Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[island lady]

3 hours ago, Teeara said:

 

I've broken down a world cruise into 7 segments.  I'm NOT taking them consecutively.  They will be taken over a span of many, many years. 

 

Last year was segment 1 - TA from Barcelona to FL (where I met Pat and Bucky in the SL every night).  This year I skipped segment 2 and went straight to segment 3 since my mom wanted to do CA to HI.  Next year is segment 2 - (Panama Canal) FL to CA.  So segment 4 is a partial TP - HI to Australia.  Segment 5 is Australia to Indonesia.  Segment 6 is Indonesia to Dubai and Segment 7 is Dubai to Barcelona.  They won't be all on RCI (last year's segment 3 was on the Royal Princess). 

 

We want to make sure we can afford a suite (or 1 balcony cabin for each of us individually) in each segment and that is easier financially doing them piecemeal than 1 big world cruise.  We're also still working so we can only afford 2.5 - 3 weeks of vacation and each segment works within that time frame.  We also don't have a ton of money, but enough to enable us to travel once a year on a big trip in a comfortable manner. 

 

Plus, there are other trips we want to take besides cruising.  Right now I'm working on a trans-Canada road trip for 2026 with my roommate, my mom and my aunt.  It will be a 3 week trip and has many logistical hurdles, the least of which is that my mom and my aunt will be in their 80s and I need to keep in mind that both of them use walkers.  I'm loving every minute of planning it though ;o)

 

So I do love the idea of a world cruise and am following several of the WCers on FB and YT.  I'm enjoying it dreaming I was there, too, but will use it as a learning experience for my future segment planning.  

 

You have wonderful plans.  You go girl!  And indeed it was so nice to meet you on our Wonder TA.  Loved our cabin locations that were so convenient to CK/SL.  Was a perfect time.  Just shame Pam was not feeling well.  Hope all is well with her now.  🙂  

[island lady]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

There are several cruise lines that do world cruises every year, so don't scratch it off your bucket list just because RCL may never do one again.

 

This one is actually very inexpensive compared to what I have booked with other lines, even with paying for the upgrade.  😮😉 

 

The clock it going tick...tick.....tick.  We only have so much life to live before the chance is taken away.

When our health starts to fail, or we are just sick of traveling international, we will simply enjoy our little house in our quiet community and take local cruises out of PC (20 minutes away) when we want to get out for a bit.  

[island lady]

1 hour ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

If you have an iPhone just open the photo, choose the option to copy, then go to here and choose paste.

 

I went to the Dark Side to Android.  😉 

[lovesthebeach2]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

This one is actually very inexpensive compared to what I have booked with other lines, even with paying for the upgrade.  😮😉 

 

The clock it going tick...tick.....tick.  We only have so much life to live before the chance is taken away.

When our health starts to fail, or we are just sick of traveling international, we will simply enjoy our little house in our quiet community and take local cruises out of PC (20 minutes away) when we want to get out for a bit.  

I absolutely feel 100% the same as you. I’ve said before that when we were in our early 40s we moved into our first gated HOA community to be closer to Bobs  parents. Most there were new retirees. What we saw over the years is that the average amount of years that were “good” for them was around 10. After that, they weren’t able to do all the things they wanted to do “when they retired”. 
 

So we are doing as much as we can now, while we can. Why wait right?

[BND]

I will say we watched my in laws burn through all their investments and home equity for long term care. My MIL needed full time care the last 5 years of her life to the tune of 20k per month. She left 90k behind when she died. It makes you think. And it wasn't even full time medical care. It was just aides  We've seen too much with people who didn't plan.

[Jimbo]

11 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I went to the Dark Side to Android.  😉 

Using an Android to post pictures on CC is very easy.

[island lady]

Now ladies and gentleman...as we return to our previous show...  😉  

 

We are docked up in Cozumel, and to our great delight (as we found out last night from our Concierge, with applause and cheers) we are docked at the downtown dock!  🙂  We love walking around town here, and best of all...Pancho's Backyard original location in town. 

 

Yes, you can take a taxi from the International dock, but I love being so convenient here.  Most of the ship went on excursions, one of the most popular one is...to see the ruins.  Been there done that, did not like the long bus ride to get there and back.   

 

We will enjoy the day doing our own thing (which is pretty common for us)...and then returning to the pretty much empty ship.  Though even with everyone on board, never feels crowded.  This ship is far from being sold out.  

[lovesthebeach2]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

Now ladies and gentleman...as we return to our previous show...  😉  

 

We are docked up in Cozumel, and to our great delight (as we found out last night from our Concierge, with applause and cheers) we are docked at the downtown dock!  🙂  We love walking around town here, and best of all...Pancho's Backyard original location in town. 

 

Yes, you can take a taxi from the International dock, but I love being so convenient here.  Most of the ship went on excursions, one of the most popular one is...to see the ruins.  Been there done that, did not like the long bus ride to get there and back.   

 

We will enjoy the day doing our own thing (which is pretty common for us)...and then returning to the pretty much empty ship.  Though even with everyone on board, never feels crowded.  This ship is far from being sold out.  

I would have loved to be on this trip!! So I plan to live vicariously thru you and all the others posting…. Until we board on my birthday in June for our much too short for me segments.

[island lady]

BTW...an ambulance showed up as we were tying up lines.  Could not tell if the poor person taken off was from our ship, or the German ship next door.  Sad both ways....not the way to start an adventure.

 

 

 

 

[kernow]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

I went to the Dark Side to Android.  😉 

I do the exact same thing as described by @orville99 with my Samsung, very easy.

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

I went to the Dark Side to Android.  😉 

Welcome.🙂

[orville99]

3 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Your way is better!  But one question, when you're  posting multiple pics at the same time it’s possible to add a caption on each right?

Yes. I do it when I go back in and edit the post. It works a lot easier from my iPad because I have a real keyboard on that device. I just click on an image, hit the right arrow on the keyboard (which creates a space after the image), hit return, key in my comments, and then repeat as needed with the rest of the pictures. A bit of gymnastics, but it works.

Edited December 13, 2023 by orville99

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, MJSailors said:

I think that HAL and the Cunard Queen ships have been doing WCs for years.

This WC is new for RCL and, really, out of the realm of their usual cruise itineraries as @Ocean Boy posted.

It could be a one and done for RCL as they tested the waters (no pun intended) to see if such a cruise would appeal to their usual customers.

It seems that RCL ‘s niche is focused on families with the innovations they have put on their ships-water slides, flowriders and promenades with all sorts 

of entertainment.

Financially, the bean counters at RCL may have realized that a WC cruise does not fit the RCL profile.

Of course, this WC will proceed, possibly as an experiment.

I think it will be interesting to read about the WC, with all the port stops and to read about the passengers’s experience on such an undertaking.

Bon Voyage to all on the WC!

For those who may be inspired to go on such a travel adventure, consider other cruise lines that do an annual WC.

MJ🙋🏻‍♀️

 

Interestingly, Royal's UWC didn't make the list so not sure how inclusive this list is.  But there are options out there.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/best-world-cruises-of-2023-2024-and-2025

 

Most seem significantly shorter than Royals UWC but maybe that's the key to selling out? Just a thought, not a judgement 🙂

 

[orville99]

18 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

Interestingly, Royal's UWC didn't make the list so not sure how inclusive this list is.  But there are options out there.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/best-world-cruises-of-2023-2024-and-2025

 

Most seem significantly shorter than Royals UWC but maybe that's the key to selling out? Just a thought, not a judgement 🙂

 

If one does a Google search on world cruises, there are more than 30 listed.

As for why other lines world cruises sell out and RCL's didn't, I believe it has more to do with the target demographic and the cruise lines they are more likely to find  a better fit (smaller ships ~600-900 passengers; all suites; all inclusive, etc). Even RCL's Silversea (all suite - All Included) brand is doing a World cruise in both 2025 and 2026 with fares starting at ~$90,000/pp for a Veranda Suite.

Edited December 13, 2023 by orville99

[Merion_Mom]

5 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

My guess would be that the ship did not sell as well as RCI would have liked and at the prices that they wanted. So they had to start selling segments and, even then, people could buy all 4 segments for much less than those who bought the WC in its entirety. It could well be that it would be better financially in the long run for RCI to use the ship to ferry people between Miami and Coco Cay. Only RCI knows the answer.

 

I can also imagine that the logistics of entering so many different countries is a nightmare compared to embarking a typical Caribbean cruise.

 

That is not how the pricing worked.  The prices did not drop until RC started selling the 17 mini-segments separately.  Full segment cruisers are paying full UWC prices.

[Teeara]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

 

You have wonderful plans.  You go girl!  And indeed it was so nice to meet you on our Wonder TA.  Loved our cabin locations that were so convenient to CK/SL.  Was a perfect time.  Just shame Pam was not feeling well.  Hope all is well with her now.  🙂  

Thanks!  I miss that cabin.  Pam and I spent the time saying we needed to build a house with one Wonder Owner's Suite for her and one for me!  Toss in a craft room and big kitchen with pantry for me and a library and storage room for her and we would be set.

 

She still has a torn meniscus and now she's having ankle issues.  They think it's vascular.  No blood clots and it isn't broken (she had a bunch of tests).  Next appointment is next Thursday afternoon.  She says the ankle bothers her more now than the knee.  Both bothered her during our NYC trip last month for the Macy's parade.  It hampered some of the things we wanted to do.  Hopefully they can figure out what's wrong so she's good to go on the Panama Canal cruise next year.

 

And tell Bucky he's going to have to sleep on the couch if he doesn't stop stealing the blankets!  ;o)))

[A&L_Ont]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

BTW...an ambulance showed up as we were tying up lines.  Could not tell if the poor person taken off was from our ship, or the German ship next door.  Sad both ways....not the way to start an adventure.

Hopefully the sick person, guest or crew, is doing as best as possible.
 

It does help to exemplify your earlier tick, tick, tick comment. 

[Teeara]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

Now ladies and gentleman...as we return to our previous show...  😉  

 

We are docked up in Cozumel, and to our great delight (as we found out last night from our Concierge, with applause and cheers) we are docked at the downtown dock!  🙂  We love walking around town here, and best of all...Pancho's Backyard original location in town. 

 

Yes, you can take a taxi from the International dock, but I love being so convenient here.  Most of the ship went on excursions, one of the most popular one is...to see the ruins.  Been there done that, did not like the long bus ride to get there and back.   

 

We will enjoy the day doing our own thing (which is pretty common for us)...and then returning to the pretty much empty ship.  Though even with everyone on board, never feels crowded.  This ship is far from being sold out.  

I wonder if you'll have any pier runners today even though you're at the downtown dock.... ;o)

Edited December 13, 2023 by Teeara

[Ocean Boy]

44 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

That is not how the pricing worked.  The prices did not drop until RC started selling the 17 mini-segments separately.  Full segment cruisers are paying full UWC prices.

Ok, but same premise. RCI was not selling the ship well for the pricing that they wanted and had to developed an alternative plan that, in the long run, is not bringing in the revenue that RCI had hoped for.

[ringers0815]

4 hours ago, island lady said:

Now ladies and gentleman...as we return to our previous show...  😉  

 

We are docked up in Cozumel, and to our great delight (as we found out last night from our Concierge, with applause and cheers) we are docked at the downtown dock!  🙂  We love walking around town here, and best of all...Pancho's Backyard original location in town. 

 

Yes, you can take a taxi from the International dock, but I love being so convenient here.  Most of the ship went on excursions, one of the most popular one is...to see the ruins.  Been there done that, did not like the long bus ride to get there and back.   

 

We will enjoy the day doing our own thing (which is pretty common for us)...and then returning to the pretty much empty ship.  Though even with everyone on board, never feels crowded.  This ship is far from being sold out.  

Thank you for posting about your day. We are following along until we join the ship in LA for the crossing to Brisbane, Australia. Not sure if you will be on the ship for that leg but we are enjoying reading about your cruise.

[Jimbo]

32 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Ok, but same premise. RCI was not selling the ship well for the pricing that they wanted and had to developed an alternative plan that, in the long run, is not bringing in the revenue that RCI had hoped for.

Probably because Royal had never done a WC like this before. They were in uncharted water and didn't really have a grasp as to how to charge for this kind of sailing. Once they put it up for sale and it didn't sell out they failed.

 

Once that happened it was oh no we missed the boat on this, lets see it this will work? Segments, oh no that's not working either, how about mini's?

 

After all this time you pissed off the Full World Cruiser and segment people by over charging them. Now it's just a total mess up, and therefore you will never see Royal offer this kind of cruise again.

Edited December 13, 2023 by Jimbo

[island lady]

58 minutes ago, Teeara said:

Thanks!  I miss that cabin.  Pam and I spent the time saying we needed to build a house with one Wonder Owner's Suite for her and one for me!  Toss in a craft room and big kitchen with pantry for me and a library and storage room for her and we would be set.

 

She still has a torn meniscus and now she's having ankle issues.  They think it's vascular.  No blood clots and it isn't broken (she had a bunch of tests).  Next appointment is next Thursday afternoon.  She says the ankle bothers her more now than the knee.  Both bothered her during our NYC trip last month for the Macy's parade.  It hampered some of the things we wanted to do.  Hopefully they can figure out what's wrong so she's good to go on the Panama Canal cruise next year.

 

And tell Bucky he's going to have to sleep on the couch if he doesn't stop stealing the blankets!  ;o)))

 

Hopefully all goes well with the appointments, and you two can get back to enjoying life again.  Best wishes to you both!

[gumshoe958]

38 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Ok, but same premise. RCI was not selling the ship well for the pricing that they wanted and had to developed an alternative plan that, in the long run, is not bringing in the revenue that RCI had hoped for.

 

I assume the WC was Michael Bayley’s baby and he got the blessing of Richard Fain.

 

Now Fain’s gone, Liberty’s in charge and they can’t sell it out, I’m guessing it’s being seen internally as a big mistake that won’t be repeated. If anything this should have been a Celebrity thing, not a Royal one.

[island lady]

10 minutes ago, ringers0815 said:

Thank you for posting about your day. We are following along until we join the ship in LA for the crossing to Brisbane, Australia. Not sure if you will be on the ship for that leg but we are enjoying reading about your cruise.

 

Thanks!  We actually disembark in LA.  Then rejoin in Barcelona for 4th quarter.  Sorry we will miss you!  🙂 

[doghog]

2 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Hopefully all goes well with the appointments, and you two can get back to enjoying life again.  Best wishes to you both!

Welcome back onboard. How was Ponchos Back Yard? Our go to place also.