Considering a leg of the World Cruise

[Eager2Travel]

We are thinking about taking the final leg of the world cruise. The ship is sailing with over 70% of the passengers taking the full cruise. I am wondering if we will feel like we don't quite belong as the other passengers have been together for well over three months.

 

Has anyone been in this situation? I would appreciate knowing what the experience was like for you. We did something similar on Silverseas some years ago. We felt like we didn't quite fit in. I don't know if this was a function of the cruise line or the particular situation or just us.

 

Thanks for any input.

[JMARINER]

I have been on both sides of the coin.

 

Your observation can be correct. Full voyage cruiser do tend to form into tight groups after a few weeks/months together. Those who join the ship for a segment or two (Segmenter's or Seggies) are not ostracized as such, but they do feel a little left out.

 

Also a lot depend on your "status" level. If you have a lot of days on Regent you may know some of the other passengers or crew and thus feel more included.

 

For most, none of this amount to a big deal. But I have seen some really feel that the other pax attitude spoiled their experience.

 

This is not a peculiar pax attitude of just Regent, but IMO, endemic to all longer multi segment voyages on all cruise lines and particularity the upper end ones.

 

J

Edited September 3, 2016 by JMARINER

[Eager2Travel]

Thanks JMARINER. Your answer confirms what I expected. If we do go ahead it sounds like our experience will be a function of our emotional hardiness. My husband is ahead of me in this regard. Maybe I will grow from the experience.:)

[forgap]

We are on the second segment of the 2017 WC. We are traveling with our best friends, so the 70% WC's might be jealous of us! (We laugh a lot!). On our last cruise, we had dinner with one of the lecturers and another couple joined us. To say we were opposites politically was an understatement. I know, I know, never talk politics or religion....we didn't, they couldn't help themselves....we tried to get back on common ground. Bottom line, they refused to even say hello for the rest of the trip!

 

At any rate, passenger mix is always a crap shoot. Sometimes you luck out with an energized, friendly crowd...sometimes the crowd feels like a bunch of cardboard cutouts....and sometimes a few sourpusses or snobs taint the mix. The best solution is to love yourself and your partner!

[WesW]

Hi Ann & Shel,

 

We have not sailed on a segment of a WC but have sailed on a couple of Grand Voyage

segments--we enjoyed our GV segments.

 

We were on a segment of the Voyager's Grand Voyage in 2010 (Honk Kong to Bangkok) and tho we were not part of the well bonded GCr's, Ida and I still had a terrific voyage.

The ports & excursions were exceptional (Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok).

 

And last year we were on a segment (Sydney to LA) of Sivlersea's Grand Voyage (LA to LA). We were known as being a "seggie" vs the GCr's who referred to themselves as "lalas." However, again the ports/excursions were exceptional (Fiji, Apia, Blue Lagoon in Vanuatu). And we were on board with Silversea cruise friends enjoying meals and excursions together.

 

Tho, as JMariner points out some may feel left out as segment cruisers, we did not. As Jennifer/forgap points out focus on Shel and you (and your 50+ years of love) and y'all will have a wonderful voyage.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We were on the last segment of a "Grand Voyage", one that did the Middle East and Africa before going across to Rio. We didn't feel any ostracization, although we were travelling with friends who were also frequent Regent cruisers. We got to know some full circlers, and didn't feel left out at all, and made some new acquaintances.

 

That being said, a WC is different, and if it were me, I would want to know if there were any folks onboard for the full cruise that I knew from previous cruisers. This would help. As would cruising with friends. But it depends on how friendly you are, how outgoing. And to introverts, it probably wouldn't matter one bit.

[ronrick1943]

I wouldn't worry about it, just have a good time and enjoy yourself. What works or doesn't work you'll have a good time.

Rick

[Gilly]

Our first Regent cruise was a segment of the WC and though we had nothing to compare our experience with, it was so awful it hooked us into Regent forever we loved it.

Advantages include the fact that, after xxx days on board, many WCs no longer wish to dine in the speciality restaurants every night. Result? Freedom to dine when and where we wanted, no pressure. Another advantage, we met some of the most delightful and well travelled people on that cruise, who had interesting experiences to recount and who made the most charming dining companions. Disadvantage was that there were indeed some remarkably rude and entitled people who genuinely believed that the ship and staff were there for their own personal use. Advantage, the crew knew them well and 'had their measure' and made jolly sure they did not abuse the system at someone else's expense. I have several examples of that which, when we meet face to face in the Observation Lounge I might be persuaded to share, but this is not the place for such things. One of them did, however, provide me with the quote I'll never forget (and which I have shared previously)

" this is our 16th world cruise and it's easily the worst".

[Pamela1]

Our first Regent cruise was a segment of the WC and though we had nothing to compare our experience with, it was so awful it hooked us into Regent forever �� we loved it.

Advantages include the fact that, after xxx days on board, many WCs no longer wish to dine in the speciality restaurants every night. Result? Freedom to dine when and where we wanted, no pressure. Another advantage, we met some of the most delightful and well travelled people on that cruise, who had interesting experiences to recount and who made the most charming dining companions. Disadvantage was that there were indeed some remarkably rude and entitled people who genuinely believed that the ship and staff were there for their own personal use. Advantage, the crew knew them well and 'had their measure' and made jolly sure they did not abuse the system at someone else's expense. I have several examples of that which, when we meet face to face in the Observation Lounge I might be persuaded to share, but this is not the place for such things. One of them did, however, provide me with the quote I'll never forget (and which I have shared previously)

" this is our 16th world cruise and it's easily the worst".

 

 

Gilly, i would absolutely love to hear your stories! :D

[txladycruiser]

Hi Ann & Shel,

 

We have not sailed on a segment of a WC but have sailed on a couple of Grand Voyage

segments--we enjoyed our GV segments.

 

We were on a segment of the Voyager's Grand Voyage in 2010 (Honk Kong to Bangkok) and tho we were not part of the well bonded GCr's, Ida and I still had a terrific voyage.

The ports & excursions were exceptional (Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok).

 

And last year we were on a segment (Sydney to LA) of Sivlersea's Grand Voyage (LA to LA). We were known as being a "seggie" vs the GCr's who referred to themselves as "lalas." However, again the ports/excursions were exceptional (Fiji, Apia, Blue Lagoon in Vanuatu). And we were on board with Silversea cruise friends enjoying meals and excursions together.

 

Tho, as JMariner points out some may feel left out as segment cruisers, we did not. As Jennifer/forgap points out focus on Shel and you (and your 50+ years of love) and y'all will have a wonderful voyage.

 

 

 

Actually, Wes, the segment on the Voyager in 2010 was part of the World Cruise! That is where we met you and Ida! We were on for 60 days of it (boarded in Auckland and left in Bangkok). We loved it!!

 

 

Karen

Edited September 3, 2016 by txladycruiser

[WesW]

Hi Karen, thanks for that correction (six year old memory lapse :)). Of course, remember meeting Wayne and you and enjoying multiple dinners together.

 

Ann, Karen and Wayne are now dear friends (having shared more cruises together, and sharing our home for their visits), so, if Shel and you sail on this WC segment--y'all too may meet/develop meaningful new enduring friendships.

 

A tad off topic--Karen, we very fondly remember learning of/enjoying Wayne's (as a U.S. Army Veteran) Vietnam war stories when we visited the ports of Vietnam. Jaime (CD) and Dana (Asst CD) even arranged a Veterans lunch during or sailing. Please see pix below of us having dinner in Compass Rose. From this budding cruise friendship, we all decided to sail (for Ida and I on our fav cruise together--London to London (enjoying Iceland's beauty, Dublin, Belfast, Cobb, Fowey, Shetland/Orkney Islands) on Silversea's Silver Cloud during the summer of 2013.

 

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We have done segments of World Cruise.

 

It was like going to a party where everyone knew one another but we didn't know anyone. Did not change our enjoyment at all. The other passengers had already met and were less likely to seek out others. We find that often on the luxury lines anyway - people are not always as social.

 

One of the things I do like about Crystal as a result of smaller cabins than Regent - people are out and about and are more social than on Regent. Same on Oceania - more people take the smaller cabins and are out in the public areas socializing.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

...

 

One of the things I do like about Crystal as a result of smaller cabins than Regent - people are out and about and are more social than on Regent. Same on Oceania - more people take the smaller cabins and are out in the public areas socializing.

 

Funny, we found the reverse on Oceania, very little socializing compared to Regent. Depends on the itinerary I guess, and the random passenger mix.

[wishIweretravelling]

Having been on a WC earlier this year, albeit on Crystal not Regent (though I was on a Regent grand voyage 8 years ago), I can confirm that people joining for segments are not ostracized, except by a rare few. And those few are doing you a favor because you wouldn't want to know them anyway :)

 

But do be aware that the last segment is a tough one to "break into" because the world cruisers are winding down, and are largely concentrating on getting in those last dinners or cocktails with friends from throughout the cruise. It's rather like moving away from a town, and making sure you get to say goodbye to all your old friends--it's hard to make room for new friends at that stage.

 

That being said, it still happens. It's just a little harder. I do find Regent more conducive than Crystal to socializing with new people because of the open dining and the block parties (which I'm assuming and hoping they still do--it's been a while since I was on Regent, and am returning in another year or so).

[Eager2Travel]

Thanks everyone for the wonderful wisdom and memories shared as a result of my questions. We just returned from an excellent cruise to Alaska on the Mariner and I finally got to read all the responses.

 

What I learned from the responses were close to my own thoughts. As Wes and others pointed out focusing on one each other who we enjoy is always a plus. However 21 days and quite a few sea days can make it challenging. It is always fun to meet and mingle with pleasant folks. Also the ports are not stellar. The pluses are good timing for us, good price, weather should be good and a few pleasant ports to revisit.

 

We appreciate all the input. Also, Wes , we still have high hopes of joining you and Ida one day. Our schedules are like ships passing in the night.

 

Ann

Edited September 4, 2016 by Eager2Travel