Imagine clearing your calendar for months on end, casting the lines and setting sail for far-flung destinations around the globe without a care in the world. Or perhaps yours is an adventurous spirit not to be satiated by ordinary weeklong vacations, and the flexibility to work from anywhere gives you the freedom to go.

These are just two types of travelers drawn to around-the-world cruises, months-long voyages that take guests on unforgettable journeys to places they have only dreamt of seeing on six of the world’s seven continents.

Cruising continues to increase in popularity, with a projected 42 million passengers expected to set sail by 2028. A couple of reasons travelers pursue cruising are the ease of visiting multiple destinations on one trip and value for the money. These certainly apply to around-the-world cruises.

Planning for a global cruise takes some time; and while ships have already embarked on most 2026 around-the-world voyages, more than a dozen cruise lines have already revealed their jaw- dropping itineraries for 2027, with some eyeing 2028 and 2029. Here we highlight some cruises to pique your interest.

PHOTO: © AZAMARA CRUISES

AZAMARA CRUISES
Azamara Cruises goes big with its 2027 World Cruise, the small-ship cruise line’s biggest world cruise yet. Azamara Quest departs San Francisco in January 2027. Over the course of 188 nights, guests visit 37 countries in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, with 65 late-night and overnight stays in select ports of call. For those looking further ahead, Azamara’s 175-night, 2028 World Cruise on board Azamara Onward departs Miami in January 2028 and will cover six continents, calling upon 91 ports in 40 countries.

CUNARD
In January 2027 Cunard’s Queen Victoria sets sail on her 111-night World Voyage from Southampton, England, calling upon the Caribbean, Central America, Australia, Asia and Europe en route to Hamburg. Guests sailing will enjoy late- night departures and overnight stays in ports of call such as Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and Cape Town. And for the first time in more than a decade, Queen Elizabeth will circumnavigate the globe on her 113-night Full World Voyage, sailing roundtrip from Miami in January 2028.

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
Holland America Line’s 2027 Grand World Voyage is a 129-day circumnavigation of the globe on board Volendam, sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale in January 2027. The voyage will call upon 53 ports in 28 countries across six continents, with overnight calls in seven destinations. Nineteen of the ports Volendam will call upon are exclusive to Grand Voyages and not found on any other Holland America Line cruises, including Georgetown, Ascension Island, and Jamestown, St. Helena, both South Atlantic Ocean islands that are nearly inaccessible.

“When you sail on one of our Grand Voyages, we know you’re looking for experiences you can’t have anywhere else, and part of that is the carefully crafted itineraries featuring unique ports of call,” said Beth Bodensteiner, president, Holland America Line.

PHOTO: © OCEANIA CRUISES

OCEANIA CRUISES
The 1,200-guest Oceania Vista will embark upon its 129-day Around the World voyage on Oceania Cruises’ new Kangaroo Route in February 2027, sailing from Sydney to London. Before reaching the Middle East, Egypt and the Mediterranean, guests on the Around the World voyage will spend two months exploring Asia.

“Our new Kangaroo Route, crafted from the epic 2027 Around the World cruise, is much more than a voyage — it’s a rare invitation to experience a vast part of the world with the comfort, warmth, sophistication and exceptional cuisine that Oceania Cruises is renowned for,” said Jason Montague, Oceania Cruises’ chief luxury officer.

In addition to the Around the World voyage, guests can set sail on the 127-day Continental Explorer sailing from Miami to Doha; a 180-day world journey from Miami to London; or the luxury cruise line’s longest option ever offered on a world cruise, the 244-day Epic Global Adventure from Miami to New York. Each of these three voyages sails on board Oceania Vista, departing January 2027.

PHOTO: © PRINCESS CRUISES

PRINCESS CRUISES
Princess Cruises’ 129-day World Cruise Grand Circle Pacific Voyage on the 2,000-guest Coral Princess sets sail from Fort Lauderdale in January 2027, calling upon 61 destinations in 20 countries across three continents. Highlights of the voyage include access to 23 UNESCO World Heritage sites including Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, not to mention nine late-night stays and an overnight in Hong Kong.

“Our upcoming 2027 World Cruise Grand Circle Pacific Voyage is a once-in-a-lifetime journey connecting travelers to the world’s most breathtaking destinations with the signature warmth and elegance only Princess can provide,” said Terry Thornton, chief commercial officer, Princess Cruises. “This 129- day adventure is designed for guests who yearn to experience different cultures, history, flavors and the breathtaking spectacles of the Pacific like never before.”

Aside from the Fort Lauderdale departure on the full 129-day journey, guests can choose either the 114-day round-trip departure from Los Angeles or the 110-day cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, both of which also depart January 2027.

SILVERSEA CRUISES
The Three Oceans is the theme of Silversea’s 149-day World Cruise 2027, departing Los Angeles in January 2027 on board Silver Dawn, one of the smallest world- cruising ships.

“Traveling aboard Silver Dawn, one of the smallest ships to embark on a World Cruise, our guests will venture off the beaten path to 80 destinations on five continents over 149 days, with the longest stays in port of any world cruises,” said Bert Hernandez, president, Silversea Cruises.

“They will explore more than 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites, discover 20 destinations that have never been visited on a Silversea World Cruise, and attend four exclusive World Cruise events — bespoke experiences curated by our team of experts.”

VIKING
Viking’s 170-day Viking World Voyage III, departing Fort Lauderdale in December 2026 aboard Viking Sky, will visit 39 countries across six continents before arriving at its final port of call, Stockholm, in June 2027. For those planning ahead, the same itinerary will set sail in December 2027.

“Our approach in everything we do has always been to focus on the destination, from our thoughtfully curated itineraries to our elegant small ships, which are designed to bring guests closer and enable exploration,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO, Viking. “Extended voyages like our World Cruises allow curious travelers to experience dozens of destinations, iconic landmarks and rich cultures in one seamless journey, making them truly the adventures of a lifetime.”

For guests who would rather depart from the West Coast, a 153-day variation of the voyage departs Los Angeles in January 2027.

PHOTO: © EXPLORA JOURNEYS

EXPLORA JOURNEYS
Looking ahead to 2029, Explora Journeys recently announced Endless Worlds, its inaugural world journey on board EXPLORA I. Setting sail in January 2029, the east-to-west journey from Dubai to Barcelona will visit 63 destinations in 29 countries and territories across four continents, with 12 overnight stays so guests can truly enjoy a sense of place. The Endless World voyage will mark Explora Journeys’ first visit to Australia and New Zealand, too.

Additional cruise lines offering around-the-world cruises in 2027 and beyond include Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, MSC Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.