The 2024 World Cruise was our fifth, and as I like to say, also our first—and maybe our last. (We have a deposit on 2026, but you never know what may happen.) My philosophy toward cruising is to treat EVERY cruise as your first and your last. We all recall the absolute wonder and awe as we set foot on our first cruise—everything was AMAZING. Everything on a cruise remains AMAZING.

The World Cruise – and other very long cruises are marketed as Grand Voyages, with enhanced offerings over the standard cruise. More on that later. A new entry in the Holland America line-up are what they call – Legendary Cruises. We will start our first legendary cruise tomorrow.

Cutbacks?

Many folks talk about “cutbacks” and long for a time machine to be transported to some previous cruise where everything was not “cutback”. Comparing your current cruise experience to your memories of a prior cruise experience, while interesting on some level, is something I don’t find useful. It tends to create negative vibes that don’t help your current experience – which is all that matters now. There are dozens of cruise lines offering a variety of experiences at different price points and if Holland America isn’t meeting your expectations, it’s time to move on.

What wasn’t cut back on this cruise – or on any HAL cruise – was the total cruise experience. What makes a great cruise experience in my mind are the various interactions with other people – from the crewmembers, fellow passengers and people ashore. Enjoying the company of fellow cruisers at dinner doesn’t depend on what’s on the menu. HAL crewmembers provide the best one-on-one customer service anywhere in the service industry. This world cruise offered an incredible variety of cultures. With each offering an opportunity to glimpse into a different world.

Cruising offers an amazing array of options, but your first choice is whether you will be a participant or an observer. Will you walk past the party or join in. Will you try the fried insects ashore or stick with what’s familiar from the Lido? Everyone chooses to cruise in their own way, but I encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone and try something new on your next cruise!

What’s was my favorite cruise? The one I’m on!

HIGHLIGHTS

We visited three major regions – Amazon, Asia and Africa.

This was a trifecta of regions as each one offers experiences quite different from our background in the USA. Exploring the world is most enjoyable for us when we venture outside our comfort zone and experience a culture and people quite different from our own. While visiting the Big Five English-speaking countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) is always fun, they don’t have the same opportunities as you will find in the Three A’s – Amazon, Asia, and Africa.

AMAZON

This was our first trip to the Amazon, where we experienced the vastness of the world’s largest river and the adjacent rainforests. We saw where the tributaries’ blue water merged with the Amazon’s brown water. Local indigenous communities like Boca da Valeria offered insights into traditional ways of life, while Manaus and Santarém let us see Amazon river life in larger and more modern cities.

ASIA

After Saipan, we arrived in Japan for the first of our twelve Asian ports over thirty days. When I served in the US Navy, we lived in Japan for about three years and traveled extensively throughout Asia. Visiting any country here is a joy as we can experience disparate cultures, languages, food, and geography. The weather was cool (40s F) as we arrived in Japan and didn’t warm until Vietnam. We left the Zuiderdam in Shanghai for four days and rejoined in Tianjin, visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian.

AFRICA

We spent about 30 days visiting nine African Ports. We left the ship in Durban for a three-day Safari before rejoining the ship in Cape Town. Getting the most out of African ports requires planning. While wandering around Sydney without a plan can be fun, wandering around Takoradi, Ghana, will likely result in frustration.

ONBOARD ACTIVITIES

Grand Voyages have many more activities and events than shorter cruises. Here’s an overview of what is available on a World Cruise you probably won’t find on shorter cruises.

Watercolor Classes
Dedicated Arts and Crafts instructor
Bridge Instructors
More daily lectures
Block Parties
Formal Nights in addition to Dressy nights
Numerous Pop-up dining events in the Pinnacle Grill
Enhanced MDR menu e.g. Shrimp Cocktail available daily without surcharge. (While Individual menu items repeat, the exact menu is never repeated.)
Theme parties and sailaways
Priest/Pastor/Rabbi for religious services
Dedicated Grand World Voyage Band for World Stage
Ocean Bar Dance Band
Classical Strings performers
Rolling Stone Rock Band
Dueling Pianos
Pillow Gifts

SUMMARY

Meeting people is the best part of cruising. From casual meetings at a Block Party to sharing a dinner table for over 120 days.

We had a great time on this Grand Voyage. If you are considering a World Voyage, don’t hesitate—you will have the time of your life!