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If the idea of spending three years on a cruise ship made you claustrophobic, it’s time to look away now.
Life at Sea Cruises – which is due to depart in November for a three-year round-the-world cruise – reckons that people are so enthused by the idea of sailing around the world nonstop, that they’re going to continue the journey indefinitely, making it “the cruise that never ends.”
The idea came about after the firm fielded inquiries from potential customers who were thrilled by the idea of the cruise, but couldn’t make the start date, Kendra Holmes, CEO of Miray Cruises – which owns and operates Life at Sea – told CNN.
Individuals will still have to sign up for three years – but now they can start at any point in the itinerary, making it a rolling three-year cruise, rather than a set one.
The three-year cruise is going ahead -- with a bigger ship
Not that latecomers will get a rehash of what they missed. To appeal to customers who want to stay on, the itinerary will continue to new destinations, rather than returning to previous ones. The cruise will then continue indefinitely says Holmes, who adds, “It’s become the cruise that never ends.”
Holmes says that major destinations such as Easter Island, Dubai and all of India are not on the first itinerary for logistical reasons, and are expected to appear in year four.
There will now be seven potential start locations in the first year of the cruise, which departs Istanbul on November 1.
Holmes told CNN that the team at Miray Cruises – which owns Life at Sea – had been “brainstorming” since talking to prospective clients who couldn’t make the start date.
“Once the ship was announced in May there were a lot of people who wanted to come, but November was too soon to sell their homes, make plans and pack up their lives,” she said.
“We made a list, started brainstorming and said, ‘We were going to restart it – why don’t we just extend it?’”
Some fully signed-up clients had also been hit with health issues.
“We’d said from the beginning we’d refund in full for anyone with medical problems, but we had people saying, ‘I don’t want a refund, I just want to get this treated and come on board,’ so we thought we’d give them an opportunity too.
“We also had residents asking what would happen if they wanted to keep going [at the end of three years] so we started looking at itinerary options, seeing what places we could add.”
You can now live on a cruise ship for $30,000 per year
Those who can’t make the Istanbul departure have a chance to join at Barcelona on
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With summer officially in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead to cooler temperatures and cozier destinations—whether you’re packing it up to glimpse fall foliage in New England, hit the pavement with an urban getaway, find a charming cabin on a mountain or in the woods, or jet-set to tropical places to stop summer from ever ending.
The Hawaiian Islands in general, and Maui in particular, have been remarkably resilient over the last four years. First, Covid shut the islands down, and this quick action slowed the spread of illness to locals. When visitors were welcomed back, the proverbial floodgates opened, and talk of over-tourism began almost immediately. That delicate balance played out across all the islands over the next couple of years. Then, the town of Lahaina, Maui’s historical heart and soul, was destroyed by fire just last month, effectively shutting down tourism for several weeks. While the governor will officially welcome visitors back to all parts of the island (except Lahaina) on October 8th, the return will be understandably slow. Many travelers are reluctant to travel to Maui for fear of getting in the way of cleanup efforts and, more psychologically, visiting for pleasure while so many locals are suffering.
Is the northern hemisphere’s approaching winter chill making you shiver and crave a tranquil trip to the tropics? Look no further than Tahiti. French Polynesia is easier than ever to reach with more direct flights from the US and the destination’s incredible tropical islands are best explored on a small-ship sailing cruise with Windstar Cruises.
Experience Abu Dhabi, the destination brand of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) today launched ‘Can’t Wait to Winter’, a global campaign promising an unforgettable experience with back-to-back events that cater to all interests - combined with the perfect weather.
Recently listed for $12.5 million, and situated 50 minutes from Monaco, Les Moulins du Villars on the French Riviera is an estate with important historical significance and a special connection to Grace Kelly.
From thousands of drone, underwater and coastal images submitted by the world’s best ocean photographers, Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 has announced the overall and the different category winners of its prestigious awards.
Amidst the escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, India has now suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens “until further notice.”
Size matters in Dubai, home to the world’s tallest building, the largest water park, and just because it can, the world’s largest “frame.” Already chief among the other six emirates in hotel development, Dubai is charging ahead with yet more rooms.
Dubai continues to pull ahead of its pre-pandemic tourism numbers. The emirate drew in 9.8 million international travelers up to July this year, according to the latest data from Dubai Tourism. For the same period in 2019, Dubai had 9.6 million international visitors, and in 2022, welcomed 8.1 million up to that point.
The first time I traveled solo, I was 15 years old. A shy and budding tennis player, I spent two months crisscrossing Austria, Switzerland, and Germany via Eurail on a junior tennis tour.
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More Indians are taking personal loans to travel and meet vacation-related expenses, according to Madhavan Menon, executive chairman of Thomas Cook India.