The Guardian - 31.08.2019

Sat urday 31 Aug ust 2019 The Guardian •

National^19

Caroline Davies

In the tick-box, bucket-list era of des-
tination travel it promises to deliver
an unparalleled experience.
Those setting off this weekend
from London on the longest continu-
ous round-the-world cruise ever will,
however, have to have deep pockets
and empty diaries.
At 245 days, six continents, 51 coun-
tries and 111 ports, it is the fi rst of its
kind and will attempt to set a new
Guinness world record.
This is what Viking Ocean Cruises
has billed as the Ultimate World Cruise ;
a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with
the cheapest ticket, for a 25 sq metre
(270 sq ft) stateroom, costing £66,
and the most expensive Owner’s Suite
a mere £194,390.
“I suspect the type of people who
can aff ord to go on this incredible
cruise won’t be quibbling about the
amount of additional tip to leave the
staff on board,” said Keeley Rodg-
ers, editor of Group Leisure & Travel
and Cruise Magazine. “The mixture
of guests onboard would be reason
enough to go ... to be a fl y on the wall at
dinner listening to those millionaires,
lottery winners and people smart
enough to have a stellar pension pot.”

The eight-month odyssey will

explore Scandinavia, the Caribbean,

South America, the South Pacifi c,

Australia and Asia before returning

to the Mediterranean and Europe.

With overnight stays on land in 23 cit-

ies, highlights include Rio de Janeiro ,

Ushuaia in Argentina, Hobart in Tas-

mania, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam,

Mumbai and Luxor.

The Viking Sun, which can accom-

modate 930 guests in 465 staterooms,

all with private balcon ies, is fully

booked for its Sunday departure from

Greenwich. In total, 54 people – four

from Britain, 40 from the US and 10

from Australia – have signed up for the

full 245 days. The others will disem-

bark in Los Angeles after covering half

the itinerary, to be joined by new pas-

sengers for the second half the cruise.

Torstein Hagen , chairman of Viking ,

said: “Our Ultimate World Cruise is the

most extensive available in the indus-

try – nearly double the length of our

previous world cruise itineraries.”

Guests can swim in two pools (one

an infi nity pool), enjoy a Nordic spa

with snow grotto, where snowfl akes

fall from the ceiling, or relax in a wood-

lined Wintergarden.

The resident of the Owner’s Suite

has at their personal disposal a living

room, with original artwork, ocean-

view veranda, dry sauna, 12-person

boardroom, dining room, extensive

wine collection and in-suite chef.

Eight restaurants will offer 245

menus, including destination-themed

choices by guest chefs. Neil Barclay ,

Viking’s head of sales, said: “There is

more food than you can ever imag-

ine. But we also have a wellness theme

throughout the cruise, so you can

look after your nutrition, and a well-

equipped gym for exercise.”

Though undoubtedly expensive,

Sail off into 245 sunsets: world cruise

will set a luxury endurance record

he points out that the cheapest ticket

works out at about £270 a person a

night, for the opportunity of leaving

the winters behind, sailing into the

sun and seeing all those unique places.

Liz Jarvis, editor of Cruise Inter-

national magazine, said: “Cruising is

very addictive because you become

seduced by the whole life style. You are

pampered from start to fi nish. That’s

wh y people rebook over and over .”

R ound-the-world cruising is a

“growing trend, and a “very dynamic

industry” catering mainly for people

who have just retired, said Dr Elisa

Burrai , senior lecturer in tourism man-

agement at Leeds Beckett University.

“It’s a rite of passage. It signals the

passage from being committed to work

and daily life, ” she said. However, she

added: “Cruises are a diff erent type

of travelling, with very, very minimal

contact with local populations. ”

It has particularly strong appeal in

the U S because of its “all-inclusive”

and “risk-averse” format, she said.

“You just go on board, tick places

off your list and travel in a safe way.

They’re kind of in a bubble, almost.”

This epic journey, however, will not

be without environmental impact.

Marcie Keever, oceans and vessels

programme director at Friends of the

Earth US, said: “Cruises have a signifi -

cant impact on our environment, from

CO 2 emissions to harmful air pollut-

ants to sewage and gr ey water.

“A cruise that lasts 245 days will

leave a huge amount of pollution in

all the places it travels to – many of

which are extremely sensitive marine

environments or communities that are

already suff ering a higher burden of

pollution or both .”

Departs from London

on 31 August

Reykjavík

Sardinia

Suez Canal

Mumbai

Hong Kong

Colombo

Singapore

Bali

Sydney

Hobart

Wellington

Guatemala

Lima

Falkland Islands

Rio de

Janeiro

Dominica

Santiago

Los Angeles

New York

Montreal Reykjavík

Fiji

Source: Viking Cruises. Note: selected ports shown

The longest continuous cruise will visit six continents

▲ The ship off e rs guests a choice of

pools and a Nordic ‘snow grotto’

‘There is

more food

than you can

ever imagine.

- but we also
have a
wellness
theme’

Neil Barclay

Marketing chief

 The Viking

Sun in London,

from where it

will depart on

an eight-month

cruise with cabin

rates starting

from £66,

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