Cruises

Round the World: Jewel-in-the-Crown Journeys

By Susan Young Nov 9, 2020 11:00am

A full world cruise is the “jewel in the crown” of luxury cruise experiences. Sailing for four to six months on one voyage, luxury travelers circumnavigate the globe (either fully or partially), encircle one major ocean or go nearly pole-to-pole on a north-south expeditionary routing. They float to dozens of destinations on multiple continents, visit dozens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, enjoy maiden and overnight port calls and take optional overland adventures to such exotic spots as Australia’s Outback, Africa’s wildlife reserves and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat.

Along the way, they “reside” in a top suite on an opulent ship, receive pampering onboard (in many cases, by a butler), dine at Michelin-quality restaurants, enjoy top-notch entertainment and lectures and receive special perks. Best of all, many World Cruises depart from New York, Florida or California ports and some voyages are roundtrip from the U.S.; others end in such destinations as London, Copenhagen, Barcelona or Athens.

While many upscale lines have cancelled their 2021 World Cruises, they’ve introduced enticing World Cruise itineraries for 2022 and 2023 (see page 26). Highlights are outlined below.

Elements of the Pacific

For a 2022 World Cruise that encircles the Pacific Ocean in robust fashion, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 120-night “Navigate the World — Elements of the Pacific” voyage sails roundtrip from San Francisco on January 5. Calling at 59 ports in 17 countries, the 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will sail to Hawaii, French Polynesia, American Samoa and other South Pacific isles, as well as New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, China and Japan. The voyage then transits the northern Pacific Ocean with calls at Petropavlovsk, Russia; Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Seward, Sitka and Ketchikan, Alaska; and Vancouver, B.C.

For guests seeking destination immersion, this itinerary has it. The voyage is Regent’s first World Cruise to the Asia-Pacific region since 2009. Guests will have access to 43 UNESCO World Heritage sites, plus 18 overnights in such ports as Xiamen, China; Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand; Brisbane, Australia; Bali (Benoa), Indonesia; and others.

A big perk? Full-World-Cruise guests will be treated to several exclusive shoreside events including “A Classical Rendezvous” in Sydney, Australia, and “Ceremony, Art and Cuisine” at Meguro Gajoen in Tokyo, Japan. Guests attending that Meguro Gajoen event will feel immersed in Japan’s heritage and culture. They’ll stroll lush gardens, see art-adorned halls and stunning woodwork, sample an array of sushi and participate in a traditional tea ceremony. They’ll be welcomed by geishas and witness Kabuki (dance-drama), before viewing the evening’s highlight — ninjutsu performances by genuine ninjas.

Another big perk? Regent Seven Seas will offer full-World-Cruise guests a choice of 299 complimentary shore excursions (plus many optional shore trips and overland adventures). So, luxury travelers can indulge their personal passions ashore — whether that’s hiking, sightseeing, cooking, learning about heritage and culture or wildlife/marine life spotting.

Among the line’s optional land programs that journey deeper into the heart of a country are an “Off-the-Beaten-Path” program from Rotorua (Tauranga), New Zealand; a five-night overland trip from Cairns, Australia to Uluru in the Outback; an overnight in Hanoi from Halong Bay, Vietnam; and a multi-night “Highlights of Beijing and Chinese Warriors” program in Beijing and Xian, China.

By the conclusion of Regent Seven Seas’ 2022 World Cruise, guests will have sailed nearly 29,000 miles to three continents — North America, Australia and Asia. Along the way, they’ll have visited such cities as Honolulu; Singapore; Melbourne, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Hong Kong; Shanghai and Tokyo, but also explored off-the-beaten-path spots too. For example, Seven Seas Mariner calls at Fakarava, an idyllic island and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Tuamotu Atolls of French Polynesia. Snorkelers and scuba divers will discover a large lagoon, rectangular reef and underwater world teeming with sea life.

Among the many complimentary inclusions for Regent Seven Seas’ full-World-Cruise guests are first-class air tickets; a pre-cruise gala event and one-night hotel stay at the Fairmont San Francisco; along with door-to-door luggage service, a comprehensive visa package, unlimited laundry service, including dry cleaning and pressing, phone time per suite, a commemorative gift, onboard medical service and more.

Regent’s Seven Seas Mariner will visit Alaska during its “Navigate the World — Elements of the Pacific” voyage in 2020.

Uncharted Expedition

Operating the cruise industry’s first expeditionary World Cruise, Silversea Expeditions’ 254-passenger (240 in polar regions) Silver Cloud will depart January 25, 2022 on a 167-day “Uncharted Expedition — World Tour” voyage. Cruisers will visit 107 destinations in 30 countries as they travel from Ushuaia, Argentina, the gateway to Antarctica, to Tromso, Norway, north of the Arctic Circle. They’ll also enjoy 11 overnight port stays.

Enriching the expedition experience for guests will be dozens of experts and guest speakers, including global explorer and author Tim Severin, gold medalist of the Royal Geographical and Scottish Geographical Societies. In the past, he’s retraced the journeys of Saint Brendan the Navigator, Sinbad the Sailor, Jason and the Argonauts, Ulysses, The First Crusade and Genghis Khan — traveling in replica boats of the era or on horseback.

Silver Cloud’s expeditionary World Cruise begins with eco-adventure in Antarctica and in the Chilean Fjords. From Valparaiso, Chile, Silver Cloud then will sail to Robinson Crusoe Island, Pitcairn Islands, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and other Pacific Ocean isles. The ship carries a fleet of Zodiacs so guests will head out with expert guides for beach landings, scenic views and wildlife viewing.

Luxury Travel Advisor particularly likes that Silver Cloud spends a full week in Papua New Guinea. During the call at remote Tami Islands, cruisers should check out the lovely, wooden “Tami bowls,” elaborately carved by local residents who live a simple lifestyle. Silver Cloud also takes cruisers to multiple destinations in Australia, including Cairns, Darwin and the Kimberley Coast. Another plus? Its two weeks of calls throughout Indonesia, including an overnight at Indonesia’s Gunung Leseur National Park (Belawan), Sumatra, one of the Earth’s last spots for viewing critically endangered orangutans in the wild.

The journey continues with a Singapore overnight, port calls in Sri Lanka, India, several Oman, U.A.E. ports and Safaga (for Luxor), Egypt, as well as a Suez Canal transit. In the Mediterranean, guests can explore Greek culture, heritage and eco-beauty at Piraeus (for Athens), plus such other lesser visited Greek destinations as Symi and Naxos. After many calls elsewhere in the Mediterranean, the ship visits ports in France and the United Kingdom, heads across the Atlantic Ocean to Iceland for a week of “fire and ice” eco-exploration and back east again to Norway.

Humpback and minke whales cavort and feed in waters around volcanic Jan Mayen, a remote Norwegian island with one active volcano and black lava beaches. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, Silver Cloud’s guests will land at this rarely visited outpost. They’ll also go ashore at Svalbard, home to hundreds of polar bears, before heading atop the world to Norway’s North Cape.

Several exclusive events for full-World-Cruise guests include “An Evening at the China Club” in Singapore’s Capital Tower, and a private dinner with traditional entertainment, including fire dancing at Robert Louis Stevenson’s House in Apia, Samoa. Other perks for Silversea Expeditions’ full-World-Cruise guests include roundtrip business-class international air; a $2,000 onboard spending credit per guest; and much more.

Extraordinary Horizons

Destination collectors will salivate over Seabourn’s 145-day “2022 World Cruise: Extraordinary Horizons,” departing from Los Angeles on January 11, 2022. Sailing westbound, the 458-passenger ultra-luxury Seabourn Sojourn will call at 72 destinations in 28 countries on five continents before the robust voyage concludes in Athens, Greece. Along the way, the ship will journey to Hawaii, multiple South Pacific isles, New Zealand, Australia, many Asian destinations, the Arabian Peninsula and Israel.

Most notably, Seabourn is returning to Egypt for the first time since 2014 with an overnight at Safaga, so cruisers have time to visit Luxor’s colonnaded temples. The ship also calls at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, famed for its offshore dive sites. During a two-day stay at Haifa, Israel, guests will have plenty of shore time to visit such UNESCO World Heritage Sites as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Judea and Galilee, as well as head for the Bauhaus White City, colorful markets and seaside promenades of Tel Aviv.

In fact, Seabourn Sojourn will overnight in 20 ports, including Auckland, New Zealand; Manila, the Philippines; Nagasaki, Japan; Singapore; Male, Maldives; Haifa (Tel Aviv), Israel and many others, plus the line has a double overnight in Shanghai. Seabourn Sojourn will also stay late into the evening in 20 other ports. In addition, all guests will be treated to two Seabourn signature events — the line’s “Caviar in the Surf” beach barbecue at Ko Kood, Thailand, and “Evening at Ephesus,” a private classical “under-the-stars” concert in the ancient ruins near Kusadasi, Turkey.

For even more in-depth destination immersion, cruisers should check out the line’s line-up of optional, mid-voyage overland excursions. Guests can disembark the ship in one port and reboard at another. So, how about a trip to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, India’s Taj Mahal, Australia’s Outback region or heritage sites in China and Cambodia? Also available are optional Seabourn Journeys, offering guests, pre- and post-cruise, land-based excursions to and from such destinations as Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.

Seabourn Sojourn will call at 72 destinations in 28 countries on five continents on its world voyage in 2022.

Seabourn’s full-World-Cruise guests will be treated to a value-packed menu of complimentary benefits and amenities, including a “Gala Bon Voyage” dinner and overnight stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina Del Rey, CA; an exclusive World Cruise President’s event; three exclusive World Cruise shoreside events; and special World Cruise pillow gifts.

In addition, those travelers who book the full, 145-day voyage by May 31, 2021 will receive roundtrip business-class air tickets; a $2,000 per person shipboard credit for those staying in Oceanview and Veranda suites and a $3,000 per person shipboard credit for those staying in Penthouse and Premium suites; unlimited Internet; private car transfers between home and airport; Personal Valet luggage service from their home to the ship in Los Angeles and from the ship in Athens to their home; plus a slew of other benefits.

Globetrotting

Fully encircling the globe is Crystal’s “Myths, Marvels & Monuments” 116-night World Cruise departing January 17, 2022 roundtrip from Miami or February 2, 2022 roundtrip from Los Angeles on the 980-passenger Crystal Serenity. Guests will visit 50 port destinations in 32 countries and have opportunities to explore dozens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Luxury travelers also will appreciate the line’s flexibility in offering three other full-World-Cruise embarkation / disembarkation combinations ranging from 82 to 116 nights. Those include Miami to Monte Carlo (102 nights); Los Angeles to Monte Carlo (86 nights) or Los Angeles to Miami (100 nights). Depending on the embarkation and disembarkation selected, Full-World-Cruise voyages may begin or end with a Panama Canal transit.

During this globe-trotting adventure, luxury travelers will visit Hawaii, Tonga and Samoa; Australia and New Zealand; Indonesia and Sri Lanka; Egypt, Israel and the Black Sea; and Greece and the French Riviera. During the Central American segment of the cruise, Crystal Serenity will call in Jamaica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Panama Canal and several Mexican ports.

For a fun shore excursion in Cabo San Lucas, we’d reserve a spot on Crystal’s “Mexican Outback Adventure,” a fun, educational safari with cruisers riding in an open-air truck through the Baja California peninsula. A guide provides commentary, guests will take a short nature walk, and then cruisers will participate in a tortilla-making class, taste tequila and enjoy a ranch-style lunch.

Crystal’s World Cruise then continues with a Polynesia and South Pacific focus, sailing between Hawaii and Tonga with 12 days at sea. Within New Zealand and Australia, guests can explore the “Lord of the Rings” landscapes, visit the Barossa and Margaret River wine regions, and spend sizable time ashore with overnight stays in Auckland and Sydney. Then it’s on to Indonesia and the Indian Ocean, with an overnight in bustling Singapore. We’d suggest guests might head out on Crystal’s “Singapore by Night Experience,” which includes a riverboat cruise on the Singapore River, a trishaw ride and a stop at Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling.

Crystal Serenity will also spend time in the blissful Maldives; overnight in both Mumbai, India and Safaga, Egypt, where guests can take a shore excursion to see the temples of Luxor; and visit the Arabian Gulf and Holy Land, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Other highlights include ancient Petra in Jordan, as well as Limassol, Cyprus and Rhodes, Greece. After a Suez Canal transit, the ship will visit the Black Sea Coast.

On the day’s call at Constanta, Romania, one good option for archaeological buffs is to take Crystal’s shore excursion, “A Visit to Ancient Histria,” to see ruins of the first Greek city to be settled on the Black Sea’s western coast. It’s located about 30 miles from Constanta and provides a glimpse into seventh-century Romania. Crystal’s World Cruise also visits Bulgaria and Ukraine, overnights in Istanbul, and, in the Mediterranean, spends time on the Italian Riviera, overnights in Monte Carlo and calls at Gibraltar and Cartagena, Spain.

The voyage ends with a transatlantic crossing that calls at Ponta Delgada, capital of Portugal’s Azores archipelago. Guests booking the full World Cruise (from any embarkation point) will receive many complimentary benefits, including: “As You Wish” shipboard credits; exclusive shoreside events, including a “Gala Dinner Extravaganza” in Sydney, Australia; two-day laundry service; special gifts; medical office visits; exclusive themed onboard events; and two complimentary private transfers between the port city airport and the ship, among other perks.

Tale of Tales

Departing January 5, 2022 from Port Everglades, FL, to Copenhagen, Denmark is Silversea Cruises’ 138-day “Tale of Tales” World Cruise (in addition to the expeditionary World Cruise mentioned earlier). The 388-passenger Silver Whisper will sail south through the Caribbean to Cartagena, Colombia, the San Blas Islands of Panama, and through the Panama Canal to ports in Ecuador and Peru.

During a port call in Pisco, Peru, Luxury Travel Advisor would suggest those seeking “bragging rights” experiences, book Silversea’s “Flight over the Nazca Lines” excursion. Guests will transfer to Pisco Airport, board a high-wing, light aircraft and fly for one-and-a-half hours over the Peruvian desert to see the mysterious desert drawings known as the Nazca Lines, a puzzling and remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cut into the stony desert landscape, these incredible drawings resemble geometrical figures and forms such as a dog, enormous monkey, spider, birds and a tree.

Silver Whisper then continues southward to the Chilean fjords and around the Cape of Good Hope to Ushuaia, Argentina, before visiting Antarctica, South Georgia Island, U.K., and then an Atlantic crossing to remote Tristan de Cunha, U.K., famed as it’s the place of Napoleon’s exile and death. Next up is Walvis Bay, Namibia, Cape Town and other South African ports, as well as Madagascar, Tanzania and the Seychelles. A complimentary three-night overland event for full-World-Cruise guests is a visit to Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe.

In the Middle East, Silver Whisper calls at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, rare on cruise itineraries. Famed as the principal gateway to Mecca, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has unusual 19th-century Red Sea architecture and a traditional souk, plus excellent scuba-diving sites nearby. The ship also overnights in Aqaba, Jordan (for Petra), calls in Egypt, Israel and Turkey and overnights in Istanbul and Athens.

Then Silver Whisper sails westward across the Mediterranean to Lisbon, visiting Sicily, France, Morocco and other destinations en route to Bordeaux (double overnight). The vessel then sails to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Iceland, before heading to Norway and Denmark.

Silversea has created several exclusive events for full-World-Cruise guests. Wine buffs should love “The Jewels of Delaire Graff,” in which guests are transported by helicopter from Cape Town, South Africa, to the Delaire Graff wine estate for lunch accompanied by the estate’s wines. Also, full-World-Cruise guests can hobnob with the current baron of Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco during Silversea’s exclusive “Discover Sicilian Baroque” event; guests will enjoy a guided private visit to San Giovanni’s Catacombs in subterranean Siracusa before their private aperitif tasting with the baron.

Full-World-Cruise guests also receive free business-class air from select gateways, a $1,000 per person onboard credit (maximum $2,000 per suite), complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi, plus free medical visits and laundry services, and many other perks. Silversea is offering one free shore excursion (from a choice of 180 complimentary excursions) in every port.

World Cruise Pioneer

Cunard Line pioneered the full-World-Cruise concept in 1922, and on January 3, 2022, the line’s 2,691-passenger flagship Queen Mary 2 will sail roundtrip from New York on a 118-night World Voyage roundtrip from New York. The ship will visit 16 countries and 27 ports in an exploration of Asia and Australia. First, the ship heads east to Southampton, then south to the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal and Indian Ocean and into the Pacific Ocean, before reversing direction and heading back across the Indian Ocean for a second transit of the Suez Canal.

Along the way, guests will go ashore in Greece, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia and Bali, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Italy, Portugal and other destinations. They’ll have an opportunity to visit 33 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Queen Mary 2 will also overnight in Haifa, Dubai, Hong Kong, Sydney and Singapore, plus depart late night from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

With Cunard, guests know there will be plenty of days at sea to relax, enjoy spa treatments, take in a planetarium show, listen to an expert lecturer, learn or simply watch elegant ballroom dancing, enjoy wine tasting, head out for nightly shows and entertainment, and soak up the aura of the sea and the line’s storied history (with artifacts and/or art that reflect that around the ships). Those sailing the full World Voyage will enjoy a welcome onboard reception, services of a World Voyage Concierge and use of a private lounge, plus a gala event ashore. Another nice full-World-Voyage perk is complimentary daily gratuities.

Separately, Cunard’s 2,061-passenger Queen Victoria departs January 10, 2022 on a 108-night World Voyage to 30 ports across the globe. The itinerary operates roundtrip from Southampton, U.K., to Bermuda and Florida (calls at both Port Canaveral for central Florida and Port Everglades for south Florida), with a Panama Canal transit. Sailing into the Pacific Ocean, the ship will call at Puntarenas, Costa Rica and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, before arriving in San Francisco (overnight) and then heading westward to Hawaii.

Guests will go ashore in Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australian ports before sailing to New Guinea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia and the Canary Islands.

Journey to Exploration

For Viking’s 2021-2022 World Cruise, the 930-passenger Viking Star departs December 24, 2021 for a 136-day journey from Port Everglades, FL to London. Fifty-five tours are included in the cruise fare and the voyage calls at destinations in 27 countries. Viking has three maiden calls during this journey — Phillip Island and Eden, Australia, as well as Yangon, Myanmar.

At Eden, for example, one four-hour Viking shore excursion will take guests along Australia’s Sapphire Coast to stroll the streets of Eden, explore the town’s whaling history at the Eden Killer Whale Museum and learn about the gold discoveries of the 1880s. Be sure to look for “Old Tom’s skeleton” in the whaling museum; he was a beloved orca who breached and slapped his tail at the mouth of the Towamba River to alert local whalers to the presence of baleen whales.

The itinerary includes Central American ports; a Panama Canal transit; sailing along the West Coast of North America and then crossing the Pacific with calls at Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia and Asia, before Viking Star sails to the Middle East to the Mediterranean and on to London. Throughout the cruise, Viking’s cultural enrichment includes onboard lectures and entertainment, such as Viking’s Resident Historian program.

Overnight stays in 11 cities will allow guests to explore more ashore in Yangon, Myanmar; Auckland, New Zealand; Singapore; Mumbai, India; Luxor, Egypt; Haifa, Israel; and Istanbul, Turkey. One highlight? In Yangon, guests will have three days to explore — perhaps visiting the golden-laden Shwedagon Pagoda, exploring British-era Colonial architecture, checking out Inle Lakes’ floating villages and experiencing the royal city of Mandalay.

Guests may also choose a shorter, 119-day portion of the sailing, “2022 Viking World Horizons,” which departs from Los Angeles on January 10, 2022 and visits 22 countries and 49 ports before ending in London. A bonus? All full Viking World Cruise guests will also receive the complimentary option to remain onboard the ship for three additional days after the cruise ends in London, and then they’ll instead disembark in the ship’s home port of Bergen, Norway.

Around the World

For “destination collectors” who desire to see and experience as much of the world as possible on one cruise, Oceania Cruises’ 684-passenger Insignia sets sail on a 180-day 2022 World Cruise, departing January 6, 2022 from Los Angeles to New York. While all categories of accommodations were wait-listed at press time, in this era cancellations do occur and it’s also fun to contemplate this amazing itinerary.

The ship sails west across the Pacific to Nawiliwili (Kauai), Honolulu and Hilo, Hawaii; Bora Bora for an overnight stay; Pago Pago in American Samoa; and Suva and Lautoka in Fiji. To show just how much destination intensity one can fit into a six-month cruise, Oceania has designed this itinerary with nearly a full week exploring New Zealand and nearly two weeks in diverse Australian ports.

In addition, cruisers will explore Indonesia, Borneo (Malaysian) and many ports in Japan. In Shimizu, Japan, we’d suggest the line’s half-day “Mt. Fuji Views, Tea Ceremony & Art Museum” excursion; it combines a visit to a museum honoring 19th-century artist Utagawa Hiroshige and his works with a traditional, ritualistic tea ceremony and stellar views of Mt. Fuji from a vantage point that has long inspired artists.

The voyage also visits Shanghai and Hong Kong, many ports in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, as well as the Seychelles (double overnight), Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa, plus not-often-visited ports in West Africa. The itinerary then continues to Morocco, Portugal, and on to Honfleur (for Paris).

During an overnight stay in London, cruisers can take shore trips that showcase top London sites or “repeaters” who’ve been to the city can instead head out on one of Oceania excursions to other U.K. spots, including Leeds Castle or Greenwich. We’d opt for Oceania’s half-day “Canterbury & Its Cathedral” tour, including a walk in Canterbury with a focus on medieval attractions and the city’s Gothic cathedral and its interior shrine to Thomas Becket.

Guests can also explore Amsterdam and ports in Ireland, and then Insignia sails for New York. Full-World-Cruise guests receive such creature comforts and complimentary perks as: pre-paid gratuities, onboard medical care, Internet, laundry services, exclusive shoreside events, visa package, luggage delivery, one-night pre-cruise luxury hotel stay and roundtrip transfers, among other perks.

One unusual complimentary shoreside event for those on Oceania’s full World Cruise is “A Night in Wonderland” in Shanghai, China. Guests will be transported to the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, an unusual concept in architectural design as it’s built within a decommissioned quarry. The hotel extends 88 feet below the Earth, has a glass waterfall, saltwater aquariums, a zip line and helicopter pad. Two of its 18 floors are underwater, while all floors face a rock face and waterfall tumbling into the lake below. Cruisers will see a laser and water show, enjoy a Chinese-style dinner in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom and a show featuring local artists.

Zaandam’s “2022 Grand World Voyage” departs Port Everglades on January 3, 2022.

Grand World Voyages

Two premium lines that are veteran World Cruise operators also have robust 2022 World Cruises. Holland America Line’s 128-day “2022 Grand World Voyage” on the 1,432-passenger Zaandam departs Port Everglades (Greater Fort Lauderdale), FL, on January 3, 2022. Sailing a westward journey, the ship will visit 27 countries on four continents. It will call at 50 ports with overnights at Tokyo and Kobe (Osaka), Japan; Xingang (Beijing), Shanghai and Hong Kong, China; Singapore; Mumbai (Bombay), India; Aqaba, Jordan (overnight and next-day late departure); and Istanbul, Turkey.

Scenic cruising? Cruisers can enjoy the views as the ship cruises the Amazon River, Kanmon Strait (between several islands in Japan) and the Dardanelles (Turkey) plus transits both the Panama and Suez canals. In addition, Zaandam will depart late at night at Hilo, Hawaii; Naha, Okinawa, Japan; Da Nang, Vietnam; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Aqaba; Ashdod (Jerusalem) and Haifa (Nazareth), Israel; and Mykonos, Greece.

Princess Cruises’ 111-day “2022 World Cruise” departs January 5 roundtrip from Port Everglades, FL, or January 19 roundtrip from Los Angeles on the 2,200-passenger Island Princess. Two other options are an 88-day World Cruise from Port Everglades to Rome or a 97-day journey from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale. The ship will sail to 51 destinations and make 11 late night calls and one overnight in Dubai. Guests will go ashore at diverse ports from Pago Pago in American Samoa to Salalah, Oman, from Adelaide, Australia to Heraklion, Crete, and Huatulco, Mexico.

Onboard, Island Princess is equipped with Princess’ high-technology, personalized Ocean Medallion experience. Guests wearing a Medallion device on a lanyard or wrist band, for example, can personalize the cruise experience by ordering drinks to be delivered to them around the ship, make payment on purchases, locate shipmates onboard, open their stateroom/suite door and even speed up their embarkation.

Sailing the Globe in 2023

Luxury cruise lines are starting to release details on their 2023 World Cruises, two of which are 140 to 143 days long and sail from Miami to Barcelona. Ending the voyage in the western Mediterranean, without the need for more days sailing north in Europe and/or across the Atlantic, it cuts out days at sea and allows a long journey to have plenty of destination immersion with many overnight stays. Plus, Barcelona has good air lift.

Crystal Cruises’ 140-night “Wild Kingdoms & Exotic Discoveries” World Cruise itinerary will depart from Miami to Barcelona on January 11, 2023. The 980-passenger Crystal Serenity will sail from Miami to Barcelona. Two alternative disembarkation options include Venice and Athens for 128-night and 119-night itineraries, respectively.

Five maiden calls include Gladstone, Australia; Madang and Wewak, Papua New Guinea; Ternate, Indonesia; and Haa Alif Atoll (Utheemu), Maldives. Highlights include beaches of the Seychelles and Maldives; wildlife viewing in Papua New Guinea and Africa; and access to three of the so-called “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” — Turkey’s ruins of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and the Temple of Artemis, plus Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza.

Not only will guests go ashore in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, they’ll have even more Africa destination time with a double overnight in Mombasa, Kenya. We’d head out on a safari to look for “the Big Five.”

In addition, Regent Seven Seas Cruises plans a 143-night “Beyond the Horizon” World Cruise on Seven Seas Mariner, departing from Miami on January 7, 2023. It’s Regent Seven Seas’ longest such global voyage since 2011, and the 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will sail more than 38,000 miles, calling at 72 ports, and taking guests to six continents.

The routing includes South America, South Pacific isles, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Africa and Spain, plus a full Panama Canal transit. Guests will enjoy 11 overnight stays for longer port time and evening dining and entertainment ashore.

Exclusive, new shoreside experiences created for full-World-Cruise guests include a lively evening of cultural delights at Taman Bhagawan on Bali; an “Illuminate Evening by the Bay” at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay; and an outing to savor Namibia’s rugged scenic beauty.

Seven new overland programs also will allow guests to track leopards in Mozambique, search for wildlife in East Africa, and explore the Great Barrier Reef. One highlight? Guests can choose from more than 350 complimentary shore excursions including entrance to 48 UNESCO World Heritage sites.