Circumnavigating the globe was once limited to professional explorers redrawing maps of the world. In 1881, the SS Ceylon departed Southampton, England, returning nearly a year later on what is considered the first commercial world cruise.

Today, the time commitment on modern-day world cruises has lessened, but the destination offerings remain vast. They are not "Around the World in 80 Days," partly because these are not circumnavigations and also because they last longer than 80 days. But they are journeys of a lifetime.

The fortunate travelers who are contemplating a world cruise - the crème de la crème of ocean voyages - have much to consider, including the commitment of time and money.

Here are six considerations to contemplate in deciding which world cruise helps you achieve your goals and, of course, addresses your vacation wants and desires. Grab a pen and paper or start a document on your computer, and jot down your thoughts.

1. Reflect on what you're most excited about seeing

South Africa's Cape Town/Shutterstock

An obvious question? Perhaps. But you'll want to focus on the places you love or have always longed to see. Have you dreamed of taking a closer look at Asia but haven't had the opportunity? Or have you been inspired to learn more about ancient cultures of Egypt or Greece? This is your chance.

Choose a geographic focus within the broader cruise itinerary so you can be sure you will reach your travel goals.

2. Study the sea days

So much time is dedicated - rightfully so - to reviewing the ports and countries you'll visit that it's sometimes easy to forget that multiple sea days are part of world cruises. Some people find them relaxing and restorative; others worry about being bored or seasick.

Wherever you land on the sea/day scale, review each world cruise itinerary to tally the time you'll spend on the water versus time in port.

If you're not a sea-day person, consider that you can't skip time at sea, so you perhaps choose a cruise that contains fewer days on the briny deep. If a week at sea sounds like a welcome break, give that plenty of consideration.

3. Take a look at the special experiences offered

A part of the front facade of the famous Palace of Versailles near Paris/Getty Images

Itineraries are as different as the companies that offer them. Each company and sailing offers its own custom experiences, often as evening tours or excursions that have been curated to ensure exclusivity.

Such exclusive experiences are an area of special attention on Silversea. For example, you may be a Paris pro, but have you spent the evening at Versailles with Marie Antoinette? That's part of the fun of the Versailles experience on the Silversea's 2025 World Cruise.

Are you intrigued by the African continent? Our The Three Oceans 2027 world cruise features an included overland adventure from Durban to Victoria Falls and visits along the western coast of Africa.

You might have a clear idea of what you want to see and do, but don't do so at the expense of missing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities available to world cruise guests. When reviewing these special events, be discriminating: Which ones would be impossible to replicate on your own? Choose an itinerary that features those experiences.

4. Crunch the numbers

On Silversea's Controtempo, its World Cruise 2025, Silver Dawn will transport you to out-of-season experiences, like a winter visit to a Japanese onsen./Shutterstock

We don't mean money. Rather, this is the tally that every well-traveled person keeps publicly or privately: the "Where-I've-Been" or "What-I-Must-See" list.

If the number of countries or ports visited, days at sea, return trips to a favorite place or must-see sights are pivotal for you, examine each world cruise itinerary to see what will complement your previous travels. Will this sailing get you to your goal of 100 countries? Will you finally be able to cross off that last continent from your globetrotting to-do list?

Even if this world cruise is not your final elaborate adventure, it's still an impressive occasion to cap off a life well-traveled to this point. (And if you are reviewing financial obligations, we recommend breaking down the trip into a per diem cost to compare what you would spend on another vacation - or even living day to day at home.)

5. Consider the ship

On Silversea's World Cruises 2025, 2026 and 2027, guests will travel on Silver Dawn, which features the S.A.L.T. culinary program./Silversea photo

The cruise ship you select for your world voyage will be your floating home for an extended trip, so take that into account. Do you like the look of the lounges and public spaces? Will you have a variety of dining options and venues? Does your cabin have ample storage?

If you've already sailed on a particular vessel and know the crew or the layout, that may appeal on a long stretch away from home. Or maybe you're attracted to the offerings on a given ship, and 20 weeks onboard is the ideal opportunity to explore every nook and cranny.

As with any world cruise, the focus is ultimately on the destinations, but make sure the onboard programming is also appealing to you so it can enhance your journey.

6. Think about where you'll begin and end your trip

There's nothing quite like Central Park in spring. Silversea's World Cruise 2025 ends May 29 in New York./Shutterstock

Where you begin and end your journey is vitally important. Have you always imagined pulling up to port as your family waves you in? Gathering the grandkids in Florida might be a wonderful way to end a special trip.

Because you're already spending more than 100 days away, you might think, "What's another few weeks?" If so, we like your spirit, and we invite you to consider your embarkation port for a pre-cruise land tour. A departure from Sydney makes time in Australia and even New Zealand an attainable extension. A departure from Tokyo encourages guests to spend at least a few days acclimating to Japan's atmosphere (and time zone) before embarking.

Don't forget to think about when you'll begin and end. World cruises tend to start in January and end in May; if you don't want to miss a special milestone birthday with the family, reconsider the sail date.

For Silversea, World Cruises in 2025, 2026 and 2027 have been announced. The theme of each year's sailing can help you decide which of these itineraries works best for you.

World Cruise 2025: Controtempo (Tokyo to New York)

The cruise:

Silver Dawn, launched in 2022, departs Jan. 13, 2025, from Tokyo for 136 days before docking in New York on May 29, 2025. During this voyage, guests will call on 61 ports in 29 countries, combining 10 routes. Highlights of this World Cruise itinerary include 19 ports of call in Asia; a visit to Jordan's Petra; multiple European cities in the spring such as Lisbon, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Naples; and extended calls at Iceland and Greenland.

Days at sea:

This voyage includes 53 days at sea.

Highlights:

Silver Dawn, which launched in 2022, offers unparalleled amenities, such as the S.A.L.T. culinary program (S.A.L.T. stands for Sea and Land Taste), with its S.A.L.T. Kitchen, S.A.L.T. Lab and S.A.L.T. Bar. In all, there are eight bars and eight restaurants, including La Dame, Kaiseki and La Terrazza. Otium, the uniquely indulgent spa, is available on Silver Dawn.

Silversea's special experiences:

Special events offered to guests on this unique sailing include "dinner in the dunes" in Namibia's Walvis Bay and a photography exhibit custom-created for guests in Stockholm that will be accompanied by a meal from an emerging Scandinavian chef.

Silversea's Controtempo World Cruise 2025 is best for:

Travelers who have seen and done it all before. The Italian term "controtempo" - which translates to "going against the melody" or "off-beat" - is at the heart of this world cruise, which offers unexpected twists on a standard itinerary. That includes visiting Japan in winter and Scandinavia in spring. It's a trip no guest can say he or she has done before.

Info:

Intrigued? Check out more details on Controtempo World Cruise 2025 (Tokyo to New York)

World Cruise 2026, The Curious and the Sea (Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Lisbon)

The cruise:

The Curious and the Sea, a 140-day cruise, will visit 70 destinations (up by 10 from 2025's itinerary) and stop at 37 countries (an increase of five from 2025).

Its theme is meant to celebrate the connection of humanity with the sea. It is inspired to share curiosity, freedom and the spirit of discovery that propelled famed explorers and navigators to travel around the globe.

The Curious and the Sea departs Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 6, 2026, (full world cruise guests will be treated to an overnight hotel stay and gala event in January) and finishes May 27 in Lisbon.

Around the island of Fakarava, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, marbled grouper light up the waters./Shutterstock

Sailing on Silver Dawn, The Curious and the Sea 2026 will focus on regions such as the French Polynesia and the South Pacific, including a 28-day deep dive into Easter Island and French Polynesia. In this region, new-to-world-cruise calls include Nuku'alofa, Atuona and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Fakarava, along with New Caledonia's Noumea and Lifou.

Next, you'll semi-circumnavigate Australia and across 20 days, explore its wildlife, natural beauty and fabled culinary scene. Ports new-to-a-Silversea-world-cruise include Esperance, known for the salty pink lakes of Lake Hillier, and Exmouth, the west coast gateway to the Ningaloo Reef, part of the UNESCO World Heritage program.

After Singapore, the next deep dive will visit places in the Indian Ocean. In this region, you'll explore the history of trade routes for spice and silk in visits to Cochin and Mumbai, India, and Sri Lanka's Galle.

After crossing the Suez Canal, you'll be in the Eastern Mediterranean. The voyage will focus on the Holy Land, then explore ancient civilizations of Greece and Turkey.

A new-for-world-cruise call in Sicily's Trapani is featured on Silversea's The Curious and the Sea World Cruise 2026/Shutterstock

In the Adriatic Sea, you'll explore new-to-world-cruise destinations such as Montenegro's Kotor and Italy's Trapani, along with Dubrovnik, Croatia; Siracusa, Italy; and Tunisia's La Goulette, before making your way to Spain and then the final port of Lisbon.

Days at sea:

Balancing onboard activity, enrichment, rest and wellness, 62 days will be spent at sea. The sense of adventure and curiosity on this world cruise will be extended from land to sea, as Silver Dawn's S.A.L.T. Kitchen, Lab and Bar will showcase visiting chefs, regional food experts and authors for in-depth culinary exploration.

Highlights:

We love that S.A.L.T. Kitchen - whose menus reflect the places you're visiting and change often - will have 80 distinct menus during this world cruise. And S.A.L.T. Bar will feature a collection of 70 custom-created regional cocktails (including non-alcoholic craft spirits). Another aspect of Silver Dawn we love is Otium, the unique spa that's influenced by the Roman traditions of pleasure rather than sacrifice, as well as the pleasures that go beyond the spa itself.

Try the indulgent Otium on Silversea Cruises' Silver Dawn and Silver Nova./Silversea photo

We are also excited about the overland programs for World Cruise 2026, where travelers can debark Silver Dawn for anywhere from four to 10 days to explore inland places that ships can't reach. A 10-day trip to Uzbekistan, the heart of the Silk Road, includes visits to Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.

For six days you can have deeply immersive adventures in Egypt, with visits to Luxor, the Valley of the Kings and more on a luxury Nile cruise.

On a four-day overland trip you can learn about the heart of the Balkans, experiencing Serbia and Montenegro. (Note that the overland trips incur an additional fee.)

On Silversea's The Curious and the Sea World Cruise 2026, one of the overland options takes you to the Spice Route, and, pictured here, Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

Silversea's special experiences:

On every world cruise (and grand voyage), Silversea's special events team travels around the globe to custom create special events for full world cruise guests. 2026's The Curious and the Sea ramps it up for these once-in-a-lifetime, privileged access experiences.

In Polynesia, the exclusive world cruise event will bring the islands' culture to life. On Mystery Island - on an uninhabited islet in Melanesia - you'll spend a magical day at the beach, savoring snorkeling, sea life and cultural rituals.

In Bali, the exclusive adventure is all about watching its culture unfold among rice paddies. The backwaters of Kerala, one of the most peaceful spots in India's Cochin, is host to "The Exotic Marigold and More." It involves tuk-tuk races, an afternoon with martial artists and a local tour of Kerala's gorgeous rivers.

On Silversea's The Curious and the Sea, its world cruise in 2026, travelers will experience the spice routes of Asia and Europe.

The Curious and the Sea 2026 World Cruise is best for:

A traveler who is curious about the ancient spice routes traveled by long-ago navigators; fans of off-the-grid tropical locales; Australia's natural life and culinary traditions; and those intrigued by ancient civilizations. The Curious and the Sea is a fantastic choice for culinary enthusiasts who want to absorb the cultures of the places they're visiting whether by cooking, eating or sipping.

Info:

Intrigued? Check out more details here.

World Cruise 2027: The Three Oceans

The cruise: Silver Dawn departs Jan. 8, 2027, from Los Angeles and completes the world voyage in Copenhagen on June 7, 2027. The 149-day trip, the longest in Silversea's history, will call in 80 destinations in 35 countries on five continents. There will be 20 new world cruise calls and 11 overnights.

The Three Oceans is divided into three segments:

Fiji is one of our destinations on Silversea's World Cruise 2027/Shutterstock

"An Ocean of Time: The Pacific Ocean" travels from Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia. Highlights include Hawaii, Fiji, French Polynesia, the Whitsundays and Darwin, Australia

"An Ocean of Life: The Indian Ocean" connects travelers from Brisbane to Cape Town, South Africa. This Indian Ocean-immersive voyage includes Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the Seychelles and a seven-day deep dive of South Africa.

Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe

"An Ocean of Discovery: The Atlantic Ocean" segment traveling from Cape Town to Copenhagen includes calls along Africa's west coast (Namibia, Angola, Ghana, the Gambia and Senegal). Then Silver Dawn will travel north to the Mediterranean Sea and onward to the Atlantic Ocean for Northern Europe.

Highlights:

Silver Dawn is one of the smallest ships to sail world voyages/Silversea photo

Silver Dawn, one of the smallest ships to sail a world cruise, offers robust amenities, including our favorite: Silversea's S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) program. Specially curated on-land adventures tying in with S.A.L.T.'s culinary themes include discovering the Sri Lankan cuisine with a master chef, a private truffle hunt and gourmet lunch in Bordeaux, France, and fishing for the finest seafood in Sweden's archipelago. Menus at S.A.L.T. Kitchen will explore the cuisine of the regions visited (with cooking classes at S.A.L.T. Lab focusing on local dishes), and S.A.L.T. Bar will feature beverages inspired by the ports of call.

More special experiences:

On The Three Oceans, Silversea's destination experts have created bespoke events that include, in Hawaii, a ceremony honoring ancient Polynesian seafarers at a sunset ho'olaule'a in Honolulu, followed by a celebration with traditional fare, tropical libations and a night of stargazing. In Durban, a two-day overland adventure transports travelers to Victoria Falls, featuring a private river cruise at sunset and an overnight at a luxury outpost. And in Belfast, Northern Ireland, there's an elegant evening of music at Belfast Cathedral, featuring harmonies from across the Emerald Isle, fine local gastronomy and various cultural celebrations.

The Three Oceans World Cruise 2027 is best for:

The Seychelles, one of the Indian Ocean's most beautiful series of islands/Shutterstock.

Travelers who are intrigued by the powerful role the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans have played in developing diverse cultures and lifestyles. It's also a great opportunity to dive deeply into the African continent.

Details:

We lay out it all out for you, including information on the itinerary, its segments, and our magnificent Silver Dawn.

Ready to embark on a world cruise? It's never too early to start planning a life-changing trip like this. Start by getting more information on all of Silversea's world cruises.

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