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

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 transported 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 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 2027 and 2028 have been announced. The theme of each year's sailing can help you decide which of these itineraries works best for you.

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.

World Cruise 2028: An Ode to the Moment

The cruise:

In 2028, Silversea’s An Ode to the Moment world cruise sails from Ft. Lauderdale to Nice on a 132-day journey. The World Cruise offers immersive experiences, both onboard and onshore.

And it created to engage travelers with new some twists along the way. There are longer port calls, including overnights, that allow for deeper exploration, in some of the world’s most fascinating cities, like Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Alexandria.

There are opportunities for optional overland ventures, heading deeper into experiences such as a trip from Callao to Valparaiso that includes a driving safari from La Paz to the Bolivian salt flats. Visiting Cape Town, why not spend the night in a luxury tent atop Table Mountain? And from Mahe to Muscat, trek into Rwanda to see Silverback gorillas in their natural habitats.

And of course, much focus has been placed on creating immersive experiences in the ports you visit. Explore coral reefs in Brazil, kayak Kralendijk, the Caribbean’s biggest eco-underwater marine park, and safari drive to see elephants, zebras and lions in South Africa.

In all, Silversea’s World Cruise 2028 will visit five continents, 58 ports, 20 destinations that are hidden gems, 30 counties, 17 overnights, and more than 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The ship:

The 392-passenger Silver Shadow is the smallest luxury cruise ship sailing a world cruise in 2028. The vessel was built in 2000 and received a major refurbishment in 2019. Highlights include restaurants such as La Dame, La Terrazza, the Restaurant and the Grill. For pampering, there’s a spacious pool deck and the Zagara Spa and Beauty Salon. And of course favorite gathering spots such as the Panorama Lounge, Connoisseurs Club and the Atrium all are hubs on Silver Shadow.

Days at sea:

Silver Shadow’s World Cruise 2028 spans 132 days, departing from Ft. Lauderdale on January 5, winding up in Nice on May 16.

Highlights:

Charming Punta del Este is part of Uruguay's burgeoning wine scene./Getty

S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) Experiences are among our favorite land tours in all of travel, and on the World Cruise 2028 they include visiting wineries in Uruguay’s Punta Del Este, exploring spices in La Reunion, an oyster tasting in South Africa and learning about urban farming in the Middle East.

Silversea’s special experiences:

The Tuscan countryside is one of the settings for Silversea's special events, World Cruise 2028./Getty

With planning still underway, Silversea’s Jannie Cloete, director of special events and experiences, tells us that among the highlights will be a view of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival from a private box featuring local food and drink; an experience “in the footsteps of the Incas” with a two night trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu; a visit to Andrea Boccelli’s Tuscan vineyard for a celebration of Italian art, food and wine.

Silversea’s World Cruise 2028 is best for:

Travelers who have seen and done almost everything before. Why? Because new immersive experiences, even to favorite familiar places, will shine a new perspective on travel. And of course, the unique for-world-cruise-guests-only events in key ports of call are always new, with a twist and yet authentic bespoke experiences.

Info:

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Silversea World Cruise 2027 and 2028: How to Choose the Voyage for You