Why the 9-month Ultimate World Cruise is social media's latest obsession

Table Of Content

• Forget Going Around the World in 80 Days — Expensive Cruise Will Do It in Nine Months
• To prepare for the world cruise, Linderman took a 'test cruise' on the same ship
• The Most Epic World Cruise Ever To Set Sail
• So is there drama and why is social media obsessed?
• This World Cruise to 140 Countries Will Set You Back as Much as $839,999

One of the top reasons savvy travelers love cruising, though, is because of the incredible value it offers. With Royal Caribbean, your cruise fare includes access to most of the ship’s attractions, select dining venues and all of the entertainment onboard. If you want to make your experience even more all-inclusive, you can opt for beverage and specialty dining packages that cover drinks and dinner at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the fleet. On top of all that, the cruise line presents frequent limited-time offers and seasonal sales, making it easy to score big savings when booking your vacation.

Forget Going Around the World in 80 Days — Expensive Cruise Will Do It in Nine Months

This inspiring TikToker shares her journey on a 9-month world cruise - USA TODAY

This inspiring TikToker shares her journey on a 9-month world cruise.

Posted: Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Several passengers have been documenting their voyages on a day-to-day basis and sharing their videos on TikTok. According to these passengers-turned-social-media-reality stars, here’s what it’s like to live on a cruise for nine months. Considering all that’s included in your Ultimate Cruise segment fare, you’ll enjoy an incredible value. No matter which stateroom you choose, your fare includes Ultimate Cruise segment complimentary amenities like Deluxe Beverage Package, gratuities, VOOM internet package, and wash and fold laundry service.

To prepare for the world cruise, Linderman took a 'test cruise' on the same ship

“Imagine eating unlimited cruise food for nine months, like what that’s going to do to your body. I just worry people aren’t going to pace themselves and it’s going to be really hard on their bodies. You need to have balance,” one TikToker said in a video about concerns for the passengers aboard the ship. The Ultimate World Cruise, a 274-night voyage aboard the Serenade of the Seas by Royal Caribbean Cruises, departed from Miami on Dec. 10.

The Most Epic World Cruise Ever To Set Sail

"We definitely are the youngest Black people on the boat," Brandee told TODAY.com. Shannon added, "I think that's why my TikTok skyrocketed so fast, because I was the first Black person that people were seeing post that was actually on the ship." A "deluxe beverage package," wash-and-fold laundry service and Wi-Fi are among the included amenities. And Sebastian, 33, ended up going aboard for an 18-day stretch in January courtesy of Simon & Schuster's Atria Books, which enlisted him to host a virtual book club.

How can I maximize the value of my cruise vacation?

Apart from the occasional cruising days, which is when all of your deep Enya-style thoughts will occur, you truly will see almost everything planet Earth has to offer. She said that after booking her spot on the Ultimate World Cruise, she found a friend who would house-sit for her in Portland, Oregon, while she was away. And with a contracted remote job, she was able to reduce her hours to 10 a week while sailing. Familiarity set in when Angie Linderman stepped inside her cabin on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas for the Ultimate World Cruise, a nine-month sailing to 65 countries. Some have homed in on the fact that “pinnacle members,” Royal Caribbean’s highest tier of membership, have access to different excursions and have allegedly had town hall meetings.

Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It’s also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings — but only if the itinerary you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet. Considering all that’s included in your 274-night Ultimate World Cruise fare, you’ll enjoy an incredible value. But travelers were not required to book the entire nine-month duration of the cruise. Instead, they were able to purchase either a nine- to 28-night duration aboard the ship or one of the four segments of the trip, rather than booking the entire trip, Royal Caribbean's website states.

Adventure Travel

Jenny and her husband didn’t exactly leave behind a traditional lifestyle, either. It’s actually not as hard as you think to take off for several months, assuming you’ve set yourself up the right way professionally and lifestyle-wise. As is the case with so many things on social media, the spectacle for viewers is more interesting than the subject matter and a lot of comments have speculated on what might happen during the voyage. The Ultimate World Cruise will take 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas that will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

Guests had the option to book the entire 274 night voyage, or hop on for smaller segments. The interest began with passengers onboard sharing what it's like to live on a cruise ship for almost an entire year. Get ready to see the world in a whole new light — introducing the Ultimate World Cruise onboard Serenade of the Seas®.

I've been on three cruises and each one couldn't be more different from the other. The very first cruise I dipped my toes into lasted a full two weeks and took us to Spain, Greece, Italy, and Egypt. The excursions off the ship were the stars of the show but for my money, the all-you-can-eat nearly 24-hour buffet was where the real fun began and ended.

Join us for the entire Ultimate World Cruise, you’ll enjoy exclusive perks and amenities — all included in your adventure. So you can complement back-to-back discoveries onshore with all your favorite comforts onboard, plus thoughtful touches to elevate every moment. Your once-in-a-lifetime journey begins December 2023, embarking from in Miami on the first segment of the Ultimate World Cruise℠ — the Ultimate Americas Cruise. Go from postcard-perfect Caribbean shores—including the ABC islands —to viewing abundant wildlife like sea lions, penguins and whales roaming glacier-studded Antarctica as you round Cape Horn. Along the way, discover World Wonders in South America, including man-made marvels and extraordinary natural phenomena.

But she told "TODAY" that after she posted her TikTok, the cruise’s hotel manager made it a point to greet her during dinner. She and Shannon Lake, 42, said that nothing has happened yet on the ship that would be worthy of reality TV. Some said they cannot fathom what being on the cruise, traveling to that many locations while eating and drinking the days away, would do to a person physically. Finally, the last leg sees passengers touring Europe, with stops in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway over the final 63 nights. The first traverses North America and South America over 67 nights and includes stops in Brazil, the Caribbean and Antarctica. Jessica Maddox, an assistant professor of digital media at the University of Alabama where Bama Rush takes place each year, said she knows first-hand how morally gray it can be to wish drama onto the lives of real people.

Linderman said she planned what she called her "test cruise." Her travel agent booked her on a sailing in October on the Serenade of the Seas. Not only was it the same ship, but she was also able to choose to stay in the same exact room she had reserved for the Ultimate World Cruise. A 2018 study from the Cruise Lines International Association stated that 50 percent of cruise ship passengers on average were over the age of 50 and almost a third of that group were older than 70. According to the Maritime Injury Guide, which noted that cruise ships tend to carry between 3,000 and 5,000 passengers, it's estimated that around 200 people die on a cruise every year. Aside from the whole nine months, or the duration of an entire leg, travelers had the option to book a nine-to-28-night voyage. The majority of the smaller segment itineraries are priced around $1,200 per person.

His trip included a choppy ride through the Drake Passage ("Drake's best work since hotline bling," he captioned a post), the body of water between South America's Cape Horn and Antarctica's South Shetland Islands. Probably as a group of strangers thrown together in a luxurious or foreign locale, engaging in various activities where romance, conflict, and hysterics could ensue. By that definition, cruises are a reality show without the cameras, which makes Royal Caribbean’s nine-month Ultimate World Cruise the perfect reality show. If you wanted the full 274-night trip, prices were between $53,999 per person to $117,599 per person. So far we've seen a couple videos with people being unaware of the benefits top tier Royal Caribbean cruisers get on any sailing, but nothing substantial. “I made an Ultimate World Cruise Bingo card for anyone else who is buckling in for this nine months TikTok reality show,” user @whimsysoul posted right at the start of the cruise.

Taking place on the Serenade of the Seas, the cruise will tour the Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Mediterranean, and Europe. Passengers can choose to board for the full nine months, or simply join for one of the various legs. Obviously, the full nine months will set passengers back a hefty sum, ranging from $54,000 to $117,000 per person.