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Finally, experience another natural marvel — the other-worldly geothermal seawater at The Blue Lagoon in Iceland before stopping in New York and Perfect Day at CocoCay on your way back to Miami. The final leg of the Ultimate World Cruise is an immersive cultural exploration starting in the Med heading north. Discover Barcelona’s brilliant architecture, including Gaudi’s Sagrada FamÃlia. Savor flavors across continents — like a dinner of tagine and mint tea in Morocco. Venture miles from ordinary in Australia and Asia on this leg of the Ultimate World CruiseSM.
Watch: If you have at least $106K, you can take this Four Seasons jet around the world
If you have the flexibility to travel during the shoulder season or off season, you’ll likely enjoy big savings on popular stateroom categories, like Balconies and even Suites. Unless your cruise fare specifically states there are alcoholic beverages included, you'll pay extra for beer, wine, cocktails and spirits in any venue onboard. You have the option to either purchase drinks as you go or buy a package. Cocktails average between $10 and $17 on most ships but can be higher for specialty drinks or with premium call liquors.
top cruise destinations
One traveler, Angie Linderman, said she took the trip because she is at a higher risk for developing cancer in her lifetime and wanted to check off bucket list items while she is healthy. Although no major drama has unfolded aboard the ship, those following along on social media appear eager for reality TV-style turmoil to unfold. The thing that jumps out at me is that the total cost is almost twice the cruise fare. I ran the numbers on several other cruises by shopping online and found that to be true in most cases. While most onboard entertainment is free, you can expect to pay extra for a handful of over-the-top activities.
Passenger Dies During 9-Month Royal Caribbean Cruise - TODAY
Passenger Dies During 9-Month Royal Caribbean Cruise.
Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Road Trips
But the third and fourth segments, the "Ultimate Middle East and Mediterranean" and "Ultimate Europe and Beyond" itineraries, respectively, are still available to book. TikToks about the Ultimate World Cruise have since received millions of views. And it seems like everyone on TravelTok has been keeping a close eye on these seafarers, eagerly awaiting updates about the potential drama at sea. The very first scheduled port—Devil's Island (off the coast of French Guiana in South America)—was scrapped due to bad weather, as seen in TikToks compiled by TODAY. Otherwise, Brandee added, "everything has been great" and the passengers were turning into "one growing family."
You can even browse sailings and deals by homeport, destination and season, so you can rest assured you’re getting the best possible deal no matter when or where in the world you choose to set sai. There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise.
How to join Royal Caribbean's 9-month Ultimate World Cruise - Business Insider
How to join Royal Caribbean's 9-month Ultimate World Cruise.
Posted: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Cruises
Maddox said it makes sense that people are trying to use the language of reality TV to understand what they see on TikTok, where “storytime” posts and drama are often posted episodically. Still, she urged viewers to remember that where reality TV is often scripted and planned behind the scenes, those on the Ultimate World Cruise are real people living their real lives. Like Maddox, many likened the cruise to the viral BamaRushTok — the time of year when sororities recruit new members at The University of Alabama, which is often shared by potential recruits on TikTok. Maddox, who has taught some of the women who became stars of the Bama Rush phenomenon, said she’s seen first-hand how real people being treated like figures on reality TV can be damaging and stressful. Other passengers told "TODAY" they were on the cruise to celebrate wedding anniversaries.
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"The adventure begins and ends in Miami, Florida, visiting all seven continents, 65 countries, over 150 ports of call, with 18 overnights and 11 World Wonders," per Royal Caribbean. I got overwhelmed after two weeks on a cruise, so this is pretty intense. I've been on three cruises and each one couldn't be more different from the other. The very first cruise I dipped my toes into lasted a full two weeks and took us to Spain, Greece, Italy, and Egypt. The excursions off the ship were the stars of the show but for my money, the all-you-can-eat nearly 24-hour buffet was where the real fun began and ended. You simply haven't lived until you had a "free" chocolate fountain at your disposal for 14 days.
A Deep Dive Into the 9-Month Ultimate World Cruise
With taxes and fees added, this brings the average cost to around $3,173 total for two guests in an interior room. With many itineraries between nights, the price per day makes the segments a great value. Joshua Terry and his fiancee Ina Ra are among thousands of passengers on the global trip which departed Miami in December, making 150 stops in 275 days before its planned last leg in September 2024. The pair, who met in 2020, sold their car, investments and used savings to board the 'ultimate world cruise', securing a cheaper place on board as 'back-to-backers' with 17 individual trips, rather than the full price ticket. I'm a happy tea drinker, so I don't spend extra on specialty coffees or sodas.
Food on board and in port
Settle in for dazzling entertainment or dance until dawn beneath the stars. And with top-notch restaurants onboard, every meal turns into a global taste-tour that’s as immersive as your Ultimate World Cruise. And after all that sailing toward Antarctica, the passengers weren't able to actually set foot on the icy continent. Brandee Lake, 46, and sister Shannon, 42, are sharing a state room while on the trip with their retired parents. "We definitely are the youngest Black people on the boat," Brandee told TODAY.com. Shannon added, "I think that's why my TikTok skyrocketed so fast, because I was the first Black person that people were seeing post that was actually on the ship."
If this is all you can afford, you'll be staying in an interior stateroom which can run quite small and have zero windows. Considering all that’s included in your Ultimate Cruise segment fare, you’ll enjoy an incredible value. No matter which stateroom you choose, your fare includes Ultimate Cruise segment complimentary amenities like Deluxe Beverage Package, gratuities, VOOM internet package, and wash and fold laundry service. Having already shelled out $30,000 (£24,000) each for the trip, however, Joshua and Ina had to take another big financial hit to stay online at sea – as Royal Caribbean's WiFi costs $25.99 (£21) each day. Assuming you’re going for the full cruise, the cheapest option is an interior stateroom that costs $59,999 per person. If you were to ball out for a junior suite, you’d be paying $117,599 per person.
Most lines offer drink packages that cover alcoholic beverages up to a set amount per drink. Package prices can vary dramatically, depending on the itinerary and sailing dates. Expect to pay around $100 per person per day for a full cruise package, including tips. Carnival's Cheers package will be a bit lower, and Norwegian's Premium Plus Beverage Package is higher. Considering all that’s included in your 274-night Ultimate World Cruise fare, you’ll enjoy an incredible value. It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach?
The closest thing to drama is that some people are saying that pinnacle members — people with the highest loyalty status with Royal Caribbean — are being treated better than the regular people onboard. This has not gotten much traction, presumably because that’s the point of a loyalty program. Brandee Lake, 46, said the staff and passengers have been “so friendly, so kind, so much energy,” quashing some of the online chatter that there’s tension among different travelers.
In viewing all the TikToks posted, creators have seemingly created a real-time view of the cruise and given they'll be on the ship for 9 months, TikTok has become obsessed with what they're calling "a reality show". Because the entire voyage did not sell out, the cruise line opened up smaller segments. This includes seventeen individual itineraries ranging from nine to twenty nine nights. Joshua, from Vancouver, Canada, has had to pay the significant wifi costs regularly on board to post TikToks of his trip, where he's gained 15,000 followers since boarding. A large number of TikTok influencers have boarded the 960ft Serenade of the Seas – with Terry adding that the constant filming and posting on social media has become a slightly sensitive subject on board. If you’re looking for a more boots-on-the-ground situation, you are in luck.
