Most people think of a cruise as a week or two spent lazing around the Mediterranean or Caribbean ports, taking advantage of the onboard entertainment, going on a few shore excursions, and probably indulging a little bit, as reported by The Times.
3-year world voyage
You disembark when the holiday is over, and life returns to normal.
It’s not necessary to be that way. For a cost of £73,260, hundreds of travellers will set sail this autumn on a three-year, 137,678-mile round-the-world voyage.
On a journey that makes all prior round-the-world cruises look somewhat pedestrian, the passengers will travel to all seven continents, 135 countries, and 375 ports of call.
The 400-cabin MV Gemini is being outfitted for a new brand of a cruiser by Life at Sea Cruises, a new division of Turkish-based Miray Cruises.
The casino is no longer there; instead, a sizable business centre has been built there. The kids’ club is also gone; it will be replaced by a panoramic lounge at the back of the ship.
The duty-free shop is being abandoned, along with its cigarettes, cheap alcohol, and perfume. It will be replaced by an indoor golf facility with a pro on staff to assist patrons in perfecting their swing.
Live and work onboard
The managing director of Life at Sea, Mikael Petterson, described the demand as “unprecedented.” This is more of a way of life, he claimed. “Instead of travelling, it’s a way of life. We have made sure that the business centre has the best wi-fi available so that individuals can live and work on board. There will be cruising. Nevertheless, they’ll be doing their exploring from their home at sea.”
Thirteen of the fourteen wonders of the world, both old and new, are accessible to passengers. With a grin, Petterson remarked, “Getting to the location of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is pretty difficult. We will provide the Taj Mahal, albeit it will be a very long journey.”
Petterson, a Swedish native who now resides in Florida, claimed that “digital nomads” are the largest group of travellers, slightly surpassing early retirees in number. In November, the journey leaves Istanbul.
“When we launched the product, we anticipated that customers would be between the ages of 55 and 75. In reality, 25% of passengers are under the age of 47 despite the average passenger age being 56.”
Tiny accommodations
Although 56% of reservations are for solitary travellers, the ship has 400 cabins and can hold 1,074 passengers. Presently, reservations may only be made for the full three-year voyage, but the firm promised to be flexible regarding cabin occupancy. Provide two weeks’ notice before lending or renting out your cottage to friends and family.
Unlike many other cruise lines, guests are allowed to bring their alcohol on board. The all-inclusive plan, which starts at £24,419 per year for a tiny interior cabin, includes wine and beer at supper.
We have quite tiny accommodations and a pretty compact, efficient ship, which allows us to be so reasonably priced, according to Petterson. “We’re putting more of an emphasis on the common areas, constructing lounges and outdoor spaces where you can unwind as if you were at home. You don’t have to be so concerned about having a tiny cabin.”
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Source: The Times
