is a world cruise right for me?

[cruise junky joan]

My husband and I have taken many short cruises and a few 10 days but no longer. I am worried that a world cruise of 100+ days may be more than I can handle. Anyone been on a world cruise and willing to offer some advice or guidance? Thanks Joan

[captain_rad]

This past January my wife and I sailed from LA - Sydney. We wondered about a 23 day cruise but couldn't pass up a chance to sail on the QE 2. The days flew by and before we knew it it was time to get off in Sydney. The people on the ship are fascinating to talk and the ship felt like home almost immediatley. We had a great time with the crew and we are looking forward to seeing them in January for the first two legs of the world cruise. Our cruise ended 8 months ago and we are still talking about it. If you like talking to interesting people, if you like to dress for dinner, and if you want to be pampered by the crew. We will see you on board.

[bobby1119]

This past January my wife and I sailed from LA - Sydney. We wondered about a 23 day cruise but couldn't pass up a chance to sail on the QE 2. The days flew by and before we knew it it was time to get off in Sydney. The people on the ship are fascinating to talk and the ship felt like home almost immediatley. We had a great time with the crew and we are looking forward to seeing them in January for the first two legs of the world cruise. Our cruise ended 8 months ago and we are still talking about it. If you like talking to interesting people, if you like to dress for dinner, and if you want to be pampered by the crew. We will see you on board.

 

CaptainRAD, Your answer to the posted question was interesting to me. At times when I think about 108 days away from home and traveling solo, I find myself saying, "Have I bit off more than I can chew." At times I get very excited about what promises to be the great adventure of a lifetime; at other times, I get butterflies in my tummy. I am hoping to make friends aboard as QE2 always draws an interesting mix of passengers. Of course, QE2 herself is already an old friend. I hope to meet you & your wife. Did CruiseCritic posters get together last year on the world cruise, and do you know if/how anything is organized for this year's cruise?

 

Bobby

[Luna19]

A World Cruise is one of the most interesting experiences you can make, and travelling on QE2 also, even if the lady is not on the highest standard, the atmosphere between Passengers, Service, Itinerary and Crew is unique. The days go past so quick that you may not even notice, and there are so much things to do, that you will be looking forward to repeat the experience...there are not enough hours a day to do it all.

A very good friend who sadly past away last year, used to say that the atmosphere you find on QE2 you might not find it in your own family, or in your comunity with your neighbours or friends. and i´m sure he knew what he was talking about as he came back each year.

So the only thing which could ruin your voyage could be.....seasickness, but the Doctor has a magic shot which makes you feel like new again.

See you soon...

[Therapst's Lady]

Hello, Joan:

My husband and I are booked on the QM2's Maiden World Cruise, which is 81 days, Ft Lauderdale to Ft Lauderdale. We booked it because 1) it is not as long as QE2's WC, 2) we liked the itinerary better, and 3) QM2 has many more modern amenities:) .

We have recently taken a 28-day repo cruise on Diamond Princess from Sydney to SF and just last month a 17-day repo cruise on Sun Princess Seattle to FLL. Both of those cruises went by in a flash! So we are very much looking forward to our QM2 World Cruise 'Around the World in 81 Days' as they've billed it.

All this to say, perhaps you could 'get your feet wet' on a shorter World Cruise of 81 days, then next year you could take a longer one on QE2 or the brand-new Queen Victoria.

January can't come soon enough;) ,

[cruise junky joan]

I so envy you your trip in January. It would be great if once you are back you could post something letting us know what it is like to be onboard for 80 days. Thanks joan

[Kindlychap]

All this to say' date=' perhaps you could 'get your feet wet' on a shorter World Cruise of 81 days, then next year you could take a longer one on QE2 or the brand-new Queen Victoria.[[/font']quote]

 

Word has it that the Victoria will take 181 days for a world cruise, as she's so slow!

[captain_rad]

CaptainRAD, Your answer to the posted question was interesting to me. At times when I think about 108 days away from home and traveling solo, I find myself saying, "Have I bit off more than I can chew." At times I get very excited about what promises to be the great adventure of a lifetime; at other times, I get butterflies in my tummy. I am hoping to make friends aboard as QE2 always draws an interesting mix of passengers. Of course, QE2 herself is already an old friend. I hope to meet you & your wife. Did CruiseCritic posters get together last year on the world cruise, and do you know if/how anything is organized for this year's cruise?

 

Bobby

 

Bobby

 

Last January we got on the QE 2 not knowing what to expect. My wife and I have a great time together, so we didn't give much thought to the people that we might meet. We met friendly people everywhere, at the lectures, walking on deck, at afternoon tea, and at the puzzel table. We sopke to more people on the QE 2 then on all the other cruises combined. We found everyone to be interesting to talk to and they listen to what you have to say.

 

Don't worry about sailing in a single, you won't be alone on the QE 2 unless you want to be. In our dining room there was a table of six singles, 5 of them got along great, the other one wanted to be left alone so they did. Think of it as the first day of school and you have 1900 students that you haven't met yet.

 

The last cruise we bumped into a few of the CC people but nothing got organized. The Yacht club gets a bit crazy at night, so we always hung out in the Chart room after dinner. Stop by and join us for a drink after dinner, we will be sitting by the piano.

[roscoe39]

All this to say' date=' perhaps you could 'get your feet wet' on a shorter World Cruise of 81 days, then next year you could take a longer one on QE2 or the brand-new Queen Victoria.[[/font']quote]

 

Word has it that the Victoria will take 181 days for a world cruise, as she's so slow!

 

heya kindly chap.....she may not be as fast as the QE2 but....not that slow! The 2008 world cruise brochure quotes the duration Southampton return as 106 days..... although im seriously tempted to do a full world cruise in 2011, 181 days would have the most ardent cruiser thinking twice im sure!

[cruise junky joan]

It's nice to see that I am not the only one who dreams in terms of years away and not just months. We couldn't do a world cruise until my youngest goes to college; although if I can talk her into the local community college we can upgrade our cabin. In the meantime I'll keep mooning over the brochures. Joan

[roscoe39]

well i figure if and when i make it to another scary birthday milestone...there has to be some sort of reward in it for me...lol... My 35 days on the Queen Vic in 2008 is the trial run.

[floridakeith]

. We have recently taken a 28-day repo cruise on Diamond Princess from Sydney to SF and just last month a 17-day repo cruise on Sun Princess Seattle to FLL. Both of those cruises went by in a flash! So we are very much looking forward to our QM2 World Cruise 'Around the World in 81 Days' as they've billed it.

 

I was interested to see your reply. I have an ambition to do a world cruise but my wife pointed out that the longest we have done is a 14 night one so we ought to build up and test the water. So we have booked the 2008 Sapphire Princess 31 night repositioning cruise from Sydney to LA. How did you find Diamond Princess? We sailed on Star Princess to Alaska in 2003 and enjoyed the ship.

 

We are also booked to try the QM2 on a transatlantic crossing next year. This is part of my cunning plan to try out the potential world cruise ships of P&O and Cunard!

[FranKes2000]

I am planning for the Queen Vic. world cruise 2008, I have done cruises of long weekends to 14 days. I go alone but always meet interesting people.

I am still in contact with a couple I met on QE2 in 1984.

[Therapst's Lady]

I was interested to see your reply. I have an ambition to do a world cruise but my wife pointed out that the longest we have done is a 14 night one so we ought to build up and test the water. So we have booked the 2008 Sapphire Princess 31 night repositioning cruise from Sydney to LA. How did you find Diamond Princess? We sailed on Star Princess to Alaska in 2003 and enjoyed the ship.

 

To floridakeith:

I'm sorry I didn't reply to your question back in October; I must have missed checking that particular thread and it got away from me.:o

We really like Diamond Princess, sister to Sapphire Princess, a lot. It is a beautiful ship. We've have been on Golden Princess once and Caribbean Princess twice, and since they are all Grand class Princess ships, their layout is almost identical.:cool: We were on Diamond back in April '06.

In October, we were on Sun Princess for a 17-day repo Panama Canal cruise from Seattle to Ft Lauderdale. Because it is not a Grand class ship, I kept getting turned around in it (when I wanted to go to the theatre forward, I'd wind up in the Vista Lounge aft). I can't tell you how many times I walked all the way forward to the theatre only to have to retrace my steps aft to where I wanted to go in the first place. This from someone who generally has a very well-developed sense of direction! It was very frustrating.:( I guess I had been on so many of the Grand class ships, I'd gotten used to their layouts! Diamond Princess traveled very well in some pretty rough water coming out of Sydney Harbor south thru the Tasman Sea. So, I would have to say that I liked her very much and would love to travel on her again.

We have been on many Princess ships and have enjoyed them all. Our first 'long' cruise was a 14-day repo cruise aboard Royal Princess back in 1984. We had previously only taken 7-day cruises. It felt so good at the end of the first week when we knew we had another whole week of the cruise left. On our very first cruise someone told us..."the people you will envy the most are those getting on the ship as you are getting off." They were soooooo right! All this to say, the longer the cruise, the nicer it is and the faster it seems to fly by! Enjoy your 31-day Sydney to LA aboard Sapphire Princess and your TA aboard QM2!:)

Good cruising,

[LunchCompanion]

I am in the process of getting my tickets for twenty nine days on the Sapphire Princess this April.

After the twenty nine days, I think I will know better if I want to go through with my booking on the QV maiden world cruise. My travel agent says that I could get my deposit back if I cancel on the world cruise before October.

I also have a 28 day on a ship similar to the QV, the Noordam, for the fall.

I was on a twenty eight day sequence on the Regal Princess three years ago and there were problems with the luggage, so much of it, at the old cruise terminal in Manhattan. I hope the QM segment comes back to Brooklyn, which is a newer terminal than Manhattan.

Another problem with the regal princess was the second hand smoke. I don't smoke. My travel agent assures me that she will get me a non smoking cabin on the QV.

The pictures of the dining room on the QV indicate a similar dining room to the Brittania on the QM2, so dining shouldnt be a problem around the world.

I may have a problem with my incoming snail mail and my bills on the around the world cruise. I will look into that before October.

The biggest problem I will probably have is getting used to being a landlubber after one hundred and five days at sea!

[pnhmrk]

My travel agent assures me that she will get me a non smoking cabin on the QV.

 

I'd get that as a guarantee in writing - as far as I'm aware Cunard doesn't have any non-smoking cabins on any of the ships.

[travel-to-go]

I'd get that as a guarantee in writing - as far as I'm aware Cunard doesn't have any non-smoking cabins on any of the ships.

They do assign cabins as "non-smoking" Someone posted here that they got into their cabin on QM2 on one trip and it was nasty smelling of stale smoke. Within a very short time, the steward (or some sort of cleaning crew) came in and purified the room with some sort of amazing stuff that totally satisfied the poster. If they can do that good a job and the walls aren't dingy and there aren't holes in the bedspread from cigarette burns, then I'm happy. (Well, as long as it doesn't come through from next door as someone has mentioned with adjoining cabins- that might even be annoying for a smoker if they could smell it from next door!)

 

Karie,

who has not had a problem with her Cunard cabins.

[pnhmrk]

They do assign cabins as "non-smoking"

 

Where did you get that from? I think (although I couldn't swear to it) that the only time a cabin can be classified as non-smoking is shared by two people who are not on the same booking - ie if Cunard have decided on who will share the cabin. QM2 might be different (because all the cabins of a type are similar) but they certainly don't have non-smoking cabins on QE2.

[travel-to-go]

Where did you get that from? I think (although I couldn't swear to it) that the only time a cabin can be classified as non-smoking is shared by two people who are not on the same booking - ie if Cunard have decided on who will share the cabin. QM2 might be different (because all the cabins of a type are similar) but they certainly don't have non-smoking cabins on QE2.

Well, Malcolm,

I could be wrong. But I swear I remember cabins being designated thus. Maybe I am remembering something else- Some resport hotel or something.

Now that you ask, I'm not totally certain.

Heck, I 've been wrong before and I'll likely be wrong again!

 

Karie,

who thought she was wrong once, but discovered she'd been mistaken about it. :p

[pnhmrk]

Heck, I 've been wrong before and I'll likely be wrong again!

 

I know that feeling!:) That's why I'm loathed to say that there aren't non smoking cabins, just that I've never seen them on the QE2. I would suggest that Lunch Companion gets the non smoking cabin confirmed in writing and takes it on the cruise with him because I thing he might get there to be told that those cabins don't exist. (If you're relying not only on what Cunard head office says but also on what the average travel agent says then you'd be lucky to find out that Cunard runs cruise ships:eek: ).

[Downeaster]

This past January my wife and I sailed from LA - Sydney. We wondered about a 23 day cruise but couldn't pass up a chance to sail on the QE 2. The days flew by and before we knew it it was time to get off in Sydney. The people on the ship are fascinating to talk and the ship felt like home almost immediatley. We had a great time with the crew and we are looking forward to seeing them in January for the first two legs of the world cruise. Our cruise ended 8 months ago and we are still talking about it. If you like talking to interesting people, if you like to dress for dinner, and if you want to be pampered by the crew. We will see you on board.

 

Hi,

 

You are absolutely correct! We are now just about to end our WC Segment on QM2 in Sydney, and have had the greatest of times. Very interesting and travelled people are on board to chat with.

 

This is our second World Cruise Segment. The first being on QE2 in 1988. WC and Crossings are our favorites. Not to say that we don't cruise elsewhere, but we enjoy the latter more.

 

We are looking forward to the huge welcome in Sydney in a few hours. The luggage has been packed and removed, and a night cap is waiting in the Commodore Club. The CC is the place on QM2 to really enjoy the experience.

 

Thanks,

Kurt