MIAMI — It didn't take long for a 132-night luxury cruise to sell out.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 2024 World Cruise tickets became available at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Within two and a half hours, the cruise was completely booked.
Ticket prices begin at $73,499 per person and go all the way up to $199,999 per person for a master suite.
"With a waitlist longer than we have ever experienced, we knew that the 2024 World Cruise was going to be popular, but this outstanding response has surpassed all expectations and is without a doubt our strongest world cruise launch day ever," said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The cruise line’s previous world cruise opening day record was set when Regent’s 2023 World Cruise went on sale
The cruise is scheduled to set sail on Jan. 6, 2024, from Miami.
Guests will experience three oceans, four continents and 31 countries.
More information can be found online here.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put a no-sail order on cruise ships to help limit the spread of the virus.
Since then, CDC extended no-sail orders repeatedly last year as the pandemic raged, and came up with strict requirements for the industry that have already been contested in court by the state of Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis says the industry generates billions for the state's economy.
During that hiatus, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, the three largest cruise companies, have had to raise more than $40 billion in financing just to stay afloat. Collectively they lost $20 billion last year and another $4.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Some cruises have been experimenting with "test voyages" to see if they can return to the sea safely.
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