Most people wouldn’t even consider embarking on an around-the-world voyage without first taking at least one cruise. But tempted with the opportunity to visit myriad countries on one trip, cruise newbie Linda Weissman jumped in with both feet. She and her husband, Martin, a retired physician, embarked on Cunard Line’s 105-day world cruise aboard Queen Elizabeth 2.
“I was petrified at first,” Linda recalls. But looking back, she has no regrets. In fact, since that voyage in 2007, the couple have taken a different world cruise every year, except for a hiatus during the pandemic. And they’re set to sail on Cunard’s 2024 and 2025 World Voyages.
“Having had to postpone some travel during the pandemic, people are now seeking those bucket-list trips,” says Heather Felix, vice president of branch operations for the Auto Club of Southern California.
The Weissmans are among a flotilla of passengers signing up for world cruises as never before. “World cruises are performing much better than the industry overall,” says Michael Driscoll, editor of travel industry publication Cruise Week. “People who take them have missed more than travel; they’ve missed the world.”