This was published 4 years ago
World's longest cruise: The mind-blowing numbers behind the Viking Sun's epic journey
By Oliver Smith
The idea of eight months at sea sounds rather daunting – the sort of salty stint that would have left even 18th-century whalers yearning for home comforts. But that's what will be facing 54 of the 930 passengers on board Viking Sun when it set sail from Greenwich this weekend.
When the ship returns to London on May 2, 2020, the football season will be almost over, around 40 countries will have elected new leaders, and – who knows? – we might have even left the European Union.
Barring technical problems, the 245-day voyage will become the longest ever continuous passenger cruise. The team at Guinness World Records is ready with its rosette.
The Viking Sun departs from Greenwich Pier in London on its epic, record-breaking journey.Credit: Getty Images
There will be no hardships for those on board, of course. Moby Dick this is not. The cruise, while continuous, will make plenty of stops: 111, to be precise, from the bustling city of Mumbai to the 'End of the World', lonely Ushuaia. Lodgings, rather than rows of hammocks, include 'Penthouse Veranda Staterooms' measuring 338 square feet and with mini-bars, flat-screen TVs, robes, slippers and posh shampoo. Sustenance will come not from ship's biscuits and grog, but fresh pasta from Manfredi's, washed down with a nice chianti.
Other highlights for passengers include Luxor's ancient temples and tombs, New York's skyscrapers, Manaus – a vast city in the middle of the Amazon - the windswept Falkland Islands, and Sydney Harbour.
The cheapest berth? A princely £66,990 ($120,330) per person for the full voyage.
Barring technical problems, the 245-day voyage will become the longest ever continuous passenger cruise. Credit: Getty Images
Here are a few more vital statistics about Viking's record-breaking 'Ultimate World Cruise'.
245 days – the length of the cruise
111 ports – the number of stops
51 countries – including far-flung Tonga and Fiji
6 continents – Antarctica will have to wait
55,700 nautical miles – the distance covered
930 guests – Viking Sun's capacity. It will be full when it departs Greenwich
54 guests – the number signed up for the full 245-day trip
23 overnight stays – including Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Buenos Aires and Hong Kong
9 UK ports – Dover, Liverpool, Holyhead, Belfast, Ullapool, Kirkwall, Edinburgh, Invergordon and Lerwick
8 maiden ports – Viking has never visited Roseau, La Serena, Iquique, Arequipa, Pisco, Lima, Quito or Panama City
£66,990 ($120,330) – the cheapest berth for the full trip
£194,390 ($350,000) – the most expensive, the luxurious Owner's Suite
680,000 – the number of meals that will be served, with guests expected to consume 5,000lbs of ice cream, 10,000 bottles of champagne, 9000kg of coffee, 15,900kg of cheese and 900,000 eggs
119 days – if you don't fancy the whole eight months at sea, you can join for the second half of the cruise from LA to London (from £32,990pp, $59,200). Berths are still available.
Take a look inside the Viking Sun in the gallery above.
The Telegraph, London
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