Around-the-world cruises offer one of the most unique “bucket list” vacations you can imagine. Over the course of months, you literally travel the entire planet, visiting exotic locations, cultural wonders, and stunning landscapes.
Nowhere else can you visit as many places in such a short period of time, and do it all while traveling in the comfort of your own cabin.
So how epic can a world cruise be? Consider one of these trips can last upwards of 130 nights (4.5 months!) with some extending to almost 300 nights. Depending on the route, they can visit every continent, dozens of countries, and make close to one hundred call on ports. For those that have ever wanted to see the entire world, there’s simply no easier way.
If you’re one of those people — or simply like to daydream about what it would be like to see the world on one of these cruises — you might be surprised at how many options there are. While the trip may be once-in-a-lifetime, your choices on which cruise to take are far from limited.
Here’s a look at a dozen around-the-world cruises coming up in the next year.
Royal Caribbean Ultimate World Cruise (274 Nights)
When it comes to worldwide sailings, it’s hard to top the aptly-named Ultimate World Cruise from Royal Caribbean. This trip comes in at a staggering 274 nights — or more than nine months at sea. Like many world cruises, you can book shorter segments if that’s too long a trip for you.
All told, the full cruise takes you to more than 60 countries with 160 destinations over the course of the journey. Along the way, you’ll go from Antarctica to Iceland and from Norway to New Zealand. Name a famous landmark on the planet, and chances are high this cruise will be visiting, including Egyptian Pyramids, the Great Barrier Reef, Iguazu Falls, and even the lost city of Petra.
The cruise kicks off starting December 10, 2023 from Miami. Prices start at $59,999 per person for an interior cabin, plus nearly $5,000 in taxes, fees, and port expenses. With that price, a drink package, internet, gratuities, and laundry service are included.
- Ship: Serenade of the Seas
- Dates: December 10, 2023 – September 10, 2024
- Starting Cost: $59,999 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Miami
- More details
MSC World Cruise (127 Nights)
Is 274 nights and $60,000 a bit too much for you? You’re in luck as there are a number of other cruises that offer trips around the globe but for shorter lengths and more manageable price tags. For instance, this 127-night world cruise from MSC starts at just over $21,000 per person.
Along the way of the roughly four-month cruise, you’ll have 59 ports of call as you cruise the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa. The ship will then cross the Atlantic to South America, followed by cruising the Caribbean and the United States before heading to Canada, Greenland, and then northern Europe.
This will be one of the more affordable world cruises you’ll find, though the route does leave out eastern Asia, Australia, and the western half of the Americas. If it is still too long, a number of smaller segments are available. There is also another cruise leaving in 2025.
- Ship: MSC Poesia
- Dates: January 7, 2024 – May 13, 2024
- Starting Cost: $21,329 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Barcelona
- More details
Princess World Cruise (111 Nights)
Princess is known for offering a number of longer and culturally-enriching cruises, so it only fits they’d be a leader in world cruises as well. In fact, in 2024, the line offers two of them.
This cruise departs Fort Lauderdale on January 4, and heads southwest. You’ll circumnavigate the globe, passing through the Panama Canal, with stops in Central America and Los Angeles before Hawaii, New Zealand, and Australia. From there, it stops in Asia and the Middle East before a heavy dose of the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic back to Florida.
With this cruise you won’t go too far north or south, so spots like South America, Asia, and northern Europe are left out. Still, it’s among the cheapest world cruises, starting at $16,399 per person. Less expensive segments of this cruise are also available.
- Ship: Island Princess
- Dates: January 4, 2024 – April 24 2024
- Starting Cost: $16,399 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Fort Lauderdale
- More details
Princess World Cruise (110 Nights)
In addition to the around-the-world cruise mentioned above that departs Fort Lauderdale, Princess has another option that departs Auckland, Sydney, or Brisbane for 110 days aboard the Coral Princess in April.
The difference? In addition to the departure port and date, the route is slightly different. Some of the same areas are visited, but this trip also visits northern Europe/Scandinavia, Iceland, and the eastern coast of North America, as well as the western coast of South America.
Given the two Princess cruises are around the same price and length, it comes down to which itinerary interests you more.
- Ship: Coral Princess
- Dates: April 26, 2024 – August 15, 2024
- Starting Cost: $17,538 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Auckland (Sydney and Brisbane available)
- More details
Cunard Full World Voyage (123 Nights)
The name Cunard is synonymous with luxury ocean cruising. It’s no surprise, then, they offer a global cruise departing round trip from New York. This 123-night voyage will take you to Europe, Africa, Mauritius, Australia, as well as Asia (China, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand). Beyond that there are visits to the Middle East, and a trip through the Suez Canal before back to Europe and then New York.
Our impression of this trip is that given the two transatlantic crossings, there is a lot of time at sea. In fact, about two-thirds of the days are spent at sea transiting between ports. However, it also offers an affordable price and the focus on Asia is a marked difference from many trips on our list.
- Ship: Queen Mary 2
- Dates: January 3, 2024 – May 5, 2024
- Starting Cost: $13,999 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: New York
- More details
Cunard Full World Voyage (111 Nights)
Similar to Princess, Cunard offers a couple of options for global voyages. Their second option is a 111-night cruise that departs Hamburg, Germany.
Leaving Germany, there’s a quick stop in England before Bermuda and the United States. You’ll pass through the Panama Canal, up to San Francisco and then over to Hawaii. There are stops in the South Pacific, followed by New Zealand, and Australia before spots like the Philippines, China, and Vietnam. From there you’ll head to Africa, up to Portugal and return home.
One thing to note is that the lowest price for this cruise is about $68,000. That’s because the only rooms available at this time are suites and above as the lower-tier cabins show as sold out.
- Ship: Queen Victoria
- Dates: January 9, 2024 – April 20, 2024
- Starting Cost: $67,699 (plus taxes and fees) (Interior-balcony rooms sold out)
- Departure Port: Hamburg
- More details
Oceania Global Horizons (196 Days)
If you’re looking for a global cruise, one spot to search is with luxury cruise lines. They tend to appeal to affluent passengers with the means — and the time — to travel on lengthy and expensive trips like these.
Case in point: Luxury line Oceania offers this monster 196-day cruise round trip from Miami… starting at $52,199 per passenger.
During your six-and-a-half months, you’ll sail from Miami through the Panama Canal before making a swing up western Mexico. From there, it’s a visit to Hawaii before island-hopping through the Pacific to New Zealand. With multiple New Zealand and Australia stops, you’ll then head to Japan, China and southeast Asia before hugging the cost to India and then the Middle East. Finally, you’ll cover the Mediterranean, around northern Europe and then over to Iceland before crossing the Atlantic to end the trip in New York.
- Ship: Insignia
- Dates: December 29, 2023 – July 12, 2024
- Starting Cost: $52,199 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Miami
- More details
Holland America Grand World Voyage (128 Days)
Departing Fort Lauderdale aboard Holland America’s Zuiderdam, this cruise spans roughly four months and visits just as many continents. And you can get aboard starting at roughly $25,000 per person.
Within days of boarding in Fort Lauderdale, you’ll be cruising the Amazon and visiting South America. Then you’ll pass through the Panama Canal, stopping in Central America and Mexico before reaching Hawaii. You’ll then head to Japan via Guam, followed by China, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. The Grand World Voyage also takes you to the Middle East and through the Suez on your way to Israel and Turkey.
Finally, you’ll have stops in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal before crossing the Atlantic back to Florida.
- Ship: Zuiderdam
- Dates: January 3, 2024 – May 11, 2024
- Starting Cost: $23,599 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Fort Lauderdale
- More details
Regent Seven Seas Navigate the World (132 Nights)
High-end cruise brand Regent Seven Seas is ideal for those who enjoy luxury when they sail and don’t mind paying for it. In this case, its ‘Navigate the World’ journey starts at $90,999, but that’s for a ‘2-for-1 All Inclusive Fare’ in a veranda suite. This includes first-class airfare, shore excursions, gratuities, wi-fi, drinks, and much more for two people.
Departing Miami, the trip takes a familiar route with several other cruises, through the Panama Canal, the west coast of North America and then to Hawaii. From there, it’s island hopping the South Pacific before reaching New Zealand and Australia. You’ll then journey Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar before India, the Middle East and through the Suez. That’s followed by the Mediterranean before returning home to Miami.
It’s the sort of trip that lasts a few months but the memories will be a lifetime. Note that Africa, South America and northern Europe are notably absent from the itinerary.
- Ship: Seven Seas Mariner
- Dates: January 6, 2024 – May 17, 2024
- Starting Cost: $90,999 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Miami
- More details
Seabourn 2024 World Cruise (145 Days)
This trip from Seabourn is a bit unique in that it doesn’t offer a round trip. Instead, it departs Los Angeles and ends in Greece. That might seem inconvenient, but not having to make the full circle around the world means it can pack in a lot more in roughly the same amount of time.
In 145 days, there are 72 ports with 20 overnight stays while visiting 28 different countries. So you get a lot of time in port instead of at sea. In fact, days at sea are packed heavily at the start of the cruise as it travels from LA to Hawaii and then moving down Pacific Islands to New Zealand.
From there, however, it’s a steady stream of ports, including a large number in Asia including the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand and Vietnam. Your cruise then heads west including Sri Lanka, Oman, Egypt and Israel before wrapping up in Greece.
- Ship: Seabourn Sojourn
- Dates: January 11, 2024 – June 5, 2024
- Starting Cost: $79,399 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Los Angeles
- More details
Silversea Far East-West (132 Days)
Sailing aboard Silver Shadow with just 392 guests, this is definitely a small ship experience for going around the world. But we’ll be honest that this isn’t truly a global cruise. Instead, its more of a Pacific ring tour.
Departing San Francisco, you’ll head to Hawaii, the South Pacific, and then 10 different stops in New Zealand. Then it’s across the Tasman Sea and stops throughout Australia before heading to Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam. You’ll continue on to China and numerous stops in Japan before heading back to North America.
In a unique twist, this cruise leaves Japan and sails to Alaska, offering an Alaskan leg with more than a dozen stops before returning to San Francisco.
- Ship: Silver Shadow
- Dates: January 15, 2024 – May 26, 2024
- Starting Cost: $87,300 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: San Francisco
- More details
Viking World Cruise (138 days)
Viking has made a name for itself in river cruises, but it also offers ocean sailings with itineraries that are some of the most impressive on the planet. In this case, the Viking World Cruise takes you to 28 countries over 138 days.
It follows a path of a number of other world cruises, but it’s not a circumnavigation. In this case, it begins in Fort Lauderdale and ends in Greenwich, England. Without having to do the Atlantic crossing, it means more packed into the multi-month cruise.
First, you’ll take the trip south and sail the Panama Canal and then the west coast of Mexico to California before Hawaii. Then, it’s through French Polynesia, New Zealand and Australia before Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. There are multiple stops in India and the Middle East. A tour of the Mediterranean including Greece, Italy, France, and Spain follows, before wrapping up in England.
Current booking offers include free airfare, a drink package, and wi-fi for those who book.
- Ship: Viking Sky
- Dates: December 20, 2023 – May 6, 2024
- Starting Cost: $59,995 (plus taxes and fees)
- Departure Port: Fort Lauderdale
- More details
