Up to 930 guests will be setting sail from Greenwich tomorrow on a whopping 245-day long cruise will visit 51 countries and 111 destinations.
Photo / Viking Cruises
Photo / Viking Cruises
Metro reports that each guest will pay £66,900 (NZ$134,815) to secure their spot on the eight-month trip, which is called the "Ultimate World Cruise"and is run by Viking Sun.
When it finishes the full 245 day itinerary, it'll bag the record for longest continuous passenger cruise.
Photo / Viking Cruises
Photo / Viking Cruises
The cruise will explore Scandinavia, the Caribbean, South America, the south Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Asia before returning to the Mediterranean and Europe.
The Viking Sun is fully booked for its departure from Greenwich, reports the Guardian.
Photo / Viking Cruises
Viking have confirmed that 54 people – four from the UK, 40 from the US and 10 from Australia – have signed up for the inheritance-busting full 245 days.
Photo / Viking Cruises
The resident of the grand "Owner's Suite" has at their disposal a living room, ocean-view dry sauna, 12-person boardroom, dining room, kitchen, extensive wine collection and in-suite chef.
Photo / Viking Cruises
World cruise devotees are generally rich retirees, reports the Guardian.
"Cruising is very, very addictive because you become seduced by the whole lifestyle," said Liz Jarvis, the editor of Cruise International magazine. "You are pampered from start to finish. That's why they are so popular and why people rebook over and over again."
Photo / Viking Cruises
The epic journey will not be without environmental impact.
Photo / Viking Cruises
The ships' heavy and growing use of fossil fuels means cruise passengers more than double their on-land emmissions, reports Vox.
Photo / Viking Cruises
Cruising has previously led to the damage of fragile ocean ecosystems, due to practices like irresponsible disposal of sewage.
Photo / Viking Cruises
Photo / Viking Cruises
A US$20 (NZ$31) million fine levied on Carnival Cruises for improper waste disposal demonstrates that the industry is not above bending environmental rules.
