As the ‘viral’ Royal Caribbean Ultimate World Cruise comes to an end, those who spent nine months – and up to $118,000 (£88,000) each – reveal what life was like on board.
After setting sail on the Serenade of the Seas from Miami on December 10, 2023, guests have explored 60 countries across all seven continents.
Cindy Seletos, 71, a retired Apple education executive and husband, Jim, 72, a retired wine and liquor distributor, reckon the trip of a lifetime cost them $150,000 (£112,000).
‘We never dreamed that we would love this adventure as much as we did,’ says Cindy from Wildwood, Florida.
‘We experienced new places, new foods, new customs, new friends, and we now have grown our family exponentially.
As the ‘viral’ Royal Caribbean Ultimate World Cruise on Serenade of the Seas comes to an end, those who spent nine months – and up to $118,000 (£88,000) each – reveal what life was like on board. This image was taken by passenger Matthias Chan as the ship left Oslo
This image was taken by analytics engineer Matthias, 36, on the island of Cozumel, Mexico
‘Getting to know and interact with so many diverse cultures has given us a completely new perspective on everyday life and people.’
They visited the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu – and said their balcony room was worth every penny.
And they point out that the mammoth cost included everything from drinks to laundry – and there was ‘really no other cost except for souvenirs’.
For Jim, the world became smaller as he and Cindy found that there are ‘many more similarities than differences between us all’.
Animal magic: A picture Matthias took of the wildlife in Sri Lanka
Matthias said the natural world was his primary inspiration for the journey. The image above was taken in Sri Lanka
The stunning image was taken off the coast of Gibralta
Reflecting on the trip, he added: ‘Hopefully, our short interactions with each other will help us all realise that we are one big universal village.’
Renee Shull, 60, a content creator from Buford, Georgia, described the magical experience of visiting Antarctica during her nine-month jaunt, which ended last month.
‘I stood in awe as the ship sailed past massive, silent icebergs,’ she said.
‘Moments like navigating near Elephant Island felt like we were truly at the edge of the Earth.’
Her time on the cruise even inspired a new creative outlet. ‘It inspired me to start writing children’s books about a stuffed elephant cruising around the world,’ she shares.
Matthias snapped this picture of a lion during a cruise tour in Kenya
A puffin flying in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
Seals and cormorants snapped by cruise passengers Dawn and Robert Cahn in Ushuaia, Argentina
The passengers were taken to this amazing waterfall in Skaftafell nature reserve, Iceland
For her husband, Dr Tom Shull, 64, the journey was especially personal.
Tom, adopted as an infant from Seoul, South Korea, returned to his birthplace for the first time in 63 years.
‘A friend arranged a DNA test at the same police station where I was dropped off as a baby,’ he says, though no relatives were found.
Yet, in a remarkable twist of fate, Tom met another passenger, Kim, who shared his early story – both had been abandoned at the same police station and housed at the same orphanage before being adopted to the US in 1961.
Passengers Dawn and Robert Cahn in Ushuaia, Argentina
A bird captured on camera by Matthias in Kona, Hawaii
The white stuff: Dawn Cahn scans the snowy landscape in Antarctica
‘While I didn’t find a biological family, I gained a connection with someone who shared my early journey,’ Tom reflects.
Matthias Chan, a 36-year-old data and analytics engineer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said the natural world was his primary inspiration for the journey.
‘I went onto the cruise with the intention to photograph wildlife and nature,’ he says. ‘What was most surprising to me was the friendships that I made with so many of the people on the cruise, including guests and crew.’
From watching baby puffins hatch to seeing koalas in Australia and orangutans in Indonesia, Matthias’s time aboard exceeded expectations. ‘What was priceless and completely worth it was the unexpected new lifelong friends that we made on the ship.’
For Dawn Cahn, 62, a nurse practitioner from Denver, North Carolina, the trip also opened her eyes to new friendships and unforgettable moments.
Passengers Cindy and Jim Seletos, and Karen Schwartz (centre), in Denmark
Passengers Cindy and Jim Seletos (centre) with Geert and Catherine Benoot in Belgium
Robert Cahn in Sydney, Australia
‘We had no idea what to expect,’ she says. ‘On our first night, we met two other couples who will now be life friends, plus others along the way. Our ship quickly became a floating community.’
She recalls moments that left her in awe, like sitting for two hours listening to the sea organ in Zadar, Croatia (where organ pipes in the promenade catch the sound of waves), and witnessing the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Her husband, Robert Cahn, 74, a retired State of Connecticut Department of Transportation employee, was equally amazed by the diversity of experiences.
From snorkelling in untouched waters to walking the Great Wall of China, Robert was transformed by places he had only dreamed of seeing.
‘Antarctica with all its beauty and immense wildlife… Whales, seals, and birds,’ he shares. ‘The roar of Iguazu Falls in South America… sheer wonder.’
As Robert reflects on the trip, he knows one thing for sure: ‘Would we do it again? Absolutely. Ready for the reunion cruise in Alaska next September.’
The Serenade of the Seas finished its voyage in New York on September 10, 2024.
Serenade of the Seas enters the port at Puerto Madryn, Argentina
