More people are setting sail on months-long cruises that can stop at dozens of ports around the globe.
They’re known as world and grand cruises, and five will leave Port Everglades this year.
The roster includes Holland America Line’s ms Amsterdam, which left Monday on a 114-day voyage that will visit 45 ports in 25 countries.
“World cruises are getting more popular, and the average age group is going down,” Lynndee King, cruise consultant with Seattle-based Cruise Specialists, said Sunday during a bon voyage gala for cruisers at the Renaissance Plantation Hotel. “More and more young people have the time and finances to do a world cruise.”
Cruise Specialists, which focuses on luxury travel, has more than 170 passengers booked on ms Amsterdam’s world cruise, including travelers from Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Orlando, and other North American cities.
King said for 2015 she’s also booked more first-time world cruisers than before.
Fares for the ms Amsterdam, which holds 1,380 passengers, started at $20,000 per person, double occupancy.
“World cruises are about 25 percent of our business,” said Annie Scrivanich, Cruise Specialists senior vice president, noting the outfit has sold Holland America world cruises for 28 years. “This is our mainstay. It’s a good, solid, consistent experience for our guests.”
The typical world cruiser is retired and wealthy, although not necessarily “over the top affluent,” but has managed his or her finances well, King said. Average age is mid-70s.
Among the world cruisers sailing Monday were Rosie and Randy Weiss of Colombia, Mo., who were traveling with relatives Susie and Ed Ailor, also of Missouri. The couples took their first ms Amsterdam world cruise together in 2013.
“It’s such a community environment. It’s really fun,” Rosie Weiss said of the world cruise. “It’s really a unique experience.”
“I love to travel and be out there meeting people,” added Randy Weiss, noting that 24 of the 25 countries visited on the 2013 cruise they had never been to before. “It enlightens you.”
Many world cruisers end up taking other long voyages, often on the same ship because of the friendships they make both with other passengers and ship crew, Cruise Specialists King said.
“There are many special relationships that are formed.”
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On Jan. 23, Holland America’s ms Maasdam ship will leave Fort Lauderdale on a 49-day Amazon and Carnaval Explorer Voyage, crossing the equator three times during a voyage that stops at 14 ports in Brazil as well as other cities.
Earlier this month, another Holland America ship — ms Prinsendam — left Fort Lauderdale on a 68-day Grand South American and Antarctica Voyage to visit 31 ports in 11 countries. The Prinsendam will also set sail March 12 from Port Everglades on a 55-day Grand Mediterranean Voyage that will stop at 32 ports in 12 countries.
At PortMiami, Oceania Cruises Insignia cruise ship will depart on a 180-day World Odyssey cruise on July 8. Fares for this world cruise started at $45,000 per person for an inside stateroom.
Insignia’s first 180-day cruise, scheduled to depart Saturday, had to be modified to allow repairs to be completed after an engine fire aboard the ship in December. The ship is now expected to sail from Singapore on an amended itinerary on March 22.
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