It's that time of year ago, and people who were once dreaming of doing that World Cruise have just or will very soon be embarking on the ship of their choice; while the rest of us just sit back and think about the possibility. So what do you have to consider to join those already following in the footsteps of that most famous of circumnavigators, Phileas Fogg, and sailing around the world in 80 days.
If you take the leap and 'Go all the way round' you can be away for a period ranging from 90 to 120 days, calling at up to 41 ports in 24 countries (Arcadia 2012). This begs a couple of questions, who can take the time needed and how many consecutive sea days are there?
Well, the answer to the first may be partly obvious, sitting mostly in the sector of the retired although families with tots and teens do make an occasional appearance.
As for the second question, this is a little more circumspect. The cruise may be going to a number of exotic sounding ports, but how long will it take to get from Papeete, Tahiti to Honolulu, Hawaii, or Barbados to Madeira?
I don't mind my sea days, a great time to relax but if you don't and you get bored easily a World Cruise may not be the choice for you.
Then what about the food and clothes! I know the sailings usually start in Southampton; but I can go up a trouser size on a 2 week cruise, would I have the strength and space in the cabin to take the extra clothes needed? The Gym must be one of the most popular places on such a long cruise.
So for me getting to see those diverse and different places is special, I can't afford the time or want to be away for a full World cruise so the idea of a Sector would seem to give me the best option and i am not that worried about getting to know people who have travelled together for a few weeks already. Unless of course my 6 numbers come up on Wednesday then 2013 here I come!
So having undertaken some research on P&O's website, they have a list of 5 reasons to take a World Cruise; Discovery, Enrichment, Comfort, Celebration and Value, but is a world cruise the only way to experience these?
Well, I think the answer is not really as you can now get a 'Sector' or part of the World Cruise, these can be anything from two weeks to a month or more and are a great way to get that world cruise experience, to fit in with your budget or time constraints.
The options on sectors aren't endless, but you can do The Far East, Australia or even from Capetown back to Southampton, but the drawback here comes with the need to fly, if only one way, due to the airline weight limitations.
So arriving part way through a long cruise gives you the 5 reasons from above, but you then join a cruise which may be like a bit like meeting the neighbours for the first time, as they have had time to build friendships over the part of the cruise you have already missed!
For me then the idea of taking a shorter cruise to see some of these more exotic places would suit my requirements, I don't have the time to spend 3 months away in one go and the fact that others may already have built up friendships wouldn't overly concern me. So am I activley looking, well when I find something that appeals to my sense of travel then I will give it a look, unless my numbers come up on Wednesday!
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