Would you enjoy a world cruise?

[razz]

The thought came to consider a world cruise as a dream vacation. It sounds as though it might be pricey but I loved the idea of visiting different places around the globe but only unpacking once and sleeping in the same bed for the duration of the holiday.
Anyone done a world cruise? Would you ever want to do such a long cruise?
Just dreaming...

[bae]

I do not think I would enjoy a commercial cruise. On a small private vessel, I'd love it.

[mtnlaurel]

Yes!!! I think I would... however, I feel claustrophobic at the ocean - like I reached the end of civilization vs. someone that looks out at the ocean as the beginning of exploration.
When I look out over mountains that is when I see things I want to explore.

I had a friend do Semester at Sea during college way back and it sounded AMAZING.

[Blackdog Lin]

It will never happen for me, but I am with you in your dream. I am an oceanic soul land-locked in Kansas, with insufficient funds to liberate myself. The ocean (any, all oceans) call to me. But I will make do with pastures, and open skies, and trees and hills. And I will be happy with the quiet beauty of where I live.

But Oh! if I had the funds.....I would travel the world's oceans and ports o' calls, and learn from and about all the different lands and peoples of the oceans.....

Go for it! Start a savings account now.

[SteveinMN]

We did a 15-day cruise for our honeymoon; about half the trip was crossing the Atlantic so the ship would be ready for Caribbean winter cruising. We weren't sure we could last that long, so we made sure we packed plenty of books (e- and otherwise) and some other diversions. >8) We needn't have worried. It was so nice to slow life waaaaay down and the days passed in a blur of naps, meals, reading, and staring off the side of the ship in contemplation. Around the world, though ... I'd have to think about that one. We really weren't crazy about a lot of the entertainment on the ship. We don't gamble, the live shows are entertaining but not something we go for on land, and shopping wasn't a leisure activity even then. I like to get off the ship every few days at some different port of call. But if someone handed me a blank check, I sure would check the cruise brochures!

[freein05]

No I would gain 100 lbs. We went on one Alaska cruise for 4 days and I gained 10 lbs.

[puglogic]

I don't enjoy being on the water for that long, and would probably tend to get claustrophobic. I don't like the commercialism of cruises, either. You tend to meet only other cruisers, OR locals whose livelihood depends on selling something to the cruisers, OR people who are paid a salary to cater to the cruisers' whims and needs.....nothing interesting there for me (a person who loves to explore what it's really like to be a citizen in all of the places I've visited) I don't even like tour groups for that reason. It all seems very artificial. A round-the-world TRIP, yes, but not on a boat. Just perhaps 2-3 weeks in each location so I can put down some roots and feel the heartbeat of a place.

But if it sounds dreamy to you, Razz, you should try to do it. Some family members just adore it and tell lovely stories about their experiences.

[Florence]

Not for me. I wouldn't like being on a boat that long. There are many places around the world that I'd like to see but I'd rather spend my time being there rather than spend so much time getting there.

[iris lily]

nope, sorry, I get seasick on big boats. I was on the Queen Elizabeth II for a crossing from Southampton to New York and it was rather awful.

But a trek to see the world would be great. I wouldn't mind hauling a small suitcase along. I'd stay in one place for a week - ten days so as to not be unpacking all of the time.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yes, I think I'd like it. I hate flying. I dont' have the time obviously but ... I think I'd like it nontheless.

I would kind of want to put down roots for awhile too to get the feel of a place. Meeting locals is good, but if the people on the cruise boat are more local to where you live that's really more useful in the end (yea it's not a different culture, but I like meeting people that I can be friends with over the long run - serious introvert tendencies, meeting and then that's it is bittersweet).

[BayouGirl]

I had the unique experience to have lived on a carnival cruise ship for 6 month. There were 2 carnival cruise ships docked in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to house firefighters, police officers, first responders, etc. I lived in a 10 x 20 cabin for 6 months with my late fiance (who was a firefighter). Granted, we didn't cruise anywhere but we found we lived quite happily in our small space (we had not lived together before and had only been dating a few weeks so it was quite a unique experience).

Our experience showed us that we could live happily in a small space and we planned on retiring to a tiny camp on the water one day. Our cabin on the ship was our snug little cocoon in a floating city in the midst of a real world of New Orleans that had been demolished. It was our safe haven that he retreated after work. We also took a cruise the year after and enjoyed it as well. It was like being back home again for us. We would have happily signed on to live on the cruise ship and sailed the world together.

There is a cruise ship that sails the world and all of the cabins are privately owned and the owners live on the ship and sail all over. (It is called "The World", I think). It is only for the ultra wealthy, obviously but it is a nice idea to dream about. I wouldn't be interested in socializing with the wealthy though. I wouldn't like getting dressed up for dinner or socializing with people who worship designer labels. I would rather be among everyday people and experience everyday things.

I would much prefer to sail to my destinations as opposed to packing and unpacking, checking onto different hotels and dealing with horrors of flying these days. (I love to fly but the TSA experience has totally put me off of flying). This would actually be ideal for me if I were to travel. I deal with fibromyalgia and sporadic chronic fatigue (among other things) and could never contemplate an ordinary vacation with all of the usual exertions of traveling.

But mostly I am a homebody. I have no need to leave home and BayouBoy teasingly calls me "antisocial" because I don't usually want to go anyplace. I am totally content to be home. I truly love where I live.

[redfox]

Paid for by someone else? Yeah, I'd make that work!

[mira]

How timely, as my partner and I were just talking about this. Not with the intention of actually doing it soon, but just wondering how we felt about it.

I think I'd be interested in a cruise if the destinations were the main event rather than the cruise itself, and if more time were spent in the destinations than the ship. The thought of endless cabaret entertainment makes me feel a little seasick.

[Rosemary]

I don't really enjoy being on the water that much and I'd feel trapped on the ship, even if large. I'd prefer to fly to one place and take the train from place to place from there, with minimal luggage to drag around.

[razz]

Fun to read the responses to this dream. I had not thought about the rich meals or the idea of only the well-to-do crusing or people selling services aboard ship and don't know why I had not.
I checked out some websites and some cruises spend a great deal more time at stops at many more ports and others spend more time at sea - something to do with the type of ship and its speed, if I remember correctly. Different strokes for different interests, I suppose.

I loved the bus tours that I took with our kids. I simply chose the trip in consulation with them, paid for it and then never had to make a decision about accommodation, travel route or detours beyond optionals. They were amazing trips and my girls were safe and adopted by the rest of the people on the bus and included in all kinds of neat activities. Wonderful experience that I could never offer as one parent on a solo trip. Maybe that is why I am not uncomfortable about a world cruise. I did one cruise on a small ship that felt very confining though so would need a larger ocean liner with room to walk.

[Mrs-M]

I do a lot of dreaming, too, but am not much for cruise ships. My pleasure would consist of setting my sights upon, one, maybe two destinations, then flying to those regions/areas and staying for a time. When it comes to vacationing, I need to get out and about and walk around (for days at a stretch) to adventure, explore, and take-in all that the locales have to offer, however, I sense there would be an aura of urgency if on a cruise, always being limited in the way of time, to settle-down and call stopovers your own for whatever amount of time you needed to enjoy.

[artist]

A cruise isn't my idea of fun. I'd much rather get to one place and spend some serious time there getting to know the people, the area, the culture etc...

[Float On]

Not a world cruise...I think I'd rather travel by train. But I did just get a packet of info from Windjammer Cruises. We're considering a short 3-5 day New England cruise for our 25th. Smaller vessels privately owned - some take as few as 6 passengers and some 30 or so. Anyone been on one of those?

[SteveinMN]

I was surprised to discover that I lost weight on every cruise I've been on (five). First, visiting ports of call means lots of walking around or other activities (I got to mountain-bike in the hills of Italy one time). You also can do as many laps around the ship as you can handle and there is a gym on board and dance/aerobics classes,...

Second, I find that, with the food prepaid, it's easy to take just a taste and let it be. Sometimes a taste is all I want but buying a whole piece of whatever encourages not wasting it. It also was easier to eat when I was hungry instead of at set mealtimes. And even easier to eat more vegetarian meals since it's right there and prepared.

It just really works for me.

[Nella]

An unqualified "Absolutely!" Given the opportunity I'd leave today. Give me an hour to pack and I'm good. I did a 5 weeks freighter cruise once that was heaven. To be on a passenger ship for that long or even longer would be...what do they call it? The seventh level of heaven??

[Gardenarian]

I'm a loner and a hiker - I don't think I would enjoy a cruise. Travel is pretty low on my list of priorities anyhow.

[JaneV2.0]

Maybe. I don't like the "travel" part of travel at all--outside of a not-too-long scenic drive--especially if it involves flying. If the cruise had a central theme like art instruction or international cuisine or history with workshops and related activities at ports of call plus free time I think I'd enjoy it quite a bit.

[Simplemind]

In a heartbeat. The destinations would be a plus but I love being out on the water. We will be going on our 4th big cruise ship vacation this Christmas. I have also done an extended trip on a 54ft sailboat. That was one of the best trips of my life. There is something about the sea that totally relaxes me. We don't take part in most cruise activities, we love to relax. The food on large cruise ships could really do you in if you don't police yourself.

[Wildflower]

I would enjoy the sights that I would see going on a cruise - but I would go batty being on a big boat surrounded by water with a bunch of people. ;)

I don't care for flying either, but I can do it for short periods of time. A cruise - no way!

[sweetana3]

I travel to get away from the American way of life. It is harder and harder to do. I want to stroll the streets of a foreign country and meet the people. Best trip ever was India.

A cruise is so much "taking our own life with us" that it almost is not a vacation. We used to do it because no car or computer was needed and he could get away from work completely. We have done it about 5 times and the most fun time was taking a cruise from one line for a week, coming back and walking down the pier to take another week from a different line. We got to compare the vastly different experiences when we returned. (I had two weeks to use in leave and no 2 week cruises could be found.) But husband has said no more because he really does not enjoy them.

[Spartana]

No! After spending years at sea while in the Coast Guard I would hate a long cruise - I'd hate a short cruise too :-)! Just don't like the whole cruise lifestyle at all - too sedendary, too opulant and too much food and waste. I'd go insane I think :-)! But ex-dh and I had planned on doing a round the world sail on our sailboat - more his dream then mine as I would rather travel around the world by foot or bike, etc... Never happened (and he got the sail boat in the divorce) but doing it on my own with my own boat would be OK I think. My step brother spent years at sea travelling around the world on his sailboat. Lived on only a few hundred bucks a month too. Very simple liver. He pased away recently in the caribeean on his boat. Lots of on-line article about his very adventurous life - here's one short one:

"In February 2008, lifelong adventurer and photojournalist Mike Harker successfully completed a one year circumnavigation on his yacht, Wanderlust III, a 2007 Hunter 49 equipped with Raymarine electronics.

Living his dream to sail around the world is an extraordinary accomplishment considering the extensive injuries Harker suffered in a 1977 hang gliding accident. Outdoor Life Network’s series “The 20 Most Courageous” profiled Harker in 2004 for his bold exploits pioneering the sport of hang gliding in the 1960’s and 70’s. In 1977 he fell from a height of nearly 400 feet, breaking over 30 bones and putting him in a coma for 11 months. Despite predictions that he would never leave a wheelchair, intense determination pushed him through an aggressive recovery program eventually allowing him to walk and hang glide again.

At age 52, and with very little sailing experience, Harker bought a boat and completed the 2000 Ha-Ha. 18 months later, he singlehanded across the Atlantic, and during the next 20 months cruised 24,000 miles between Miami and Malta, Malta and the Marquesas, and the Marquesas and his home in Manhattan Beach – much of it singlehanded. In this podcast Harker discusses his experiences, along with the challenges he faced, during his nearly year-long sail around the world."

[catherine]

Wow, Spartana, your family sure got the adventure DNA. So sorry to hear about your stepbrother, but it sure sounds like he lived life fully.

As far as the cruise thing--my DH has always said pretty much what you said. He served in the Marines and as a result I have NEVER gone on a camping trip. He says he's camped enough for a lifetime.

[CeciliaW]

Oh I would do it!

[Spartana]

Wow, Spartana, your family sure got the adventure DNA. So sorry to hear about your stepbrother, but it sure sounds like he lived life fully.

Thanks but the truth is - I hardly knew him. He was alot older then me - by 15 years or so - and already an adult off living the adventurous life when my Dad married his Mom and I was only around 14 or so. So even though he was my step-brother in name, I probably only actually saw him less than 10 times in the 30 plus years our parents were married. But I got to hear and read about all his wild adventures (some very far out there!) and he was always an inspiration to me as a way to combine an adventurous, non-traditional life with living simply and frugally.