Insignia WC

[globevest]

Our longest has been a 35 day Capetown to Singapore. It was great and we dreaded to leave the ship (could have spent another 2 weeks).

Only negative to the long cruises is that the menu repeats several times (in a 35 day it was 3 times).

I have seen the world (currently at 95 countries) -- but each port I can find something new to do. Our bucket list is still long..

I think is is the same on whether to do a WC, my DW would never leave her babies (dogs, cats, pig, horse, mule .....) for that long a time.

 

Paul, have you heard of the Travelers Century Club?

[kimanjo]

I too, will be following and living vicariously through others.

 

I have a very tight vacation budget (insides only) on my cruises, it would not be possible, both $$ and space I fear!

 

But, someone has the insides booked? Will they kill each other??

 

I really think either you can or you can't. I am sure I could, DH, never.

 

Our current lab (13) is our last dog, so that would make it easier, right? (still trying to convince myself!)

Edited December 28, 2014 by kimanjo

[cbb]

I once looked at the Travelers Century Club list and when I got to "Alaska" listed separately from the US I decided that was just a little much.

[Emma Chisit]

I once looked at the Travelers Century Club list and when I got to "Alaska" listed separately from the US I decided that was just a little much.

 

They show Tasmania as separate from Australia too. Though some of us would argue that is appropriate.....:D

[cbb]

Emma,

 

I saw that as well, and they also list "Siberia" separately from Russia. I'm not sure Mr Putin would agree!

[hondorner]

You've hit upon something, Don. I think if I did something like this I'd want to bring some of my "projects" with me. Fortunately I'm not into home improvement, per se, so it might be easier. I think I'd bring some crocheting to do, and probably my drawing gear--perhaps those long sea days would be an incentive for me to really try to learn how to draw. But some projects of some kind, would be essential.

 

As for the travel part, I hear you. Although I can still cope with those long flights, it would be nice to minimize the number of them.

 

Not sure about those tight little cabins, though.

Betsy brings her projects. Although primarily a quilter, she loves to knit, and is currently knitting small baby bird's nests for a California rescue organization. She's knitted socks for everyone. She'll bring her (completely amateur) watercolors, and she'll haunt the small Artist's Loft Oceania has apparently placed in a corner of Horizons. On a recent cruise with 11 sea days, she and 24 other quilters organized their own group. They started with 2 or 3 who met on the roll call, and it kept growing on board as others heard about it, until NCL actually gave them a private meeting room and set up tables (one of the advantages of a larger ship; there are actually four of these "boardrooms" on Deck 12 of Star).

 

Obviously, I can't bring my tractor or excavator on board, and I'll miss them, but I read a lot -- an awful lot -- and I spend half of my life on a computer, now. As for our dog (rescue greyhound), and maintenance and mowing and such, we are spectacularly lucky to have a live-in handyman and caretaker. He was our house sitter on our 4 month RV trip, and it worked out so well for both of us that he stayed. We're great friends, and Betsy calls him our "angel". He can do almost anything despite little education, and he just wants to live off the grid and help my play with the toy...tools. All we provide is free board, use of the kitchen and satellite TV -- sort of like having the greatest brother-in-law ever living with you.

[globevest]

I once looked at the Travelers Century Club list and when I got to "Alaska" listed separately from the US I decided that was just a little much.

 

cbb I agree. However the TCC does not hide the fact that a number of 'countries' are just territories that are Geographically, Politically or Ethnologically removed from the parent Parent. Their 'countries' list includes 258 truly independent self governing countries. One of the things I like about the TCC is their library of member written reports of travels to, remote and difficult to access, areas of the world.

[zoncom]

Interesting chat. I am long time divorcee. Have always lived in smaller spaces in pricey areas. Two previous O cruises. So I can survive small. I am the one doing month and half Europe with carryon I still have an outside G, no cabin assignment Only scary thing about cruise to me..Do remember the O ladies beautifully dressed in true Cruise wear.A few mos. ago I had a bad feeling this cruise would not come off. I hopethey allowed enough time to redo Insignia.

[cathi]

Very interesting thread!!! As one who was booked on the inaugaral 180 WC and has decided to move it to the 2016 WC, I have to admit it is overwhelming to contemplate living on a ship for that long. There are so many things that have to be taken care of before we leave. But I still think it is a very unique way to see the world!!

For my better half -- yes he like Don will miss his toys - his tractor, his weekwackers, his power saws, etc. When you live on acreage there's always something that needs doing. And when the weather gets too bad now that we're not tied to jobs we go where the weather is better and see what mischief we can get into!!

And no I don't expect to be bored. With 180 days and 92 ports, we will have just the right amount of days at sea to rest up for the next adventure.

[cwn]

They show Tasmania as separate from Australia too. Though some of us would argue that is appropriate.....:D

 

Hi Emma...love your comment! We leave in a few weeks For our cruise to Sydney and our time in Tasmania....really looking forward to our stay in your fine country!

 

We sure have had hard time with cruises this year! After you canceled, we wound up canceling our 62 day cruise also when Ocean Princess changed the itinerary and then sold the ship. When Oceania's WC first opened up we booked the Miami to Singapore segment then canceled when we decided we really didn't want to go East to West and found we could do part of the QE WC to get to Sydney and eventually catch up with the Ocean Princess with out the long flight!

 

Love the comments on another thread about your first RV trip! Our first one was to Key West in 1972 in a 18' RV rated to sleep 3 adults with 3 children 2, 7 & 9...one of my favorite family trips! Our sons still talk about their little sister sleeping in a little bed roll on the table top laid across the front seats.

 

...........

Will I get tired of 6 months at sea? I doubt it. Every port will be different, the memories will be fabulous, and the sea days we love are well spaced to enjoy and recover from all the touring and sensory overload.

 

Will I ever do it again? In a word, Nope. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. It will be great to see the world, but it will be sweet to get back home and get back to wor....fun, playing with my toys...I mean tools!

 

Be careful what you say to yourself!

 

The longest we have been on a ship is the 72 day Regent Circle South America 2011 cruise. We had a good time, would have liked a few more sea days, but we wanted to see all the ports so didn't miss one. We decided then that with the right itinerary and cabin we would enjoy a world cruise, being gone a long time wasn't a problem for us.

 

Before that, in 2009, we tried to get a cabin on Oceania Nautica's popular cruise from China to Italy, 60 some days. The cruise was totally booked out and we couldn't get even a guarantee spot, so I put together a RTW trip made up of a RTW air ticket, two 20+ day cruises on the Ocean Princess and the Seabourn Spirit and over land travel in Australia, Asia, Africa and Southern Europe....we were gone 145 days and had a ball. Said at the time that it was a once in a life time experience! Well we leave in a few weeks for another RTW trip! This time it is 120+ days of over land segments in Australia, Asia, Africa and England knitted together with three cruises, a segment of QE world cruise, a segment of QMII world cruise and a QMII trans Atlantic crossing, plus a few shortish flights. No RTW air ticket this rime since we are cruising across the Pacific and the Atlantic.

 

I have been following this very unfortunate situation since we almost took this cruise. This is a world cruise we would like to do in the next couple of years along with the Seabourn Quest cruise to Antarctica.

 

The 180 world cruise has a nice combination of ports with some over night ports both new ones and lots of repeats of favorite ones. We have decided with this upcoming trip, we are done doing all the planning involved in an overseas land trip! We will be content making port calls and traveling North America in our 24' RV for future travels!!!

 

I hope there will be some blogs of the Singapore to Miami cruise to see how it goes.

[hondorner]

...Be careful what you say to yourself!...

You're probably correct, that we will like the World Cruise so much we'd do more...except the "once in a lifetime" limitation for us is budget -- once is a tremendous stretch. Maybe if I win the lottery...recently I started wondering why I never win, when someone told me I have to buy a ticket!

Edited January 2, 2015 by hondorner

[PaulMCO]

I once looked at the Travelers Century Club list and when I got to "Alaska" listed separately from the US I decided that was just a little much.

 

Yep indeed - they count funny -- each of the Emirates is a country, plus Greek Islands too. My total is 108 in their count....

Edited January 2, 2015 by PaulMCO

[cwn]

You're probably correct, that we will like the World Cruise so much we'd do more...except the "once in a lifetime" limitation for us is budget -- once is a tremendous stretch. Maybe if I win the lottery...recently I started wondering why I never win, when someone told me I have to buy a ticket!

 

So true.....I keep telling DH we can't take it with us so we need to enjoy the fun things...after all we worked hard for our retirement. But he is ever the realist and reminds me that we still need enough to live on. Unless, of course, I can guarantee the date we will no longer need any money, Bummer!

[Emma Chisit]

Hi Emma...love your comment! We leave in a few weeks For our cruise to Sydney and our time in Tasmania....really looking forward to our stay in your fine country!

 

We sure have had hard time with cruises this year! After you canceled, we wound up canceling our 62 day cruise also when Ocean Princess changed the itinerary and then sold the ship. When Oceania's WC first opened up we booked the Miami to Singapore segment then canceled when we decided we really didn't want to go East to West and found we could do part of the QE WC to get to Sydney and eventually catch up with the Ocean Princess with out the long flight!

 

Love the comments on another thread about your first RV trip! Our first one was to Key West in 1972 in a 18' RV rated to sleep 3 adults with 3 children 2, 7 & 9...one of my favorite family trips! Our sons still talk about their little sister sleeping in a little bed roll on the table top laid across the front seats.

 

 

 

Hi there cwn… was wondering how your complicated itinerary was going. Still look at the OP 2015 roll call sometimes; saw you too cancelled the 62 day cruise we were on together. When the ship went on sale the uncertainty made us cancel; however would eventually have cancelled once Princess dropped most West African ports. They (and the sail around Cape of Good Hope) were the attraction for us. We may yet sail on her as an Oceania ship – we like these “R” ships; reckon we will stay with O because they value them too. We did not cancel lightly because we had already cancelled our 2014 guarantee/waitlist booking on the same Princess itinerary in order to get the cabin we wanted on the 2015 cruise….Moreover that initial booking was originally made in mid 2012. We almost never cancel plans once made…. At least we were lucky that it was by our own choice and in good time…..

 

So… now we are looking forward to a 71 day Oceania cruise, the longest we have ever done, or likely will ever do. As I said elsewhere, unkind bets are being made by family and friends as to whether both of us will make it to Singapore, and subsequently to our 50th wedding anniversary later in 2016. (Hence the reference to parallels with small cabins and our typical Aussie cramped campervan trips through Europe in the seventies. Your 70s trip sounds just like ours. I remember our second such trip - with three kids - through eastern Europe in the late 70s in a Toyota HiAce with a pop-up top; I believe length was 16’ at most. Yes, Mr DH - even smaller than the Commer Highwayman. Crowds would form in the campsites in Bulgaria & Romania etc to watch us set up.)

 

But I digress…..back to the discussion about motives for taking such long voyages and how to keep occupied……Both DH and I are quite boring and happy to read and go to lectures on sea days. We don’t even do trivia as we have forgotten most of our expensive educations. However, my plan is also to take along my painting stuff which will keep me out of mischief. I also think the port days will be tiring as they are all in hot countries, so the down time will be a relief. (DH thinks Nana Naps are the go; though he claims he is “reading”.) The East to West Oceania itinerary from Miami to Singapore is actually better for us than the Ocean P cruise because we can have Christmas with our American grandkids beforehand, and the thought of that will help us survive the long flight (which we hate) from Oz to the US. Then, just a short hop home from Singapore at the end of the cruise. We lived in the US for many years so we have spent a bit of time in the Caribbean, but even so there are still plenty of exotic new ports to anticipate, as well as West and East Africa. Funnily, even though we could not last for the whole 180 days, the part after we leave the ship in Singapore is the least enticing for us because we know the area pretty well. However, for those to whom it might be new, it will almost certainly be the Jewel in the Crown of the whole cruise. Not that I am biased because my home country is in there too – but oh so much more as well ….legendary places in China, Japan, Asia and Pacific…..

Enjoy your trip cwn…and watch out for drop bears in Australia….

[Earl Rosebery]

I was taken aback by the title line. In large parts of the former British Empire WC means 'washroom' or 'toilets'

[cwn]

Given the recent news and talk here on Cruise Critic, most CC posters knew exactly what this thread is about.

[sitraveler]

At the fear of showing my age, I was aware of the meaning of wayside chapel, which was a Jack Parr punchline.