7 months on the same cruise ship

[Wayfairers]

 The longest we’ve spent onboard one cruise ship is 90 days (~3 months).  Had no issues with that and was ready to stay longer at the end of that cruise.  Starting this fall through late next spring/early summer we will be on one cruise ship for 7 months doing a B2B2B.  

 

We’ve travelled by land for 6 months multiple times so are familiar with the ins and outs of long term travel and with things like having to restock toiletries while on the road (at one point I think each item in my toiletries bag came from a different country!)

 

Wondering if anyone who has stayed onboard for 7 months or longer has any advice to share concerning long term cruise ship travel.

[ColeThornton]

I doubt there are many, if any, people on this site who have done a 7 month cruise that can answer your question.  You've already done a 3 month cruise so it kind of seems like you should know what to expect.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[LHT28]

Maybe check on the World cruise forum often they are up to 6 mth cruises or longer

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/674-world-cruising/

[klfrodo]

Maybe a crew member can answer.

[Wayfairers]

1 hour ago, ColeThornton said:

I doubt there are many, if any, people on this site who have done a 7 month cruise that can answer your question.  You've already done a 3 month cruise so it kind of seems like you should know what to expect.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

I do know what to expect for the first 3 months.   I know some may have done the 3 cruises I’m doing last year and this year so never hurts to ask if they have advice.   I love learning from others…keeps me from making the same errors. 

[Wayfairers]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe check on the World cruise forum often they are up to 6 mth cruises or longer

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/674-world-cruising/

One of the cruises is a world cruise.  

[LHT28]

53 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

One of the cruises is a world cruise.  

I know  some of the cruisers  from Oceania  did a blog  of their  RTW cruise  it was 6 mths  & one lady stayed on for a few more weeks

It would be an adventure  just packing for that long 😉

 

 

[Wayfairers]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I know  some of the cruisers  from Oceania  did a blog  of their  RTW cruise  it was 6 mths  & one lady stayed on for a few more weeks

It would be an adventure  just packing for that long 😉

 

 

Packing should be fairly easy.  We get free laundry on board so that helps - maybe 2 outfits for dressy nights onboard and probably will take our normal 12 mix and match outfits - a combo of skirts and pants for me and shorts and pants for husband with a few layers to add for cooler days and a jacket for rain.  We won’t be going to very cold climates but will probably have days in the 50s or 60s.  This packing strategy works well for all our trips.  Most likely will be carrying our luggage onto the ship.  We overpacked once and it was a pain - wasted time unpacking and packing instead of having fun and had to find places in the room to store everything. 

[Joebucks]

I absolutely love cruising, but fear I would get bored of the same things for 7 months. However, if the itinerary was packed enough, I'm quite sure I would manage.

[Wayfairers]

4 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I absolutely love cruising, but fear I would get bored of the same things for 7 months. However, if the itinerary was packed enough, I'm quite sure I would manage.

I would get bored of the same thing for 7 months too. I couldn’t do this if it was a bunch of 7 day cruises or if the cruises went to the same places - that would get boring quickly.   Two are long cruises so there will be lectures, arts & crafts, tastings and many other activities available on sea days - usually so many that we have to choose between two or more things we want to do at the same time.    There are a variety of ports with most of them new for us - the 3 cruises are a circumnavigation of Africa, Panama Canal/Caribbean and a world cruise.   Only one repeat port during the 7 months and we will skip that one the first time we are there because we will be off ship on a land trip - amazing that it worked out that way.  

[bob brown]

I am on my second 6 month ATW cruise…actually, this one is almost 7 months.

If you’ve done a 3 month one, it should be fairly easy to adjust to a 7 month one.

For me, the biggest issues were the need to file an income tax extension, arranging for collecting my mail, prepping my car for storage, obtaining an extended supply of prescription medications, having someone periodically check my home, etc.

I have long since went to electronic billing and auto bill paying for all my accounts, so that is not an issue.

I have also seen all of my health providers just prior to sailing.

Obtaining toiletries and such is never a problem.

[bob brown]

Boredom is never an issue on a cruise, especially an ATW one.  As a matter of fact, we get melancholy as the cruise nears its end, and wish we could stay aboard longer.

Some of our shipmates have done six ATW cruises, and one lady actually lives aboard ship all year long…😎

[Wayfairers]

12 hours ago, bob brown said:

I am on my second 6 month ATW cruise…actually, this one is almost 7 months.

If you’ve done a 3 month one, it should be fairly easy to adjust to a 7 month one.

For me, the biggest issues were the need to file an income tax extension, arranging for collecting my mail, prepping my car for storage, obtaining an extended supply of prescription medications, having someone periodically check my home, etc.

I have long since went to electronic billing and auto bill paying for all my accounts, so that is not an issue.

I have also seen all of my health providers just prior to sailing.

Obtaining toiletries and such is never a problem.

 

Taxes will be interesting.  My husband’s plan is to attempt to do them online.  99% of our paperwork is electronic for taxes and we always file online.  

All our bills have been electronic for a while except for property taxes - sad that the government is behind on that.

We will have someone picking up our mail from our mail service.  Normally they hold it for us, but 7 months is a long time to hold mail.  

[bob brown]

8 hours ago, Wayfairers said:

We will have someone picking up our mail from our mail service.  Normally they hold it for us, but 7 months is a long time to hold mail.  

The USPS will only hold mail deliveries for one month.  You could have mail forwarded to another address such as a private mail box store, but having mail forwarded, and then having it not forwarded when you return is sometimes a hassle, as some mail can’t be forwarded and is returned to sender, etc.

Best to have a neighbor or house sitter collect it and hold for you.

[Wayfairers]

1 hour ago, bob brown said:

The USPS will only hold mail deliveries for one month.  You could have mail forwarded to another address such as a private mail box store, but having mail forwarded, and then having it not forwarded when you return is sometimes a hassle, as some mail can’t be forwarded and is returned to sender, etc.

Best to have a neighbor or house sitter collect it and hold for you.

We don’t use USPS.  We use a mail service wagon will hold it as long we need it held or forward it if we request.  They will also watch for specific letters and forward those.  It is a locally owned business and we’ve used them for over 10 years.  
 

As I said since we will be gone so loony this time we will ask a friend to pick it up periodically.  The mail service is already used to us not getting the mail for 3-4 month at a time.