. If you are buying internet time, do it on the first day of a segment to get a few bonus minutes. You will get two free hours for each segment when you reach gold and four hours at Platinum. You do have to "purchase" them, they will not be automatically given to you. You will see on your statement where you purchased the minutes and then it will be credited back to you. If you have prepaid gratuities from Cunard they will show up on your statement the same way. Cunard will charge your credit card at the end of each segment. Here is a link to the benefits of the World Club. http://www.cunard.com/already-booked/cunard-world-club/

 

Good idea to get a second debit card - I did the same thing!

 

Let me know anything else you have questions about. I love talking about cruising!

 

Kathi

[momzcruzing]

Tho I have no plans to write a blog, tho a few friends have requested it, I do need some internet to pay bills, check email, etc. Will any minutes purchased roll over to the next segment? Or do I have to be careful and purchase just the minutes I think I can use during just that segment?

 

Scrapnana, your comment that you took too much jewelry was interesting. I thought I'd need more, not less. hmmm....

 

 

I have started re-reading your blog of your Cunard voyage in 2014. Very informative! The comments made by your daughter sound exactly like the ones my daughter would make. HaHa...

 

 

I also have heard about laundry room wars, and your first trip was reassuring. My room is about 8 doors down from the laundry, so should be handy to case out a good time.

 

 

I have printed out Aquadesiac's post on getting the visa for India. I did an entire trip to India and found the visa to be challenging to my mental health. This cruise has only one port in India that I have visited before & would gladly skip, however Cunard (and all cruise lines) are insisting on the visa just to board the ship. This is interesting because the cruise I did with multiple ports in India had over 100 people on board who had failed to get the visa and they just stayed on the ship.

 

 

I too love talking cruise, and love any suggestions anyone has for a 123 day voyage. I am really trying to be organized as one of the far corners of the earth is no time to realize that you have not paid your property taxes, etc.

[Scrapnana]

Yes, your unused internet minutes roll over to the next segment.

 

As to jewelry, I went through a "jewelry phase" about 20 years ago and amassed quite a bit (maybe not for a movie star but plenty for a teacher:eek:). When I was deciding what to take I kept thinking that one piece could be used with this but so could this other piece, etc. I ended up taking some that I am not sure I ever wore. I had a "go to" pair of silver hoops as well as a gold pair. I wore these almost every day except in some ports although I did change jewelry to go with my evening attire.

 

On my WC we needed visas for India and China. The Cunard reps in Southampton went through passports making sure you had them. I read a blog a few years ago by an Australian doing the Princess WC that goes Sydney to Sydney. The couple did not get the Indian visa as they were staying on board. Princess did not stop them from boarding but they were warned that the Indian officials might take exception to them not having the visa and force them to leave the ship at the last port before India and return at the first port after India (since they were in Indian waters even though not leaving the ship). As it turned out there was no problem whatsoever. I still would not take the chance.

 

I found the Indian visa the most troubling because what they ask you and what shows up when you finish are not the same (different order of some things and there was at least one question on the final form that never appeared when filling it out). I talked often with others on my roll call who had similar issues but in the end we all got our visas. I did use a visa service because at the time Americans could not directly send in the application and passport. You could go to a consulate but had to come back a few days later to pick up your passport. It was just easier to pay the visa service. This may have changed since 2013.

 

Do you have to get the ETA for Australia or is Cunard getting it? In 2014 Cunard included it for US passengers but the British had to get their own.:confused: I applied last week on-line and had it within 18 hours. I wish all visas were that easy!

 

One thing I did before the cruise was give my daughter power of attorney so she could deal with anything that might come up. Turned out it was a smart move because she was completing my income taxes and one form never showed up. She was able to show the POA and get another copy.

 

By any chance have you read Pete's world cruise blog? Granted it was on Holland America but he gave some good general tips about world cruising and they did go to a few of the same ports you will be visiting. His blog is at http://www.theinsidecabin.com/ .

 

I will post anything else I might think of as we get closer and closer to sailing!

 

Kathi

[deec]

this is a GREAT thread....We will be on our first long cruise in January 2018 and are very excited. Momzcruzing you might think about auto pay rather than on-line bill paying....that way in case of poor internet there will not be an issue.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

When it comes to the internet always use your own devices it will be easier and faster.

[Tampa Girl]

Re the suggestion of having a second debit card - why do you suggest this, pls?

 

Scrapnana - you suggested taking wire coat hangers to save space. I think you are sailing on HAL, right? If so and if you will be using the laundry service, as opposed to the self-laundry, they return the clothes on wire hangers, if requested. This may obviate the need for bringing hangers. Just a thought.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Re the suggestion of having a second debit card - why do you suggest this, pls?

 

Scrapnana - you suggested taking wire coat hangers to save space. I think you are sailing on HAL, right? If so and if you will be using the laundry service, as opposed to the self-laundry, they return the clothes on wire hangers, if requested. This may obviate the need for bringing hangers. Just a thought.

We ,Gail and I, travel with 2 different debit cards accounts .Because in case there is a problem with Account #1 We have account #2.. card stops working, ATM machine eats card, card gets stolen,

[wishIweretravelling]

Those of you who have done a WC in warm climates HOW much sun screen do you think we will need for 120 days? XXL husband is quite fair!!! Medium wife! I have been keeping track of toothpaste & face cream moisturizer .. most other toiletries are provided.

 

A friend and I did 120 days last year, primarily in sunny climates. We stopped at a CVS beforehand and bought 4 large tubes and 4 spray cans of sunscreen (we're both quite fair). We wound up using less than half of that.

[Tampa Girl]

We ' date='Gail and I, travel with 2 different debit cards accounts .Because in case there is a problem with Account #1 We have account #2.. card stops working, ATM machine eats card, card gets stolen,[/quote']

 

Ah, now I see. Good suggestion.

[deec]

thanks wishIwerecruisin"

[wishIweretravelling]

Deec, I should add that I never wear shorts, and so didn't use sunscreen for my legs that much, though my friend did.

[momzcruzing]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Please keep them coming.

 

Deec, I do use autopay for almost everything. But need online banking access to transfer $$ between accounts... so I don't run out.. LOL!

 

I'm rereading Scrapnana's world cruise blog and the one by Inside cabin she suggested and there really are good ideas. Reading Two to Travel I am realizing how much touring we will probably do in rainy weather, so when Costco had travel pants with a slick rain resistant fabric on coupon, I got two pairs.

 

As silly as it sounds my thoughts keep coming back to my hair. I wear it short and blow it dry. It is all about the haircut. I have had the same person cut my hair for the past 40 years & I am so nervous about numerous haircuts without her. (I have offered her the second space in my solo cabin..but alas...) I'm telling myself that if a bad haircut or two along the way is the worst thing that happens, it will be a wonderful adventure. :D

[momzcruzing]

For those of you addicted to World Cruises do you have to renew your passport each time even tho it is not expired just to get enough empty pages? Mine was 3 years from expiring but I had to renew because they require 46 blank pages. Just curious.

[Keith1010]

For those of you addicted to World Cruises do you have to renew your passport each time even tho it is not expired just to get enough empty pages? Mine was 3 years from expiring but I had to renew because they require 46 blank pages. Just curious.

 

A few years ago we could have pages added to the passport so that was good but now that changed.

 

For us often our cruise line requires anywhere from 24 to 28 blank pages without the additional page option the last time around we had to get a new passport a few years into the most recent one. Surprised you need that many blank pages.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Please keep them coming.

 

Deec, I do use autopay for almost everything. But need online banking access to transfer $$ between accounts... so I don't run out.. LOL!

 

I'm rereading Scrapnana's world cruise blog and the one by Inside cabin she suggested and there really are good ideas. Reading Two to Travel I am realizing how much touring we will probably do in rainy weather, so when Costco had travel pants with a slick rain resistant fabric on coupon, I got two pairs.

 

As silly as it sounds my thoughts keep coming back to my hair. I wear it short and blow it dry. It is all about the haircut. I have had the same person cut my hair for the past 40 years & I am so nervous about numerous haircuts without her. (I have offered her the second space in my solo cabin..but alas...) I'm telling myself that if a bad haircut or two along the way is the worst thing that happens, it will be a wonderful adventure. :D

 

We know some people who will get there hair done in port because they don't want to spend the money to have it cut on board. It's funny. They spend all the money on a world cruise and then worry about paying more to have it done on the ship. We have ours done on the ship.

 

We have sailed the same ship many times so if we have a hair stylist who we liked from the last go around we stay with them.

 

If not we will speak with the salon manager. We'll say we know they all must be good but..........who would you want cutting your hair and usually we get a good recommendation that way. Also some of the officers/senior crew have their hair cut at the salon so we ask them for a recommendation as well.

 

I guess just think of it as if you were moving to a new town and you had to have it cut for the very first time by someone you didn't know. :)

 

Keith

[wishIweretravelling]

My hair is very short, so I have to have it cut every weeks. Someone on my cruise last year had a good cut in the ship's salon, so she told me the who she used. This woman was so great, I begged her to move to my city so I could keep going to her.