How to celebrate your lottery win with a round-the-world cruise

Do you want to celebrate your lottery jackpot win with a once-in-a-lifetime vacation? If you do, a luxury world cruise might be just what you're looking for.

World cruises are becoming an increasingly popular form of holiday travel. They have many advantages, and they offer a great way to see many destinations in one extended trip.

The convenience of cruising

Once you get onboard the cruise ship, all you have to do is unpack your bags, and your holiday has begun. You have everything you need close to hand for an epic voyage to Northern Europe, the South Pacific, the Middle East, South America, or Southeast Asia. When you plan a cruise, the world is literally your oyster. Here are some of the advantages of taking a world cruise:

• Avoid the throng: On a cruise, you get to skip crowded airports, delayed flights, long lines, and queuing at customs.
• Skip itinerary planning: When you're visiting multiple countries on the same vacation, working out your itinerary can take a lot of the fun out of your trip. When you book a cruise, you can quickly and easily select from a range of pre-planned itineraries.
• Only unpack once: Although you will be visiting many different countries, because you have the convenience of sleeping in the same room every night, you don't need to keep unpacking and re-packing.
• Reduced risk of jet lag: Because you're traveling at a slower pace, you can avoid abrupt changes to your circadian rhythm, so your vacation will not be spoiled by fatigue from jet lag.
• Safety is assured: The cruise industry has strict measures for health and safety. You can rely on clean and sanitized rooms and a top-of-the-line ventilation system.

Expanding your mind with travel

Traveling around the world on a cruise ship is a great way to enrich your life and have new experiences that will help you grow. Seeing the world from a range of different perspectives and diverse cultures can benefit your mind in many ways, including:

• Reducing stress
• Increasing creativity
• Improving your mood
• Boosting brain function
• Alleviating work burnout

Is a world cruise right for me?

If you enjoy long trips and have the time to travel to multiple locations, a world cruise can be your next perfect adventure. It's a great way to treat yourself after a lottery win. There are many different types of world cruises to choose from, so you're sure to find one that's just right for you. Here are some examples:

• Expedition cruising: Destinations on an expedition cruise usually include some of the lesser-known and less frequently traveled spots all over the world. Onboard entertainment is usually comprised of lectures and talks, photography workshops, and discussions of history and culture.
• Family cruising: Family-friendly cruises usually encompass all-day dining and entertainment, supervised children's clubs, sports coaching, soft play areas for young ones, and rock climbing, arcades, and other activities for teens.
• Boutique cruising: A boutique cruise is for travelers who want something a little less overwhelming. They generally take place on smaller ships and often travel to more remote destinations. You can also enjoy spending nights in hotels if you don't want to sleep on the ship all the time.
• Adults-only cruises: If you want a cruise where you can relax and unwind without the distractions and worry of children on board, an adults-only cruise is the one for you. You will find the pool deck is a peaceful place to relax with a book, and play areas are replaced with cooking schools, planetariums, and theatres.

Spend as much or as little time as you like

Another advantage of cruising the oceans is that it's up to you how long you spend there. Typically, shorter cruises spend more time traveling on the water and less time stopping at ports, but you can still enjoy some breathtaking views. You can choose from many schedules, from as little as two weeks to several months. Some cruise lines even offer indefinite tours where you can become a private resident of a ship and come and go as you please and visit any port you like. Let's take a look at some of the different durations of cruise vacations.

Complete world cruise

If you really want to see the world and you have plenty of time to travel, you could take an entire world cruise in which you will circumnavigate the globe. With this type of cruise, you should expect to be traveling for around 90 days, possibly more, because you will be visiting six continents. Often, you can join the cruise at a location near you; otherwise, you may have to fly to the boarding destination. An entire world cruise will visit many of the world's major ports and cities, including:

• Amsterdam
• Aukland
• Barcelona
• Cape Town
• Cartagena
• Dubai
• Hong Kong
• Los Angeles
• Marseille
• Miami
• Montego Bay
• New York
• Rio de Janeiro
• San Fransico
• Shanghai
• Singapore
• Sydney
• Tokyo
• Vancouver
• Venice

Segment world cruise

World cruises are popular because they have extensive itineraries and often travel for a month or more at a time. But if you don't have that long, you can still see the world by cruise ship because many cruise lines offer world-segment cruises. These allow travelers to choose to participate in a particular leg of the journey instead of the complete tour. For example, perhaps you have always wanted to see the fantastic works of art at the Prado Gallery in Madrid or the Leaning Tower of Lisa. If this is the case, then the Western European leg of a world tour is what you're looking for. Perhaps you want to visit the Panama Canal in Central America or see the giant turtles on the Galapagos. You can easily find a segment cruise that will take you to your dream destination.

Liveaboard cruising

If you want to change your lifestyle completely after winning a lottery jackpot, you could spend the rest of your life globetrotting. Liveaboard cruising involves making a ship your primary residence so you can truly enjoy traveling the world in comfort. When you live on a cruise ship, it's up to you where and when you travel the world, so you have the luxury of planning your itinerary. With a residential cruise ship, you will own a condo at sea, which means you will have all the amenities you need and much more personal space than you'd have on a regular cruise ship. You could even work remotely. Along with shops, restaurants, and entertainment, this type of cruise ship includes banks, schools, and hospitals.

Who you'll meet on a world cruise

Taking a world cruise is a great way to meet interesting people. You're likely to meet many individuals who share your passion for travel and adventure. You can expect to meet the following types of people on your cruise:

• Solo travelers: Around 20% of people who take world cruises are solo travelers. This is most likely because taking a world cruise is a safe way to travel alone. Not only that, but cruises are a great way to meet people who share the same interests.
• Early retirees: It's not uncommon to meet youthful retirees when you're traveling on a world cruise. You may enjoy talking to them about their life and travel experiences. You may even learn some good business or investment tips.
• Remote entrepreneurs: Traveling entrepreneurs who work independently as they roam are typically consultants, freelancers, and digital nomads. They know just how to make the most of technology to maintain a perfect balance between work and travel while maintaining a nomadic lifestyle.
• Families: Thanks to expanding technology and virtual learning, more and more families are choosing to travel the world with their children. Not only is it a great educational experience, but it also expands their horizons, literally. Some cruise lines even have an education department onboard.
• Epats: These are people who live and work in a country other than that of their natural citizenship. They may be military personnel who have been deployed overseas, entrepreneurs, or in a field of cultural or linguistic research.

How to plan for your world cruise

If you take the time to plan and prepare adequately before you travel, you can rest assured that your world voyage will be smooth sailing. Consider these factors before you embark on a world tour:

• How much time you have to travel
• The places you want to visit
• The kind of onboard experiences and amenities you want
• How much space you will need to feel comfortable
• How much you can afford to spend 

Not all cruises are created equal, so make sure you do plenty of research and read as many customer reviews as you can. Check out world cruise blogs written by passengers to give you a realistic idea of what to expect.

Make sure to find out about any visas or other travel documents you are going to need for entry into the different countries that you will be visiting. A professional travel agent can advise you on which, if any, documents you will need to visit your travel destinations.

How you decide to cruise, and wherever you choose to travel, have a safe journey and enjoy your vacation.