CLIA Lines Want you to Max out Your Pleasure: Offering World Cruises

One of the most exciting prospects in the travel world has to be cruising around the world. The different cultures of various countries; watching the terrain change before your eyes as a motion picture scroll unfurling; experiencing new foods and customs; all of these add up to what many feel is just a traveling dream. But is it? According to CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), it is far from a dream. They have recognized the desire of the many who wish to take in the world by cruising it, and prompted the offering of several world cruises by various member cruise lines, turning the dream into a reality.

Even in the stressed economic times that the United States is currently facing, people want to travel. It is as though they feel the need to tackle the realities of life by enjoying them to the fullest, and one of the ways is to cruise. And not just for a few days; oh, no. There is an increasing population that wants to experience the world from top to bottom, and a world cruise is the answer.

Averaging around 100 days, a world cruise can cover a variety of territories. With a plethora of cities involved in the port calls, ten different voyages are planned by CLIA members. The first, departing from Iceland in late September, will be “longitudinal” world cruise; the only one of its kind currently in existence. Truly unique, its itinerary includes Antarctica, the U.K., Ireland, Canada, and the East Coast of the U.S., Central America and South America. Such a diverse itinerary has never before been accomplished by any other than the Hurtigruten Lines.

Several of the CLIA cruise line members offer segmented world cruises; providing anywhere from 17 to 32 day segments for passengers unable to complete the entire tour. Still just as exciting and adventurous, but on a smaller scale, these segmented cruise portions are available in specific locations such as Los Angeles and Singapore.

Certainly worth mentioning also are the celebrity passengers that will be joining the different cruise lines traveling the world by sea. Richard Dreyfuss, Buzz Aldrin, and Deborah Norville are just a few well known names that will be joining passengers on board, rounding out a passenger list that includes guest speakers on various topics involving world affairs.

Harsh economic conditions may affect many areas of daily living, but when it comes to living life to the fullest, people are not willing to sacrifice, it seems. World cruising is one such example that appears to be one of the brighter aspects of the economic times.