Think replacing your 6 a.m. wakeup call and dishes in the sink with up to 116 nights of lavish galas, hobnobbing with celebrities and visits to faraway lands is more a dream than a reality? Well, it's no dream for a lot of folks who are making the concept of cruising around the world one of the most popular itineraries on the annual cruise calendar.
It's been nearly a century since the first world cruise sailed, on Cunard's RMS Laconia in 1922. The phenomenon, which has sagged a bit in popularity some years hence, was long considered a viable travel option only for the most senior of seniors.
Nowadays, it's still a great draw for seniors -- how many others have the time, not to mention the cash, to take off for three months or more? -- but we're also seeing a new spark of energy in this traditional cruise milieu. More lines keep announcing world voyages, and some even run two or more a year.
One irony about world cruises is that most actually don't really sail fully around the world. But these third-of-a-year voyages, lasting from 74 to 116 nights, do offer passengers a chance to see a widely varied portfolio of diverse cultures -- all wrapped into one voyage. And even those folks who can't commit to the full trip can participate through an increasingly popular option in which you can buy a "segment" ranging from a week to more than a month.
Also worth mentioning is that although world cruises typically begin in January and end in March, April or May, with Australia becoming a hot cruising destination, some lines are beginning to offer roundtrip Sydney world cruises that begin in May or even July.
Following is a roundup of some world sailings that pique our interest.
2013 World Cruises
Costa Cruises The Trip:Costa Deliziosa will sail a 100-night, 35-port voyage that reaches five continents. The voyage sails roundtrip from Savona, Costa's built-to-order port facility just west of Genoa, Italy.
The Dates: January 6, 2013 – April 16, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Savona to Los Angeles; Los Angeles to Singapore; Singapore to Savona.
Price: Full world cruise fares begin at $11,959; segment fares have not yet been announced.
Cruise Fares:
Crystal Cruises The Trip:Crystal Serenity will sail a 12-night transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Miami, just before a roundtrip from Miami, 74-night cruise that circumnavigates South America with a Panama Canal crossing. The trip will include overnight stays in Cartagena and Valparaiso, and three double overnights, in Lima, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
The Dates: January 4 – March 31, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Miami to Lima, 17 nights; Lima to Buenos Aires, 24 nights; Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, 12 nights; Rio de Janeiro to Miami, 21 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $27,470 to $139,725 per person, double occupancy. Segment fares start from $6,720 per person.
Cruise Fares:
Cunard Line The Trip: Cunard's Queen Victoria, returns to world cruising with a 105-night voyage during which the ship makes 34 calls, including nine first-ever calls. Victoria will visit 23 countries, cross three oceans, both tropics and the equator in addition to passing through the Panama and Suez canals. Calls in Jamaica, New Zealand, Darwin, Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Jordon, Egypt and Rome are on this itinerary that begins and ends in Southampton.
The Dates: January 10 - April 26, 2013
Itinerary Segments: New York to San Francisco; 16 nights; San Francisco to Sydney, 20 nights; Sydney to Hong Kong, 23 nights; Hong Kong to Dubai, 20 nights; Dubai to Southampton, 18 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares start from $19,995 per person; segments start from $3,235 per person, double occupancy.
Cruise Fares:
The Trip: Seasoned world voyager Queen Mary 2 embarks from Southampton for a 106-night cruise that will include six first-ever calls, including Abu Dhabi, Ko Samui and Port Elizabeth. The voyage visits 34 ports in 18 countries and passes through the Suez Canal. Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Auckland, Mauritius, Cape Town, Namibia and Madeira are calls in this itinerary.
The Dates: January 3 - April 26, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Dubai, 18 nights; Dubai to Hong Kong, 20 nights; Hong Kong to Sydney, 18 nights; roundtrip from Sydney, 12 nights; Sydney to Cape Town, 22 nights; Cape Town to Southampton, 16 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares start from $19,995 per person; segments start from $2,575 per person, double occupancy.
Cruise Fares:
Fred. Olsen Cruise Line The Trip: Fred.Olsen's Balmoral travels to the Caribbean, South Pacific, Far East and Middle East on its 112-night voyage in 2013. Destinations visited include famous cities (Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City) and natural places like the Great Barrier Reef, Komodo National Park (home of the eponymous dragon) and Jorong Bird Park.
The Dates:
January 5 – April 27, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Acalpulco, 25 nights; Acapulco to Sydney, 28 nights; Sydney to Bangkok, 22 nights; Bangkok to Dubai, 16 nights; Dubai to Southampton, 22 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £9,499 to £39,449 per person; segments start from £1,894, double occupancy.
Holland America The Trip:Amsterdam will sail a 115-night world cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. On its eighth world cruise, Amsterdam will journey through the Panama Canal to the South Pacific, then on to New Zealand, Australia and Asia, before cruising across the Indian Ocean, around Africa and across the Atlantic to South America and the Caribbean before returning home.
The Dates: January 5, 2013 – May 1, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Fort Lauderdale to Auckland, 31 nights; Auckland to Hong Kong, 33 nights; Hong Kong to Cape Town, 27 nights; Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale, 24 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $19,999 to $199,999 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at $4,149 per person.
Cruise Fares:
P&O Cruises The Trip: Setting its sights east, P&O's Arcadia will sail a 99-night South America and Pacific Adventure, visiting 32 ports in 19 countries. Itinerary highlights include cruising around Cape Horn, and visits to Easter Island, Pago Pago and more.
The Dates: January 5 – April 14, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Brisbane, 52 nights; Southampton to Sydney, 55 nights; Southampton to Auckland, 63 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares start from £8,999 per person; segments start from £1,699, double occupancy.
The Trip: P&O's Azura sails 110-nights, visiting 34 ports on 18 countries. The eastward cruise visits the Mediterranean, Middle East, Far East and Australasia.
The Dates: January 7 – April 28, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Fremantle, 41 nights; Southampton to Sydney, 49 nights; Southampton to Sydney, 50 nights; Southampton to Brisbane, 52 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares start from £8,999 per person; segments start from £3,999, double occupancy.
The Trip: P&O's Aurora circumnavigates the world in 2013. The 106-night sailing visits 43 ports in 25 countries, including visits to Papeete, Mumbai and Safaga.
The Dates: January 7 – April 25, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to San Francisco, 40 nights; Southampton to Auckland, 45 nights; Southampton to Sydney, 47 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares start from £9,499 per person; segments start from £3,599, double occupancy.
Princess Cruises The Trip:Pacific Princess will embark on a 107-night one-way journey from Fort Lauderdale to Venice, which will visit more than 40 destinations. Highlights include transiting the Panama and Suez canals and overnight calls in Lima, Hong Kong, Dubai and Istanbul.
The Dates: January 27 - May 15, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Segments ranging from ranging from 23 to 34 nights in length are available for those who'd prefer a shorter voyage.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $17,595 to $40,994 per person; segment fares are not currently available.
Cruise Fares:
The Trip: For a world cruise with an Australian flair and timing, Sea Princess offers a 104-night cruise roundtrip from Sydney, departing in late May. The itinerary visits Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe (including the Mediterranean, the U.K. and Northern Europe), the Caribbean and Hawaii.
The Dates: May 20 - September 2, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Segments are available for those who prefer a shorter voyage.
Price: Fares range from $15,749 to $70,199 per person, double occupancy; segment fares are not available.
Cruise Fares:
Saga Holidays The Trip:Saga Ruby will circumnavigate the globe on a 109-night voyage that sails roundtrip from Southampton. The focus is southern hemisphere ports, with visits to South America, French Polynesia, Australia and New Zealand, and West Africa.
The Dates: January 7 - April 27, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Buenos Aires, 22 nights; Buenos Aires to Auckland, 31 nights; Auckland to Cape Town, 38 nights; Cape Town to Southampton, 22 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £21,769 to £62,949 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at £4,729 per person.
Seabourn The Trip:Seabourn Quest will embark on a 115-night one-way journey from Fort Lauderdale to Venice, which will visit 51 ports in 27 countries on six continents. Highlights include Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji, Kuto, Ile des Pins and Noumea, Grande Terre in New Caledonia, and Townsville, Queensland.
The Dates: January 6 - May 3, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Segments ranging from ranging from 20 to 89 nights in length are available for those who'd prefer a shorter voyage.
Price: Full world cruise fares begin at $49,640 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at $11,350 per person.
Cruise Fares:
Silversea Cruises The Trip:Silver Whisper will visit the South Pacific, Australia/New Zealand, Far East, India, Africa and Caribbean on a 115-night voyage from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale.
The Dates: January 5 - May 1, 2013
Itinerary Segments: Los Angeles to Singapore, 61 nights; Singapore to Fort Lauderdale, 54 nights.
Prices: Full world cruise fares range from $49,999 to $153,018 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at $21,849 per person.
Cruise Fares:
2014 World Cruises
Crystal Cruises The Trip:Crystal Serenity will sail an 89-night cruise that doesn't quite make it all the way around the world. The cruise focuses on Asia and Africa, with multiple overnights in many of the major cities visited, such as Osaka, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Bangkok, Singapore and Cape Town.
The Dates: January 18 – April 18, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Los Angeles to Yokohama, 22 nights; Yokohama to Hong Kong, 12 nights; Hong Kong to Singapore, 16 nights; Singapore to Cape Town, 18 nights; Cape Town to London, 21 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $38,180 to $196,510 per person; segments start from $6,745 per person, double occupancy.
Cruise Fares:
Cunard Line The Trip: Cunard's Queen Elizabeth is embarking on a 118-night world cruise roundtrip from Southampton in 2014, but passengers can opt for variations, including a roundtrip New York itinerary and departures from San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale for slightly shorter voyages. Journey highlights include visits to American Samoa, Australia/New Zealand, Japan, China and Egypt.
The Dates: January 10 - May 9, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, 11 nights; Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco, 16 nights; San Francisco to Sydney, 23 nights; Sydney to Singapore, 34 nights; Singapore to Dubai, 14 nights; Dubai to Southampton, 20 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $21,995 to $74,995 per person; segments start from $2,140, double occupancy.
The Trip: Cunard's Queen Victoria is also doing a "world cruise" that doesn't go all the way around the world. The 116-day voyage roundtrip from Southampton focuses on the southern hemisphere with a tour of South America, the South Pacific and Australia/New Zealand before heading home via San Francisco, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean.
The Dates: January 2 - April 28, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, 10 nights; Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires, 16 nights; Buenos Aires to Santiago, 12 nights; Santiago to Sydney, 23 nights; Syndey to San Francisco, 28 nights; San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, 15 nights; Fort Lauderdale to Southampton, 12 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $19,995 to $66,995 per person; segments start from $1,795, double occupancy.
The Trip:Queen Mary 2 seems to be headed for all the ports Queen Victoria is skipping with its 119-night world cruise out of Southampton. (Not long enough? Tack on two transatlantics for a 133-night roundtrip out of New York.) The itinerary visits Africa, circumnavigates Australia, cruises through Southeast Asia, then heads home through the Middle East and Europe.
The Dates: January 10 - May 9, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Cape Town, 18 nights; Cape Town to Sydney, 22 nights; Sydney to Hong Kong, 42 nights; Hong Kong to Dubai, 19 nights; Dubai to Southampton, 18 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $21,995 to $68,995 per person; segments start from $1,555, double occupancy.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Line The Trip: Fred.Olsen's Balmoral is sailing a classic round-the-world itinerary. The 104-night sailing out of Southampton begins with visits to Spain and the Middle East, continues to India and Asia (with a first-ever call in Myanmar), then heads across the Pacific to Hawaii, San Diego and Mexico, before cutting through the Panama Canal and Caribbean on the way home.
The Dates: January 5 – April 19, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Dubai, 24 nights; Dubai to Hong Kong, 26 nights; Hong Kong to San Diego, 27 nights; San Diego to Southampton, 31 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £8,999 to £35,529 per person; segments start from £2,239, double occupancy.
The Trip:Black Watch is also headed round the world on a 114-night adventure to South America, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and the Middle East. The ship sails roundtrip out of Southampton.
The Dates: January 14 – May 8, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Valparaiso, 33 nights; Valparaiso to Sydney, 30 nights; Sydney to Singapore, 23 nights; Singapore to Aqaba, 20 nights; Aqaba to Southampton, 15 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £9,799 to £38,649 per person; segments start from £1,649, double occupancy.
Holland America The Trip:Amsterdam will sail a 113-night world cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. The journey begins with a Panama Canal crossing followed by visits to South America on the way to French Polynesia and other South Pacific destinations. The ship will spend some time in Asia before stopping at the Seychelles and ports in Africa; it returns home via the Caribbean.
The Dates: January 4 – April 28, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Fort Lauderdale to Sydney, 37 nights; Sydney to Hong Kong, 20 nights; Hong Kong to Cape Town, 29 nights; Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale, 27 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares start from $19,999 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at $3,899 per person.
Cruise Fares:
P&O Cruises The Trip: P&O's Arcadia will circumnavigate the globe with a 92-night world cruise, visiting 28 ports in 20 countries. Itinerary highlights include Panama and Suez Canal crossings, and visits to the Azores, Tahiti, Australia, Bali, Egypt and more.
The Dates: January 10 – April 13, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Los Angeles, 23 nights; Los Angeles to Auckland, 18 nights; Auckland to Dubai, 32 nights; Dubai to Southampton, 19 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £7,899 to £21,799 per person; segments start from £1,099, double occupancy.
The Trip: P&O's Adonia sails 112 nights on an Asian adventure, visiting 44 ports in 23 countries. The eastward cruise visits the Mediterranean, Middle East, Far East and China (so not technically a full world cruise).
The Dates: January 7 – April 29, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to Singapore, 39 nights; Singapore to Hong Kong, 28 nights; Hong Kong to Mumbai, 23 nights; Mumbai to Southampton, 23 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £9,999 to £39,899 per person; segments start from £1,479, double occupancy.
The Trip: P&O's Aurora circumnavigates the world roundtrip from Southampton in 2014. The 109-night sailing visits the Caribbean, Pacific islands, Australia, China and Southeast Asia, and Africa.
The Dates: January 4 – April 24, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Southampton to San Francisco, 22 nights; to San Francisco to Auckland, 15 nights; Auckland to Shanghai, 20 nights; Shanghai to Singapore, 15 nights; Singapore to Cape Town, 19 nights; Cape Town to Southampton, 18 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from £8,899 to £41,599 per person; segments start from £1,099, double occupancy.
Princess Cruises The Trip: For a world cruise with an Australian flair and timing, Dawn Princess offers a 104-night cruise roundtrip from Sydney, departing in late May. The itinerary visits Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe (including the Mediterranean, the U.K. and Western Europe), the Caribbean South America and the South Pacific.
The Dates: May 18 - August 31, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Sydney to Dubai, 24 nights; Dubai to Southampton, 31 nights; Southampton to New York, 11 nights; New York to Sydney, 38 nights.
Price: Fares range from $22,284 to $73,084 per person, double occupancy; segment fares start from $3,014.
Cruise Fares:
Seabourn The Trip:Seabourn Sojourn will embark on a 116-night one-way journey from Los Angeles to Venice, which will visit 52 ports in 20 countries. The cruise to Hawaii, the South Pacific and Australia, Indonesia and Southeast Asia, India, Middle East and the Mediterranean will include a first-time Seabourn world cruise visit to Western Australia and overnights in several cities, including Honolulu, Sydney, Hong Kong and Mumbai.
The Dates: January 4 - May 1, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Los Angeles to Sydney, 34 nights; Sydney to Hong Kong, 34 nights; Hong Kong to Mumbai, 26 nights; Mumbai to Venice, 22 nights.
Price: Full world cruise fares range from $52,214 to $134,214 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at $13,552 per person.
Cruise Fares:
Silversea Cruises The Trip:Silver Whisper will visit Hawaii, the South Pacific, Australia/New Zealand, Far East, Middle East and Mediterranean on a 113-night voyage from Los Angeles to Barcelona. Highlights include 54 ports of call in 29 countries, with 12 overnight stays and late-night departures.
The Dates: January 6 - April 30, 2014
Itinerary Segments: Los Angeles to Auckland, 20 nights; Auckland to Sydney, 10 nights; Sydney to Shanghai, 23 nights; Shanghai to Singapore, 18 nights; Singapore to Muscat, 17 nights; Muscat to Istanbul, 16 nights; Istanbul to Barcelona, 9 nights.
Prices: Full world cruise fares range from $54,550 to $160,450 per person, double occupancy; segment fares begin at $3,450 per person.
Think replacing your 6 a.m. wakeup call and dishes in the sink with up to 116 nights of lavish galas, hobnobbing with celebrities and visits to faraway lands is more a dream than a reality? Well, it's no dream for a lot of folks who are making the concept of cruising around the world one of the most popular itineraries on the annual cruise calendar.
