Increasingly ambitious itineraries and more regional departures are helping to fuel demand for more exotic longer cruises, while the choice of round-the-world voyages continues to grow

BY SARA MACEFIELD

The cruise market may have changed out of all recognition, but world cruises still provide the ultimate thrill.
These voyages have long been a key component of the cruising world, with Cunard establishing the tradition in 1922, but as these sailings have evolved, so have their scale and scope.

Recent years have witnessed the growth of long exotic voyages, which can still exceed 100 days, but rather than circumnavigating the globe may concentrate on specific regions such as South America or Asia.

Cunard and P&O Cruises are two of the ultimate world cruise operators; both lines sending three ships off across the world at the start of each year.

In January 2016, P&O’s Oriana sets off on a 50-night Caribbean and US voyage; Aurora departs on a 114-night world circumnavigation; and Arcadia heads to South America and Japan on a 115-night voyage.

Cunard sends its entire fleet away each January with Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria offering three different world cruise itineraries.

The longer booking lead-in time for such voyages means some of these are nearly sold out and both lines have already unveiled January 2017 departures.

P&O Cruises marketing director Christopher Edgington said that since putting these on sale, the line had seen a significant level of interest, particularly in Aurora’s 104-night circumnavigation, which departs on January 9, 2017.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is another with an established tradition of world cruises and longer voyages and for 2016, it is featuring 11 such sailings its 2016 Journeys of Discovery brochure.

These include a 30-night Madeira and Cape Town cruise and a 56-night voyage Peru and Polynesia voyage, which are sections from its world cruises – reflecting the trend by cruise lines to segment world cruises into sizeable sectors for customers not wanting to take the entire voyage.

Sales and marketing director Nathan Philpot said South America was becoming popular for longer voyages as it was a destination easier to explore by ship.

“Some guests want to cruise the world, and there is still something special about exploring the globe in this way,” he said.

“Whereas other guests want to immerse themselves in a particular region and get a greater chance of experiencing what that area is really like.”

Crystal Cruises, which has a 102-day world cruise departing San Francisco on January 24, 2016, reports rising interest from families wanting sectors, with Australia, New Zealand and Pacific slots selling first.

The prize for the longest world voyage goes to Oceania Cruises which, this year introduced the industry’s first six-month-long world cruise, followed by two more in 2016, departing in January and July. The company has also unveiled its fourth such sailing, departing in January 2017.

Head of sales Priti Mehta said the 180-day sailings helped to showcase the diverse range of Oceania’s itineraries.
“I was surprised at how many people book the full cruise,” she added.
“We get about 50 per cent from the international market, including around five per cent from the UK.
“After that, the next most popular segment is around 120 days, which is the length of a more traditional world cruise.”

With Oceania’s range of long voyages, which include South Pacific sailings such as Papeete to Sydney and Papeete to Los Angeles, Mehta said the line was attracting a younger clientele in their 50s.

“We are also seeing more demand further out, with people booking around 12 to 15 months in advance, particularly for our cruises to Asia and the South Pacific, which is one of our unsung heroes,” she said.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is returning to world cruising after a six-year gap with a 128-night voyage departing Miami on January 5, 2017, while Cruise & Maritime Voyages is operating its first world cruise in 2017.

The line is no stranger to long cruises as Marco Polo has traditionally operated an Amazon sailing from Tilbury every January and Astor spends each winter in Australia, offering sailings from and to the UK.

However, head of marketing Mike Hall felt the addition of the 120-night world cruise on the line’s newest ship Magellan had helped to elevate the line.

“What has become apparent to us is that when part of your product is a world cruise, people see you as a different cruise line,” he explained.
“It sets you alongside P&O, Cunard and Fred Olsen and elevates you as a line as it shows you are more multi-faceted.”

Magellan’s world voyage, which is already 40 per cent sold, includes key ports such as Hong Kong, Sydney and Singapore, where the ship overnights, as well as including up-and-coming destinations such as Vietnam and Borneo.

Customers can also combine sailings with Magellan and Astor, sailing to Australia on one ship and then swapping to the other for the return sailing and spending the intervening time exploring Australia.

CMV and Fred Olsen are also starting to bring longer exotic cruises to regional ports with specific departures.
This month (November), Fred Olsen is offering a 32-night sailing to the Caribbean from Greenock and it has added a 25-night Adriatic & Venice voyage from Liverpool next June, followed by a 26-night Arctic cruise from Tilbury in July.

Meanwhile, CMV offers a 42-night Amazon voyage from Tilbury and a 54-night South American sailing from Bristol Avonmouth, both in January, plus a 29-night voyage from Greenock to Canada in August.

Other lines offering world voyages include Princess Cruises, with a 104-day itinerary departing on May 11, 2016; Costa Cruises, which has two world voyages next year departing on January 6 and September 2; Silversea, with a 115-day voyage departing on January 5; and Holland America Line with a 115-night voyage on January 5, 2016.

While Seabourn doesn’t have a specific world cruise, it offers a selection of long sailings, ranging from 35 days to 97 days. In addition, Azamara Club Cruises has recently announced its first round-the-world sailing in 2018 from Sydney to Tower Bridge in London. It will sail for more than 100 days and feature nine of the line’s Azamazing Evenings.

Sales tips

*Check the customer’s travel insurance covers longer durations as some policies (including those linked to bank accounts) have a maximum cover period of 30 days.

*When selling sectors, look at how many port stops there are and what nights are spent in key cities as some may consist mainly of sea days and little else.

*If clients fly one way or join a world cruise departing from outside the UK, they will be more limited on luggage than if sailing and returning to a UK port.

*Encourage clients to book the largest cabin they can afford, as it could be their base for several months. But be aware that larger cabins often sell out first.

*Cruise lines generally offer high-value incentives to book world cruises early, such as free gratuities, hotel stays or special events, so check what is offered.

*Do your homework! Passengers looking to book such voyages normally want much more information about destinations, visa requirements, insurance and general experience of being away for so long.