For decades, the round-the-world voyages were 100 or so days long and sailed to warm climates starting in January. But Oceania Cruises broke the mold with a 180-day voyage departing Jan. 10, 2015, and now is offering another one after the first sold out in just eight hours.
This second global voyage will depart in July 2015 and will visit a few destinations too cold for winter cruises, including Greenland, Iceland, Canada and New England. Both global cruises will be operated by the 684-passenger Insignia.
It sails round-trip from Miami, departing on July 8, 2015, and explores 100 ports in the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Fourteen overnight calls are scheduled in exotic cities such as Abu Dhabi; Mumbai, India; Rangoon, Burma (now called Yangon, Myanmar); Saigon, Vietnam; Mahé, Seychelles; Cape Town, South Africa; and Walvis Bay, Namibia.
The voyage ends Jan. 4, 2016, after spending the holiday season in the Caribbean. The complete itinerary is posted on the line's website.
Oceania president Kunal S. Kamlani said the upscale line developed the first 180-day voyage because the brand is a destination specialist.
"We've seen world cruises before, but they're generally 100 or 110 days," he told Travel Pulse. "Could you imagine if someone came out with a 180-day voyage and it wasn't us? If anybody could find a market for the 180-day cruise, it had to be us."
Still, it was a risk, he allowed.
"No doubt this was a risk. But if you really understand the core demographic of your consumer and if you're going to deliver what they want based on what your instincts are telling you, you take a calculated risk," Kamlani said.
"If there was a market for it, terrific. If we're wrong, we're wrong. But we were right on this, and it sold out in eight hours. … This was an absolute bulls-eye with the Oceania Cruises demographic."
The July 2015 voyage will open for sale at 8:30 a.m. EST Dec. 4. It's not cheap, but Kamlani maintains it's quite a value. The lead fare posted on the Oceania website is $44,999 per person, double occupancy, for a small stateroom with no window.
That comes out to $250 per day, less than world cruises on luxury lines, according to Oceania's calculations. Ocean-view staterooms start at $46,999 and one with a private balcony is priced from $60,999. The top-of-the-line Owner's Suite costs $122,999 per person.
For that kind of money, you're entitled to some perks. Guests booking the aforementioned early-booking fares by March 31, 2014, will receive free first-class airfare, free onboard medical service, pre-paid gratuities, a visa package including entry visas for 11 countries, unlimited Internet and laundry service, round-trip transfers and free luggage delivery service.
Oceania does not include alcohol as do its all-inclusive luxury competitors Crystal and Seabourn, who also operate world cruises.
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