Going On A World Cruise: Part I

The Brick and I fly out to London on New Year's Eve, and board the ship in Tilbury (also called Essex) about a week later. We'll be gone through the first week in May. Yep, four months at sea.

It's called the "Grand Round the World Cruise," put out by a British line, Cruise and Maritime Voyages. We'll be sailing on the Columbus. It's a smaller boat. Quite skimpy and threadbare, as you can see (ahem).






Why did we pick this line? After all, we'd planned to go on MSC Lines' round the world cruise. We've been on a couple of MSC cruises, and enjoyed the international flavor of this Italian shipping firm.

The answer is simple:

Itinerary and P-R-I-C-E.

MSC was stopping at nearly all the same places, with one exception: Easter Island. Darn...I wanted to see those long-faced statues for myself. (Maybe in the future.) Their timing was almost exactly the same.

And their price? Thousands and thousands of dollars more.
When the Maritime cruise appeared on Travelzoo's Top 20 List -- a must for any traveler who likes to save money -- we leaped at it.

A little more than $12,500 each got us the four-month cruise, all taxes and fees paid, and a $1000 credit for the cabin. Oh yes, and the night before at a local hotel, comped.

Original price? Almost $48,000. Each.

The Columbus is not a party boat, a la Carnival -- but we didn't want that, anyways. It not only stops at more than 20 countries, but has talks, classes and education, as well as the usual fancy dinners and entertainment. It doesn't have a casino. (We don't gamble.) It doesn't host drinking parties. (We wouldn't have gone to them, anyways.) And it has great reviews...for those who don't plan to spend their vacation drinking and gambling.
    Our favorite times on past cruises have been listening to the string duets, pianists or others. Drinking good coffee. Walking the 'exercise lane' late at night on the top of the ship. Soaking in the hot tubs. Leisurely enjoying a fine meal, choosing just what we wanted. Talking as long as we wanted, without interruption. Watching a movie, snuggled together, with hot popcorn. Going to high tea (which this British line has, every afternoon.) Attending talks. (We learned some Italian on the last cruise.) Seeing a great magician, or show.

And the stops. Of course, the stops.

More in the next two posts --
*How can you afford it?
*What do you have to do to get ready?

Are we looking forward to this wonderful adventure? You bet! Stay tuned for Parts II and III of this series, wherein I explain why we're doing it -- and how.

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Here's the general description of 'our' cruise:

Sailing via the Azores and Caribbean, Columbus will transit the Panama Canal calling at islands of the South Seas to New Zealand and Australia, before unveiling highlights of Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India. Discover the ancient sites of Egypt and Jordan and transit the Suez Canal to the Holy Land from where Columbus sails the Mediterranean homeward bound.

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Cruise Highlights

• South Pacific - Visit five Robinson Crusoe-like islands with dramatic waterfalls and timeless valleys as you luxuriate in a South Sea islands paradise.
• New Zealand - The cities of Auckland and Wellington contrast with Tauranga, gateway to Te Puia the centre of Maori culture and geothermal wonders.
• Australia - Sydney’s iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the Whitsunday Isles and the Great Barrier Reef await.
• Japan - In Tokyo, immerse yourself in one of the most populated cities on earth; while Kagoshima offers a more relaxing experience to discover Japanese culture and heritage.
• China - In Beijing and Shanghai, the ancient past is displayed in a wealth of temples and museums. Bustling Hong Kong Island will exhaust your senses.
• Vietnam - Utterly compelling, Vietnam is a country of breath-taking beauty with a unique heritage. Discover Ho Chi Minh City, still referred to as Saigon.
• Gulf of Thailand – From the ancient ruins of Angkor in Cambodia, the largest religious site on earth, to the Buddhist temples and Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand; the Gulf of Thailand will stun you with its beauty.
• Singapore - With its futuristic architecture and high-speed efficiency, Singapore is an oriental star. Step back and discover its rich history and culture.
• India - If you’re not tempted by an excursion to Agra and the Taj Mahal, take in some of Cochin’s fascinating cultural legacy before visiting the intoxicating city of Mumbai.
• Jordan - Visit the lost city of Petra - estimated to date back to 6,000 B.C. - and Wadi Rum, where T.E. Lawrence found his destiny as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.