A 53 day cruising adventure aboard the most modern cruise ship in the world? Yes please. After an initial appearance in the New York area, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Quantum of the Seas will reposition to Shanghai, where she will homeport to serve the burgeoning Chinese market. So, how does a ship make it’s way from New York to Shanghai? According to this article in USA Today, by sailing an extraordinary repositioning itinerary:

“Kicking off on May 2, 2015 in the New York area, the sailing will include a trans-Atlantic crossing to the Mediterranean followed by passage through the Suez Canal to the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Asia. Along the way, the 4,180-passenger vessel will call at nearly two dozens ports including Barcelona; Aqaba, Jordan; Dubai; Cochin, India; Muscat, Oman; Penang, Malaysia; Singapore; and Hong Kong.”

If, like me, you don’t have 53 days of vacation to take, you can book portions of the itinerary ranging from 3 to 16 nights. Would you cruise for 53 days? I know I would if I had the time. But would you be bored?

Keeping it Together for 53 Days

There are a ton of exciting ports of call on this itinerary, so there’ll be plenty to do, and I can’t fathom boredom on this ship. However, if you aren’t careful, 53 days on a cruise ship chock full of opportunities to eat and drink could have a negative impact on one’s waistline. My tips for keeping things in check for a 53 day cruise are the same as a 14 day cruise:

  • drink plenty of water;
  • keep the alcohol consumption in check; and
  • visit the gym at least every other day.

On alternative days, walk a mile on deck or make sure you are participating in active tours. Finally, while food is available 24/7, no one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to eat it. Enjoy your meals, experience things you might not taste at home, but there’s no requirement to order pizza at 1am just because you can. Besides…you can do that at home.

-MJ, May 21, 2014