by Ralph Grizzle

While it's possible to do a segment of a world cruise, going all the way is a badge of honor for some. After all, completing a full world cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime experience (except for those like the Zimmermans, who have done multiple world cruises - you'll hear from them in a moment.) Cruise lines reward those who dole out the dollars for the industry's highest-ticket item. Book a full world cruise and receive generous discounts and perks that can include private car transfers between home and the airport, exclusive shoreside events, complimentary wine and spirits, shipboard credits, all gratuities and more. We caught up with four full-world cruisers for their perspectives. Retired banking executive John Eskildsen and his wife Linda did their first world cruise in 2006. The Lake Oswego, Oregon, couple said the itinerary and the time of year convinced them to leave the cold of Oregon for the promise of sun and adventure. Their most memorable experiences during their world cruise: "Visiting Hanoi and Saigon. The sights of Luxor in Egypt. Seeing Bangkok and Singapore." Manuel and Nina Zimmerman were on their third world cruise when we caught up with them in 2006. A retired veterinarian, Manuel says he and his wife have always traveled, but "we were starting to find lengthy land trips more tiring." The Zimmermans' most memorable experiences during their three world cruises: Angkor Wat in 2004. And on the 2006 world cruise: revisiting Karnak and the Pyramids of Giza after 25 years. You don't have to take out a second mortgage to go on a world cruise. In fact, some people are opting to spend their savings on world cruises instead of buying a second home. Full world cruise fares for 2008 begin at just under $19,000 per person. Of course, for spacious living and top dollar fares, you could pay more than $200,000 per person. "People are beginning to look at alternative costs to travel around the world and finding that cruises are a good value," says Tracey Kelly, vice president of sales for Holland America Line. His company will dispatch not one, but two ships on world cruises in 2008. Ditto for Cunard Line. "We've not seen demand like this since the late 1990s," Kelly says.