What is it like to live on a cruise ship for 9 months straight?
Passengers on Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise have experienced 239 days of sailing on Serenade of the Seas since December 2023.
The 9-month cruise around the world is set to visit 65 countries, more than 150 destinations, and 11 Great Wonders of the World before it ends in September 2024.
The cruise has been a success for Royal Caribbean, to the point that the cruise line plans to do another.
But what is it really like onboard the viral cruise?
Reddit user Bruin144 previously shared a photo a day to the Royal Caribbean subreddit, updating social media on the world cruise adventures.
After an unexpected family emergency caused him to leave the cruise, he posted a reflection on the past 8 months of the world cruise.
"I think RCL has done a great job on this cruise. I also think it has been a learning experience both for the company & the employees involved in the cruise," he wrote.
Here are his top 15 lessons learned from sailing on the Ultimate World Cruise.
1. Most of the cruisers are very wealthy
The vast majority of people on the full world cruise are rich," Bruin144 said.
“Not a little rich either—like founder of a successful company, invented a lucrative widget, or successful surgeon rich."
He guessed most of the cruisers have an average net worth of 7 figures or above.
Many of the passengers had never even operated a washing machine or dryer before.
Despite that economic privilege, he doesn’t consider Royal Caribbean a luxury brand. Once you manage those expectations, he said, you’ll have a great time.
2. Economic disparities will be obvious on and off the ship
As a piece of advice for anyone considering taking the next World Cruise: "If class disparity bothers you a lot, then long term cruising may not be for you."
Because passengers are quite wealthy, you'll notice a huge economic disparity.
Plus, visiting over 65 world nations will open your eyes to a variety of lifestyles and cultures.
Bruin144's post said, "The world cruise was definitely an eye opener on both ends of the economic scale."
3. Invest in a relationship with crew members
“Be nice to your cabin steward,” Bruin144 advised.
Over 9 months and many passengers, they’ll have a lot of cabins to clean.
Bruin144 and his travel partner asked their cabin steward to not clean on Sundays to give them an extra break.
They also tipped and didn’t ask for other things, such as keeping ice in the ice bucket.
4. When it comes to drinks, find a specific bar and bartender you like
Serenade of the Seas has 12 bars onboard.
Rather than having a drink at multiple locations in a day, Bruin144 recommends finding one bartender and bartenders you like, and going there for all your drinks.
He recommends tipping the staff as well—he gave a large tip once a week on average.
5. Stress and exhaustion can turn anyone into a crank
While some TikTokers on the Ultimate World Cruise complained that they encountered rude passengers, Bruin144 had a different perspective.
The rich guests onboard weren’t necessarily rude because of their economic status—many were very nice.
But, he pointed out that “anyone when stressed or tired” can be a jerk. “This applies to me,” he confessed.
Despite the long-term nature of a World Cruise, it still counts as a form of travel. Travel can be stressful, exhausting, and annoying.
6. Ports weren’t scheduled perfectly
There were some port days that Bruin144 would have scheduled differently.
For example, the ship docked in a remote industrial area an hour away from Saigon, then only spent a few hours in the major city of Singapore.
He ended up wishing they’d skipped a few of the Southeast Asian ports to do an overnight in Singapore.
7. The cruise only provides a short taste of destinations
Since the World Cruise only stopped at ports for a short period of time, Bruin144 compared it to the movie “If it’s Tuesday it must be Belgium”—in which a group of Americans sees a whirlwind of 9 countries in 18 days.
“Many people skip going ashore in some ports or only go for a short time,” he said.
Additionally, he came to really enjoy sea days, and even back-to-back days spent at sea.
8. However, it was a chance to discover places for a future visit
Although not every place was a hit, the Ultimate World was a great opportunity to discover locations Bruin144 might want to revisit.
In the comments, he shared that he would like to visit Japan, Moʻoreʻa & Australia in the future.
Throughout the cruise, Bruin144 wrote, “Several places truly expanded my view of the world.”
“Watching Central India roll by from a train for 6 hours was genuinely a thought-provoking experience.”
9. Give yourself a goal or mission to complete for the length of the cruise
For their cruise, Bruin144 and his travel buddy made it a goal to buy and mail a postcard from a local post office in as many places as possible.
They ended up sending them to a family member who collects postcards.
Since he likes trains, Bruin144 also rode metros, streetcars, and trains in many areas.
That was a way to have fun and help get around the cities!
10. Don’t collect too many souvenirs
While a normal week-long cruise might seem like the perfect time to buy tons of souvenirs and collectibles, that doesn’t work on a long-term sailing.
Some cruisers tend to buy stuff at every port they visit.
But buying too many items can rapidly fill the cabin you’re spending several months in!
We collect refrigerator magnets and nothing else,” Bruin144 wrote.
11. Be healthy and prepared before going on the cruise
If you’re going to be sailing a cruise that visits so many destinations, you’ll need to be able to walk to properly enjoy sights and tours.
Bruin144 recommends that future cruisers “Take six months (or a year) before the cruise, reduce your weight, and do whatever you need to do so you can walk at least a couple of miles in high heat & humidity.”
If you have any health issues or pending surgeries, get those done before boarding the ship.
12. It’s also important to care for your health on the cruise—don’t treat it like just another vacation
On a typical cruise, you might be tempted to live it up to the fullest—eat, drink, and party as much as you want.
But on a world cruise, you aren’t on a typical vacation, you’re learning to live on a ship.
You’ll need to “learn to control your eating and drinking in the face of unlimited availability.”
13. Only take ashore what you absolutely need to
Especially if you don’t blend in with the locals, be sure that you’re not bringing any indispensable items off the ship.
On port days, Bruin144 only brings local cash, US bills, his SeaPass card, a small wallet, and only one ID.
He keeps his other ID and credit cards safe, back in the stateroom.
14. Royal Caribbean shore excursions are safer, but not always varied
When the ship is only in port for a short time, Royal Caribbean shore excursions are a good option because the ship is contracted to wait for you before leaving.
However, they can be more expensive when bought through the cruise line.
Most of them also consist of the same formula: “going somewhere on a bus with a driver & a moderately English proficient guide.”
During these bus rides, which can last over an hour, some of the guides will talk the entire time.
“So you get an in-depth view of their country’s history, the guide’s view on politics and/or a history of colonialism or their abuela’s recipe for fish stew.”
This formula may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
15. Learn to spot the tour guide scams
Sometimes, local tour guides change the advertised itinerary, Bruin144 said.
Instead of taking guests to the intended destination, they’ll try to bring the group to their cousin’s tapestry factory for shopping.
“You need to learn to incite buswide revolts and insist on going to the item on the itinerary or back to the ship.”
