Travellers can soon sail for more than two-thirds of the year with Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise.
Serenade of the Seas will set sail from Miami on December 10 this year for 274 days, arriving back in Miami on September 10, 2024.
The Ultimate World Cruise will visit over 150 destinations across more than 60 countries, allowing travellers to experience 11 World Wonders along the way. The itinerary includes stops in North and South America, the Caribbean, Antarctica, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East.
The full itinerary is broken up into segments by region, and Head of Product at Cruises International, Thaybz Khan, told Travel News that those who could not commit to the full World Cruise could book the segments they preferred. Cruises International represents the RCI product in South Africa.
The segments are:
- Ultimate Americas (64 nights, three continents, 36 destinations, four World Wonders).
December 10, 2023 to February 11, 2024.
From Miami the ship sets course for the Caribbean before heading to Antarctica and around Cape Horn. Travellers can take in four World Wonders along the way in Central and South America – Chichen Itza in Cozumel in Mexico, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls near Buenos Aires, and Machu Picchu in Lima. This part of the itinerary ends in Los Angeles.
- Ultimate Asia-Pacific (87 nights, three continents, 40 destinations, three World Wonders). February 11 to May 9, 2024.
Travellers will experience some of Hawaii’s islands before sailing south to Moorea and Tahiti in French Polynesia. Next, they will explore New Zealand and Australia, followed by Bali. The next portion of the segment includes stops in the Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India. There will be visits to two of the most iconic manmade World Wonders, the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal. The ship will then sail to Abu Dhabi, after which it will finish the segment in Dubai.
- Ultimate Middle East and Med (63 nights, three continents, 44 destinations, four World Wonders). May 9 to July 10, 2024
This segment begins in Dubai and ends in Barcelona. Travellers will stop in Oman, Jordan, Egypt, and Israel. Here they will experience two World Wonders, including Jordan’s lost city of Petra and the Pyramids of Giza. Next, they will sail to the Mediterranean where the ship will stop in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Croatia, Malta, France, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Montenegro and Spain. World Wonders that can be seen during this portion of the segment include the Colosseum in Rome and the Temple of Artemis in Turkey.
- Ultimate Europe and Beyond (63 nights, three continents, 40 destinations). July 10 to September 10, 2024
The final segment begins in the Mediterranean and heads north. Travellers will visit Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, France, England, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Estonia, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, New York, and the Netherlands among several other destinations. It will end in Miami, the final stop for the Ultimate World Cruise.
According to Khan, the Ultimate World Cruise is available to the South African market and Cruises International has already secured two bookings. The cost for the World Cruise starts at US$60 000 (R1,1m) per person, inclusive of amenities such as beverages, WiFi, airfare, laundry and gala events.
“This is a first for Royal Caribbean and I am certain not the last. We are hoping that Africa will be included in the next one,” said Khan.
