World cruises are offered by several lines with various itineraries touching many of the top destinations around the globe. They can be a great way to cross many travel locations off your bucket list. If you are thinking of embarking on an extended cruise trip, there are several things to be aware of and plan for before booking the trip.

Determine the length of the cruise

A world cruise used to be relatively simple. Guests would embark from any number of ports around the world sometime in January and return to that same port a few months later. As cruising has gained popularity, become more economical for a larger segment of the population, and more cruise lines compete with one another, the options for cruisers have become more plentiful. If you are unable to commit to a full trip around the world, there are other options for sailings that might fit your needs.

Segmented Sailings

Some cruise sailings can be upwards of six months long. If you would like to experience the allure of a world cruise, but are not ready to commit to four months at sea, you can opt for a segmented trip. It’s a great way to sample the world cruise experience without committing to a full circumnavigation. Most cruise lines offering world trips break their voyages into shorter segments that allow additional people on for anywhere from one week to a month or more. For example, you could hop on a 127-day world cruise departing from Miami and ending up in Greenwich, London, but hop off at one of the ports along the way and fly home.

Boomerangs

A recent trend related to world cruises is boomerang sailings that combine two ships in one trip. Sometimes the two ships are in port together, so you transfer on the same day. In other instances, the cruise line will put you up for a few days until your second ship arrives which could be a great opportunity to see some of the city. Most people opting to do boomerang world cruises use two ships from the same line, but if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for from one line, combining multiple lines is an option. Contact your travel concierge for help with travel planning.

Grand Voyages or Off-Season Sailings

Some cruise lines offer high-end extended sailings of 70 nights or more that may not be branded as a “world cruise” but should be approached in the same manner from a planning standpoint. Grand Voyages often focus on a particular hemisphere or continent.

Many world cruises have a start date for some time in January, but if this timeline doesn’t work for you, other cruise lines have started to offer world cruises at other times of the year. For example, Princess Cruises has a world cruise starting in May that departs from Australia.

Picking the Right Cruise for You

If you are genuinely thinking of going on a world cruise, there are fortunately many options to choose from as more and more cruise lines are adding extended voyages to their yearly schedules. This means there is a wide variety of itineraries, ships, and prices.

Small Ships vs. Large Ships

When researching options for a world cruise, you’ll be able to choose from small, ultra-luxury ships to massive 200,000+ ton ships and all types of sizes in between. You’ll find pros and cons regardless of what size ship you decide to reserve.

Smaller ships provide cruisers with more personalized service, more intimate environs, and the ability to get into smaller ports and therefore more exotic opportunities for shore excursions. Conversely, smaller ships are far more susceptible to large swells, choppy seas, and the conditions that lead to sea sickness for travelers. Smaller ships also offer fewer on-board amenities, dining options, and entertainment options.

Larger ships offer much more in terms of facilities, dining, amenities, entertainment, workshops, etc., but are more limited in ports and are relegated to the larger, more industrialized ports often further from the city. This makes independent off-board activities a little more difficult and can lead to additional expenses.