This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a world cruise gala send-off party, exclusively for the guests of one of the world’s top sellers of world cruises: Cruise Specialists. These particular cruisers will spend more than 100 days aboard Holland America Line’s m/s Amsterdam, which departed from Fort Lauderdale, FL, on January 4, 2014.
Why a World Cruise?
One of the things I found most interesting about the world cruise clients was that while they are excited about traveling, they are even more excited about the lifestyle of the trip. Even after many of them had traveled long hours from very snowy and cold conditions to arrive in Fort Lauderdale, the Cruise Specialists gala started putting them into relaxation mode.
They are a group that in general enjoys a leisurely lifestyle and think of the upcoming voyage less as a typical vacation and more as their home for the next four months.
The Community of a World Cruise
A number of people mentioned they enjoy the community they become a part of on the world cruise. This was verified by me during a conversation with one of our Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts, Tom Mullen, who will accompany our passengers (along with two other Voyage Hosts) the full length of the cruise.
Tom says that everyone has a pattern. He quickly finds out which passengers he can find reading a book in one of the lounges, who may be enjoying the view from a deck chair, and who will be “holding court” with a group of fellow passengers on the lido deck. Whether you are an introvert or more outgoing, you’ll find you fit into a certain category and will easily fall into the world cruise community during the four-month voyage.
The Cruise Specialists Touch
I do think it is worth mentioning that the clients seemed extremely thankful to Cruise Specialists for the special care they take with each and every one of them. I heard it over and over again.
A world cruise is a significant financial investment. Cruise Specialists’ cruise consultants work day-in and day-out with clients to ensure it’s a memorable, enjoyable experience from start to finish. For some clients, this is their first world cruise, and the cruise consultants answer many questions. For others, this is world cruise number five, 10, 15, or even more. In this case, the Cruise Specialists consultants serve as a concierge, sometimes even knowing which stateroom to book without asking.
For select world cruises such as this one, Cruise Specialists also adds perks, such as:
- A custom-designed logo garment and bag
- Hotel accommodations the night before the cruise
- Motorcoach transfer from the airport to the hotel
- A gala cocktail party and dinner that evening
- Motorcoach transfer to the pier
- The services of a Voyage Host and exclusive parties throughout the cruise
- An exclusive shore tour program for Cruise Specialists guests during the cruise
Plus, when Cruise Specialists guests arrive at the special hotel arranged for their group, their luggage gets whisked away, and they don’t see it again until they are in their stateroom! With many people bringing four or more suitcases for the long journey, that’s something to cheer about.
We look forward to sharing future updates on our hosted world cruises! Find more information on upcoming world cruises here.
Maggie Blehert, Cruise Specialists
