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Luxury travel is back: A $400,000 cruise sold out in less than 3 hours

July 15, 2021
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4 min read
Seven Seas Mariner
Luxury travel is back: A $400,000 cruise sold out in less than 3 hours
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How eager is the swanky set to get back to circling the world on epic trips? Eager enough to snap up every cabin on one of the priciest cruises ever in less than three hours.

Luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises on Thursday announced that a just-unveiled around-the-world voyage aimed at high-net-worth travelers -- cabins cost up to $399,998 for two -- sold out on Wednesday in just 2.5 hours.

It's the fastest any world cruise at the line ever has sold out, the company said.

“This outstanding response has surpassed all expectations and is without a doubt our strongest world cruise launch day ever,” Regent Seven Seas president and CEO Jason Montague said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

Scheduled to begin in Miami on Jan. 6, 2024, the 132-night sailing on Regent's 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will be a country counter's delight. It includes visits to 66 ports in 31 countries.

The ship will touch five continents in all -- North America, South America, Oceania, Asia and Europe -- as it travels westward across the Caribbean to the Panama Canal and then across the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.

The vessel will cover more than 34,000 miles in the process before ending up nearly five months later in the exact same place it began the trip: Miami.

A cruise ship floats on wavy blue water near a rock outcropping with lots of fluffy, white clouds in the blue sky background
The 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will circle the world in early 2024. (Photo courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises)

Regent typically offers one extended world cruise every year, and they often sell out fast. But never this quickly. Regent said the voyage went on sale at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday and sold out at approximately 11 a.m.

Regent had to end its 2020 world cruise early and cancel its 2021 world cruise entirely due to the COVID-19-related industry-wide shutdown, resulting in pent-up demand among its customers for its longest, world-circling voyages.

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Regent world cruises scheduled for 2022 and 2023 have sold out quickly, too.

Fares for the very smallest cabins on the newly unveiled world cruise (known as deluxe veranda suites) started at $73,499 per person, based on double occupancy. That works out to $146,998 for a cabin for two.

The top cabins on the ship (master suites) cost $199,999 per person, based on double occupancy -- nearly $400,000 for a couple.

Regent is known as one of the most upscale -- and priciest -- cruise lines in the world, with voyages that often start at around $1,000 per person, per day.

While that may seem like a lot, Regent's ships are the floating equivalent of the most elegant resorts on land, with restaurants serving gourmet fare; luxurious and large cabins (every one of which is a suite); and an unusually high staff-to-passenger ratio.

The line also is one of the most all-inclusive in the cruise business, with just about every element of the cruise experience including drinks and even shore excursions included in the fare. Passengers on the 2024 world cruise will have a choice of 442 shore excursions for no extra charge, including access to 61 UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- a new record for a single Regent cruise. The voyage will include 12 overnight stays in ports.

Regent said the cruise had drawn strong interest not just from regular Regent passengers but from newcomers to the line -- perhaps a sign that well-heeled travelers are searching for new ways to get out and rediscover the world after being cooped up for more than a year.

“For our guests, the 2024 [world cruise] represents so much more than just a cruise vacation," Regent's Montague said. "It's a return to a normality."

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image courtesy of Oceania Cruises.

Featured image by REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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