HAL is surveying itineraries for future world cruises

[WriterOnDeck]

My main response is why not more new ports. I guess one of the disadvantages of taking multiple grand cruises is that soon they repeat. If you start in January, you won't go north. Only so many ways to circle the globe. But still -- can't we have more new ports even on similar routes?

 

Three head south to Antarctica and Santiago, Chili, before heading west. One goes south around Australia, two north. Two south around Africa, two through Suez to Med. One goes to northern Europe. And one is eastbound, ending in San Diego.

[ExArkie]

I received an invitation to participate in the survey, even though we have only one sailing on HAL nine years ago. We do have a transpacific trip booked for next year, so maybe they thought we’d be interested in longer voyages. We really have no interest in a four-month world cruise, and indicated such in their question at the beginning of the survey. Essentially, the survey response was, “Noted that you don’t want a world cruise, but we’d like your opinion anyway.”
 

I found their proposed itineraries interesting, and, though there did seem to be a tendency to include the “usual” ports, there were several uncommon stops included. I liked that there were several overnights in ports on each proposed itinerary. 

The only itinerary I really objected to was the eastbound trip. To me, the time changes are more problematic when moving the clocks forward, i.e., 23-hour days going east as compared to 25-hour days going west. 

 

[DCThunder]

48 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

The only itinerary I really objected to was the eastbound trip. To me, the time changes are more problematic when moving the clocks forward, i.e., 23-hour days going east as compared to 25-hour days going west. 

Travelling eastward is why Phileas Fogg made it back to London on time...

[kazu]

1 hour ago, WriterOnDeck said:

But still -- can't we have more new ports even on similar routes?

 

I got the survey too and reviewed the itineraries.  

 

I completely agree with you.  How many times do you want to repeat the same ports over and over?  

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We will all find out soon.😀

[mwj]

For any that did not get the survey, here are the five itineraries surveyed ...

A)

 

[mwj]

[mwj]

[mwj]

[mwj]

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for posting the itineraries. Apparently there are huge swaths of the world about which I am "meh"......

 

Why don't any of them visit Japan and China?

 

Do world cruises on smaller ships tend to visit more interesting ports?

 

[VMax1700]

I received the survey and am just about to spend a wet Saturday afternoon answering it.  But a 'World' without Japan or China is a bit hard to understand and certainly one which I would not consider.  Actually looking at the maps they would be better named 'Equatorial Cruises' than 'World Cruises'.

 

[pmjnh]

8 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Why don't any of them visit Japan and China?

 

 

We received this as well. There was a question at the end asking about seaports you would want to have included (or visit) and they included Singapore and Tokyo.

[jimdee3636]

@mwj

Thanks for posting the itineraries. I didn't get the survey either, but if I had I would have voted for "A" or the final Eastbound one. I'm not likely to do either one---the longest cruise I've ever taken was a 30-night Inca Explorer out of San Diego, which was perfect but just long enough---but if my Powerball strategy finally pays off, who knows?

 

Jim

[Infi]

Also got the survey yesterday evening and was pleasantly surprised; I never get interesting HAL surveys. I am booked on the 2025 WC so figured that was likely the reason.

 

I wonder how this survey will intersect with the current WC, as it seems like they usually present several itineraries to those pax and have them vote. There's likely a lot of overlap between the survey population and that group as well.

[cruisemom42]

It would also be interesting to know what percentage of passengers on a World Cruise are those who tend to repeat it versus those for whom it is a "one and done" kind of thing.

 

I suspect one reason for including some of the same places on many proffered itineraries is because of the latter group. If I were ever to go on a World Cruise, I'd want to make sure it included a good number of those places that are difficult to get to on other, shorter cruises -- such as Easter Island. But then, it can be problematic going there on a larger ship due to the processes involved in getting ashore.

[whogo]

54 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Do world cruises on smaller ships tend to visit more interesting ports?

Check out this itinerary on a small German language cruise ship: https://www.phoenixreisen.com/die-grosse-weltumrundung-mit-ms-amadea-westwaerts-in-146-tagen.html?source=searchform&searchIdCruiseDate=3084276

[Hygge!]

1 hour ago, mwj said:

Looks like 2020!

[cruisemom42]

5 minutes ago, whogo said:

Check out this itinerary on a small German language cruise ship: https://www.phoenixreisen.com/die-grosse-weltumrundung-mit-ms-amadea-westwaerts-in-146-tagen.html?source=searchform&searchIdCruiseDate=3084276

 

Interesting. Lots of Asia would be a plus for me but first segment in the Caribbean and through the canal is not so attractive for a US cruiser.

 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I too got the survey and indicated that until Brazilian visa rules change I would be unlikely to book any of the options that are Brazil heavy. The requirement to disclose private financial details in the visa application process in a country known for fraud disturbs me. Especially as the application is not done through an official government agency but a third party contractor. 
 

I also agree on the lack of Japanese, Korean and Chinese ports being an overall negative. 

[whogo]

Agreed, cruisemom.  A world cruise for North Americans does not need to visit the Caribbean or the USA. Look at the possibilities, though, of El Salvador and Nicaragua, US cruise lines don't go there. Visit Marshall Islands, Chuuk, Guam and Saipan for WWII history and the Germans visit places in the Philippines and Malaysia that I never heard of. 

 

Unfortunately, I think the seniors who take world cruises want safe, familiar places.

 

[HappyInVan]

I'll have 4-star Mariner status after the next HAL cruise. Naturally, I was looking forward to long cruises. However, in view of the escalating risk of a global conflict, I have 4 cruises booked for 2024, all around North America.

 

For those with the means, you can visit small ports on small ships. Or, you can try a different class or cruise line. I'll be travelling with Explora and MSC YC. Eying Hurtigruten expeditions etc.

 

Travel safely. Enjoy.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

Thanks for posting the itineraries. Apparently there are huge swaths of the world about which I am "meh"......

 

Why don't any of them visit Japan and China?

 

Do world cruises on smaller ships tend to visit more interesting ports?

 

 

China has only recently reopened to International cruise ships, so they may be reluctant to schedule World Cruises, until getting some experience with regional cruises, especially the availability of tour infrastructure. Japan is also in the winter months and is further north than they usually want to travel, when making it around the World in 100 - 130 days.

 

While the HAL World Cruises are longer than other mainstream lines, the smaller premium/luxury ships take even longer, often up to 6 - 9 months. Our 1st WC was on Princess, where we went right around in 104-nights. Our 2nd was with Viking, where we did 1/2 the 245-day World Cruise, taking 120-days from L/A to London. So on smaller ships you get a better port/sea day ratio and normally more hours in port. In addition to numerous overnights, you also get a number of ports with 2-overnights, which is when you really get to explore the port and surrounding area.

 

The smaller ships also have the ability to visit smaller less popular ports, although in reviewing HAL itineraries, they do have better ports than other mainstream lines.

 

 

[WriterOnDeck]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Thanks for posting the itineraries. Apparently there are huge swaths of the world about which I am "meh"......

 

Why don't any of them visit Japan and China?

 

Do world cruises on smaller ships tend to visit more interesting ports?

 

We on the current world cruise will visit Japan and China. 
 

One issue is that the world cruise usually starts in early January. I assume for those who want to escape winter in the US and Canada. Staying in the northern hemisphere won’t be that warm. I’m expecting Japan in February to be cold this year. You can’t just head right there in January. (Hence the Amazon this year?)

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

It would also be interesting to know what percentage of passengers on a World Cruise are those who tend to repeat it versus those for whom it is a "one and done" kind of thing.

 

I suspect one reason for including some of the same places on many proffered itineraries is because of the latter group. If I were ever to go on a World Cruise, I'd want to make sure it included a good number of those places that are difficult to get to on other, shorter cruises -- such as Easter Island. But then, it can be problematic going there on a larger ship due to the processes involved in getting ashore.

 

On both our World Cruises, a good percentage were repeat World Cruisers, with some being on their 9th WC.

 

Just a caution about Easter Island, as they experience a larger proportion of cancellations due to ocean swells. We were fortunate to get ashore, but were the first Princess WC in 6-years to get ashore.