How to (sometimes) avoid long flights

Departure date is getting close. Passports and Visa are in hand. We got our Yellow Fever shots, so we’re good to go. We should be able to buy toiletries, vitamins, etc.in Singapore and free up space for more clothes. We’re still waiting for cabin assignment.I do not like long air flights but many times they are necessary just to “start” our trip. Ihave not been able to avoid the flights at the beginning of trips, but I’m good at the end of the trip. It all started in 2008 when we took a river cruise from Bucharest to Amsterdam (wonderful trip) and I tried to find a way home without flying. Since the river cruise was mid-July to mid-August, it was not a good time for repositioning cruises. We wanted  to spend some time in Europe but not until October or November. I finally found a ship that was leaving in mid-September (perfect). It was the Crown Princess which was doing Scandinavian capitals that summer. Since I also wanted to go to St. Petersburg, it again was perfect. We took the last Scandinavian cruise and continued back to Fort Lauderdale. Since we now had two cruises on Princess, we were getting some nice perks. More cruises would give us more perks, so we’ve been sailing with them since. The good news is they have lots of itineraries. The bad news is their enrichment program leaves a lot to be desired. Royal Olympia spoiled us. I don’t think many other lines, except expensive ones, are much better. I’m hoping this long trip with lots of sea days will have more guest speakers.  In 2010 when we went to Alaska, we took the last southbound cruise of the year and continued back to Fort Lauderdale. On this trip I knew repositioning cruises would not be available in June,  but I finally found the QM2 which continues transatlantic cruises in the summer. So a  non-flight  to New York. How do we get home our other favorite mode of transportation. Train. So after disembarking in Dover, we’ll spend a few days in London, go back to Southampton and take to QM to NewYork then take the train to Orlando where we’ll take a bus to Fort Myers (the least favorite part of the trip but at least no airline flights.