Grand Voyages
Longer itineraries allow avid cruisers to explore some of the world’s most intriguing regions
By Justin Boyd
Grand voyages typically cater to experienced cruisers who seek out exotic and unusual ports to visit, as well as older travelers who have the time and resources to be away from home for long periods. Itineraries for these sailings range from 14 to 100-plus days in length, but they average 20 to 60 days.
Typically, grand voyages incorporate different parts of the world to provide passengers with a diverse sampling of people, places, cultures and climates. At major ports, ships might remain docked for multiple days, allowing guests to immerse themselves in all that the destination has to offer.
"Often a grand voyage is by far the best way to see distant cities not easily reached by air or land," says Bruce Godwin, a travel counselor with Vacations To Go, a leading cruise discounter. "One can visit several continents in a few weeks and only unpack once. No airport hassles again and again, no waiting for delayed flights or unfamiliar procedures in various countries. And no deciphering foreign menus -- all the meals are provided on your ship for the duration."
Vacations To Go has packaged a wide variety of grand voyages by combining two or more back-to-back itineraries aboard the same ship. The trips are available on many cruise lines, from mainstream companies such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International to the six-star fleets of Crystal Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Travelers who have the time to take these longer cruises will find that the per diem rates are often lower than they are for shorter itineraries in the same region. In addition, Vacations To Go customers usually receive additional savings from this leading cruise discounter.
Longer cruises that include multiple segments should be booked six to 12 months in advance to ensure availability. If you delay, one segment of your desired itinerary could sell out, making it impossible to book the entire journey. Also, as the departure date approaches, it can be more difficult to find a specific cabin that is available on multiple segments, which means you may have to change cabins partway through your cruise.
World Cruising
Circling the globe in 100 days or more, world cruises are the grandest of grand voyages. They appeal to intrepid travelers who want to venture to the far-flung corners of the Earth -- and all points in between.
During the many days at sea, passengers are kept occupied and entertained by a wide assortment of amenities and activities, from spas and workout rooms to sports facilities, movie theaters, onboard enrichment programs, restaurants, lounges and daily activities from morning to night.
In 2008, there will be seven world cruises offered by Crystal, Cunard, Holland America, Princess, Regent and Silversea. By press time, one of these voyages, aboard Cunard's brand-new Queen Victoria, had already sold out.
But travelers can still get a taste of Cunard's classic style aboard its quintessential ocean liner, the 2008-passenger Queen Elizabeth 2, on a 103-day trip that departs Jan. 6, 2008, from Southampton, England, the port for London. Along the way, the ship crosses the international date line twice and sails through the Panama Canal to ports in South America, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Hawaii, New York and California. For more details about the Queen Elizabeth 2's 2008 World Cruise, click here.
Crystal Cruises offers a 108-day world expedition that embarks from Los Angeles on Jan. 19, 2008, on its 1,080-passenger Crystal Serenity. The trip from the six-star line includes overnight stays in French Polynesia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Egypt and Italy. For more details about Crystal's 2008 World Cruise, click here.
Holland America's 1,380-passenger Amsterdam departs Jan. 4, 2008, from Fort Lauderdale, FL, on a 113-day journey that includes stops in the Cayman Islands, Australia, China, India, Turkey, Russia, Greece and Croatia. For more details about Holland America's 2008 World Cruise, click here.
Princess provides a worldwide sailing aboard its 688-guest Pacific Princess beginning Jan. 10, 2008. Some of the major cities that passengers will see on this 102-day trip include Hong Kong; Bombay, India; Rome; Athens, Greece; Cannes, France; Barcelona, Spain; and Paris. Passengers disembark in Southampton on April 22. For more details about Princess' 2008 World Cruise, click here.
The longest sailing available, Regent's 115-day tour of the globe, departs from San Francisco on Jan. 6, 2008, and ends in Fort Lauderdale on April 30. On the spacious Seven Seas Voyager, 700 passengers will visit exotic locations such as Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Madang, Papua New Guinea; Nha Trang, Vietnam; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Malaga, Spain. For more details about Regent's 2008 World Cruise, click here.
Take a 110-day trip with six-star line Silversea as your guide. The 380-guest Silver Shadow sets sail from Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 16, 2008, and passes through the Panama Canal on its way to stops along Mexico's Pacific coast and in Hawaii. Later in the journey, the ship calls at ports in China, Japan, Egypt, Greece, Italy and Spain. For more details about Silversea's 2008 World Cruise, click here.
Before sailing around the world, cruisers have a few things to keep in mind even after they have decided which trip and ship suits them best. Travelers should make sure they have passports that will remain valid for at least six months after their return home. Godwin advises that passengers have travel insurance and the proper immunizations and visas required for the journey. He also suggests passengers provide family and friends with the itinerary and contact information for the ship.
Information: For more information on these around-the-world voyages, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 338-4962.
Grand Voyages
Cruisers who are unable to spend up to three months at sea can opt to take trips that combine two or three separate itineraries on the same ship. Passengers can book these back-to-back sailings and remain on board while others disembark.
Vacations To Go offers these unique back-to-back cruise itineraries at discounted rates on its Web site. To view them, click here.
Here's a sampling of some of the many grand voyages available exclusively to Vacations To Go customers.
For travelers who wish to see two diverse regions, try a sailing to Alaska and Hawaii. These cruises, which range from 19 to 29 days, often depart from ports in these two distant states. However, some leave from Vancouver in the Canadian province of British Columbia and sail along the Inside Passage to Alaska before moving south to Hawaii.
On these trips, cruise enthusiasts can experience contrasting climates and landscapes, from the warm, tropical beaches of Hawaii to the arctic conditions and icy glaciers of Alaska. Ships call at several interesting ports in the 49th and 50th states, from Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan in Alaska to Kona, Hilo and Honolulu in Hawaii.
Princess Cruises, for example, offers a 27-day Alaska and Hawaii sailing that begins Sept. 5. Departing from Whittier, AK, aboard the Pacific Princess, travelers will visit Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska, culturally rich Vancouver, and the "garden isle" of Kauai in Hawaii, among many other sites, and disembark in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. For more details about this cruise, click here.
Itineraries that combine Asia cruises with sailings of Australia and New Zealand provide the best that the Far East and Down Under have to offer. These trips, which range from 20 to 65 days, venture to some of the largest cities on both continents. For example while in Australia, explore the showcase metropolis of Sydney and its grand harbor. Attractions include the landmark Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach. In the tropical town of Cairns, the jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef, enjoy snorkeling, fishing, rafting and canoeing. In Melbourne, known as the Garden City, visit Fitzroy Gardens and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
While in China, see grand sights such as the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the reclining Buddha at Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai and the famed Great Wall. Oceania Cruises offers a 45-day journey which departs Feb. 8, 2008, from Sydney and ends in Beijing on March 24, calling at ports in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea along the way. For more details about this cruise, click here.
Caribbean and South America cruise combinations are a popular choice -- and with good reason. These trips, which range from 26 to 74 days and often depart from ports in Florida, visit beautiful islands such as Barbados, Guadeloupe, Tobago and Turks and Caicos. Passengers also are introduced to the dazzling sights and rich cultures of South American nations such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Chile. Some voyages include a jaunt down the Amazon River. Oceania Cruises offers a 26-day Caribbean and South America sailing, with side trip along the Amazon River, on its 684-passenger Regatta that departs Nov. 25 from Miami. For more details about this cruise, click here.
Or, combine a Caribbean itinerary with a Panama Canal transit. Holland America offers one such trip aboard its 1,440-passenger Volendam. The sailing begins Sept. 28 in Vancouver and makes several port calls in Mexico, including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco, before passing through the famed waterway and continuing to the sunny shores of the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information about this cruise, click here.
Culture and history buffs can choose an itinerary that pairs destinations in the Western Mediterranean with ports in the Eastern Mediterranean. Norwegian Cruise Line offers a 24-day sailing aboard the 2,376-guest Norwegian Jewel, departing from Barcelona on Sept. 2. Passengers can see the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel and Vatican City in Rome, the picturesque harbors of Italy's Amalfi Coast and the canals of Venice. Then, as the ship moves east, travelers will have opportunities to visit the Acropolis in Athens, the Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar of Istanbul in Turkey and the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. For more details about this cruise, click here.
Or, start out in Northern Europe aboard Celebrity's 1,770-passenger Century. It leaves Amsterdam, Holland, on Sept. 3 for London, Paris and locales in Ireland, Wales and Belgium. Then the ship moves into the Mediterranean, calling at La Coruna, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Tangier, Morocco. The trip lasts 18 days. For more information about this cruise, click here.
Finally, there are itineraries that package a trans-Atlantic crossing with a Caribbean, South America, Mediterranean or Northern Europe cruise. For example, the 28-day trip aboard Princess' 2,600-passenger Grand Princess begins Aug. 21 in Southampton and is highlighted by multiple ports of call in Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Then you'll cross the Atlantic, concluding your journey on Sept. 18 in Brooklyn, New York. For more details about this cruise, click here.
Information: For more information on grand voyages, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 338-4962.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in Summer 2007 .
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 338-4962 for current rates and details.
