Inside Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise
It’s been almost three years in the making and finally this ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trip has kicked off – and it’s already going viral.
It’s been three years in the making and Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise has finally set sail.
The epic nine-month-long holiday is a first-of-its-kind for the cruise liner, and they’re not surprised it’s gone viral on TikTok despite having hit shores just over a week ago.
“Many guests booked their tickets over two to three years ago during the pandemic and we are thrilled to be hosting a range of guests from young solo travellers, to couples and families,” Dave Humpreys, director of sales at Royal Caribbean International AUNZ, told news.com.au.
“We have an impressive number of Gen-Z and millennial cruisers, with a significant number of guests between the ages of 18-30 joining us on various legs of this cruise.”
Just as the name suggests, it’s a pretty ‘ultimate’ experience, with the cruise travelling to more than 60 countries and 11 wonders of the world in 274 days.
The cruise is broken into four segments — Ultimate Americas Cruise, Ultimate Asia Pacific Cruise, Ultimate Middle East & Med Cruise and Ultimate Europe & Beyond Cruise.
Depending on the destination and room you choose, prices can vary from $19,895 to $37,268.
But, if you want to do the full nine months, the price tag is a lot heftier. The cheapest is$88,000 for an interior stateroom, and up to $1.2 million per person for a Royal Suite.
“Each guest who has booked the Ultimate World Cruise Package received business class
airfare, premium transportation and a pre-cruise hotel in their package up to the value of$5892 per person,” Mr Humphreys said.
“The business class airfare applies to specific getaway cities. The package also includes a beverage package, laundry services, inclusive gratuities and a VOOM Surf and Stream package.”
TikTok has become inundated with passengers sharing their experiences so far from the meals they’re eating, restaurants they’re visiting, gym classes they’re taking, to glimpses of what their rooms look like and the entertainment and performances they’re attending.
“I am LIVING for your videos. Please pretty please don’t stop. Greedily. I will beg you to post more,” one viewer commented on a passenger’s ‘sea day in my life’ clip.
Mr Humpreys said along with the wider TikTok community, they also can’t wait to virtually join some of these guests.
“There will be 27,000 passengers on the various legs, of which over 600 are sailing for the full nine months,” he told news.com.au.
“We have almost 2,000 Australians joining us along the way, including 30 Aussies who are doing the full nine month world cruise.”
He said guests were offered the flexibility to book one or more of the four expedition packages.
“The initial expedition covers America & Antarctica, the second explores Asia & the Pacific, the third sails through Australia, the fourth leg encompasses the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and the last expedition focuses on the Capitals of Culture.”
The ship which is called Serenade of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean’s Radiance-class fleet.
It offers more than 700 balcony staterooms, two-level dining rooms, retractable glass roofs over the pool and the first self-levelling billiard tables at sea.
“This idea was born out of the pandemic when Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael
Bayley wanted to give people something truly bucket-list worthy to look forward to – the Ultimate World Cruise,” Mr Humphreys said.
“The pandemic fuelled an increased appetite for travel globally, so this cruise was designed to help travel-starved cruisers make up for lost time.”
Mr Humphreys described it as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience where guests can traverse the globe in one incredible journey”.
“It’s going to be epic.”
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