2022 World Cruises Overview: More Common Than You Think

There was some big excitement recently when Viking Cruise Line announced their 136-day World Cruise. And, for good reason. We’re all living in this lock-down world and the promise of 4 months of pampering on Viking seems pretty incredible. Here’s the thing though – World Cruises are more common than you might think! These round the world cruises are big business with incredibly loyal passenger followings. For 2022 World Cruises there are already 15 scheduled on 13 different cruise lines. Take a look at which cruise lines are offering World Cruises in 2022.

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July 2021 Note: This post was originally published on January 5, 2021. Since then several cruise lines have cancelled their world cruises due to the coronavirus pandemic. Please contact or reach out to individual cruise lines for additional information.

August 2021 Update: Holland America Line also cancels their 2022 World Cruise.

September 2021 Update: I can’t find a formal announcement cancelling Fred. Olsen’s world cruise 2022, but it has been completely removed from their website.

P&O has also cancelled their World Cruise 2022.

Crystal Cruises has also removed their World Cruise 2022 from their website.

It’s not uncommon for passengers to go on a World Cruise every year (aside from this one anyways). Some will have been on 18 or 19 of them. Cruise line loyalty levels nearly don’t apply unless you are the absolute tipity top because everyone will have 500, 600, 700, 1000 cruise days.

Keep reading to find out more, or check out my first ever cruise related YouTube video!

Who Goes On A World Cruise?

Passengers that cruise on a world cruise are generally retirees mixed in with some occupations that travel well. While the demographic is higher than you’d find on a one week Caribbean cruise, not everyone is necessarily “old”. There are those that retired at 40, authors that do their best writing on a balcony, and some incredible photographers. Some are retired doctors, lawyers, investment bankers, and school teachers. Then, there are those that you really have no idea what they did or do or if they’ve ever worked at all. But, they smile at you and don’t cut in line so you figure they’re probably alright.

What Makes A World Cruise Special?

To give you an idea of what a World Cruise is, it is typically a cruise that starts and ends in the same port and does a full circumnavigation of the globe. They range from 99 days to the behemoth on this list of 180 days. The majority of passengers will be onboard for the entirety of the voyage; however, some cruise lines offer segments of a voyage for those that want a world cruise experience (and likely a specialty itinerary) without the time or financial commitment. While the ship is the transportation to bring you around the world, the cruise itself is designed to be more than your normal cruise.

World Cruise itineraries feature many overnight ports in top cities to allow for further exploration. Onboard there are additional lecturers, local speakers, chefs, artists, and dancers. There are also additional activities onboard such as arts and crafts, watercolors, and additional fitness classes.

In addition to the additional onboard activities, World Cruises typically also include a multitude of “extras”. These extras include things like gifts, shore excursions, luggage shipping, or airfare. One line is even including onboard medical expenses for their next World Cruise. What is offered differs by cruise line, and below some of the biggest extras are outlined.

Quite often the World Cruise is done on the same ship every year and quite often with a lot of repeat staff. This compliments with the repeat passengers and you do in fact find passengers and crew becoming friends and later pen pals as the years and World Cruises go on.

When Are World Cruises?

Most World Cruises leave at the beginning of January (some at the end of December) and will conclude either late in April, mid-May, or some in June. This is for a few reasons. Those spring months – after the holidays but before the summer – are some of the slower months for traditional cruising, so tying up a ship for four months to go around the world is not as big of a deal. These end of winter months tend to also be when people are willing to be away from home for a bit longer.

Of the World Cruises set to sail in 2022 there is one that is sailing over the Northern Hemisphere summer, beginning in May. This cruise has a homeport of Sydney, Australia and will be tapping into the Australian cruise market both based on this homeport but also based on going during the Northern Hemisphere summer.

Lots of World Cruise Options:

Now, I said World Cruises were more common than you think. In 2022 there are already 15 World Cruises scheduled on 13 different cruise lines. I did a little fun math, these cruises add up to 1,834 days or the equivalent of 262, 7 night cruises. They are on a mix of luxury cruise lines and premium, or higher end main stream cruise lines.

They come in a variety of prices, starting around $16,000 up to however much you’d want to spend. Some of the luxury lines have you “request pricing”. In those situations it is a bit of a “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” These prices go well above $200,000 per person depending on the cruise line and level of suite.

World Cruises being offered in 2022:

Note: This is an overview of World Cruises 2022 offered by major English speaking mainstream and luxury lines. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all world cruises amongst every cruise line in the world. all prices listed are per person, based on advertised rates from each cruise lines individual website. All additional World Cruise perks are subject to applicable terms and conditions per cruise line. Details can be found on individual cruise lines websites.

Premium Lines:

Costa World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Costa Delizioza
Departure: January 8th, roundtrip Venice or Rome, 126 nights
Itinerary Highlights: Casablanca, South America, Easter Island, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Suez Canal
Rates: from $14,869
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Costa Delizioza

Cunard World Cruises 2022:

These voyages with Cunard have since been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Cunard does have two World Cruises scheduled for 2023, for information on those, and other 2023 World Cruises take a look at this post outlining World Cruise 2023 options.

Ship: Queen Victoria
Departure: roundtrip Southampton, 108 nights
Itinerary Highlights: San Francisco, Australia, Africa, New Zealand
World Cruise Perks: Welcome bottle of sparkling wine or champagne. Additional perks dependent on stateroom level.
Rates: from $19,690 – $86,138
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Queen Victoria

Cunard World Cruise:

Ship: Queen Mary 2,
Departure: roundtrip Southampton, 104 nights
Itinerary Highlights: Full Australian continent circumnavigation, Dubai, Petra, Israel, United Arab Emirates
Note: Not a full global circumnavigation.
World Cruise Perks: Welcome bottle of sparkling wine or champagne. Additional perks dependent on stateroom level.
Rates: from $13,810 – $94,342
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Queen Mary 2

Fred Olsen Cruise Line World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Borealis
Departure: January 6th, roundtrip Southampton, 101 days
Itinerary Highlights: Bermuda, Panama Canal, South Pacific, New Zealand, Abu Dhabi, Mediterranean
World Cruise Perks: Formal welcome and/or Captain’s Drinks Party and Gala Buffet, Luggage porterage between your cabin and the drop-off/pick-up point
Rates: from $30,085 – $45,256

Holland America Line World Cruise 2022:

August 2021 Update: This voyage has been cancelled.

Ship: Zaandam
Departure: January 4th, roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, 128 days
Itinerary Highlights: Amazon, Asia (including option for Great Wall of China), Dubai, Petra, Mediterranean including Istanbul
World Cruise Perks: Dependent on stateroom category. Ranging from welcome sparkling wine, onboard credit, and luggage service to complimentary laundry and internet packages.
Rates: from $19,400-$51,532
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Zaandam

MSC World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Poesia
Departure: January 5th, roundtrip Genoa, 117 days
Itinerary Highlights: 24 countries, South America, Australia, New Zealand, India
World Cruise Perks: Available to all stateroom categories: 15 shore excursions, Dine and Drink package, 30% off laundry services.
Rates: price not listed
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Poesia

P&O World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Aurora
Departure: January 3rd, roundtrip Southampton, 99 days
Itinerary Highlights: Full circumnavigation, Panama Canal, Suez Canal, Australia, Japan
Rates: from $15,869 – $25,296
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Aurora

Princess World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Island Princess
Departure: January 5th, roundtrip Los Angeles or Fort Lauderdale, 111 days
Itinerary Highlights: 29 countries, Easter Island, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Suez Canal, Mediterranean
World Cruise Perks: Early booking bonuses: Premier Beverage Package, Wi-Fi, Gratuities, Onboard Credit, Roundtrip Air, Specialty Dining
Rates: from $18,599- $41,701
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Island Princess

Princess World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Coral Princess
Departure: May 14th, roundtrip Sydney or Auckland, 107 days
Itinerary Highlights: 27 countries, Easter Island, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Suez Canal, Mediterranean, Norway (including Arctic Circle), Iceland
World Cruise Perks: Early booking benefits: Onboard Spending Money up to $1,000 AUD, Complimentary Mini-Bar Set Up for Suites Only
Rates: from $21,539 – $35,822
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Coral Princess

Luxury Lines World Cruises 2022:

Crystal Cruises World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Crystal Serenity
Departure: January 17th, roundtrip Miami, 116 nights
Itinerary Highlights: Central America, New Zealand, west coast Australia, Suez Canal, Mediterranean
Rates: from $53,000- $225,000
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Crystal Serenity

Oceania Cruises World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Insignia
Departure: January 6th, Los Angeles or Miami to New York, 180 or 196 days
Itinerary Highlights: 180 or 196 days, South Pacific and New Zealand, west coast of Australia, extensive Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe
World Cruise Perks: Pre-Paid Gratuities, Free Onboard Medical Care, Free Internet, Free Laundry Services, Free Exclusive Shoreside Events, Free 1-Night Pre-Cruise Luxury Hotel Stay, US$1,000 Shipboard Credit per stateroom, ’Free Transfer between Hotel and Ship’
Rates: from $48,850 – $157,402
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Insignia

Regent Seven Seas World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Seven Seas Mariner
Departure: January 5th roundtrip San Fransisco, 120 nights
Itinerary Highlights: This is not a circumnavigation. 17 countries, Alaska including Dutch Harbor, Asia, extensive Australia and New Zealand
World Cruise Perks: 299 Shore Excursions to choose from,
Rates: price not listed
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Seven Seas Mariner

Seabourn World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Seabourn Sojourn
Departure: January 11th Los Angeles to Athens, 145 days
Itinerary Highlights: 28 countries, extensive in depth Asia, Great Barrier Reef, Petra, Suez Canal, Thailand
Rates: from $73,850 – $211,930
World Cruise Perks: Gala Bon Voyage Dinner and Overnight Hotel Stay at the Ritz Carlton Marina del Rey prior to departure in Los Angeles, Three Exclusive World Cruise Events, Exclusive World Cruise President’s Event, Special World Cruise Pillow Gifts
Early Cruise Booking Benefits: Round-trip Business-Class Air, Private car transfers door-to-door between home and airport, Personal Valet luggage shipping service between home and ship in Los Angeles & Athens (Piraeus), Up to $3,000 per person shipboard credit, Visa Package, Unlimited Internet Package, Unlimited laundry, dry cleaning and pressing on board, 50% Reduced Deposit, 3% Early Bonus Savings
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Seabourn Sojourn

Silversea World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Silver Whisper
Departure: January 6th Fort Lauderdale to Copenhagen, 136 days
Itinerary Highlights: Antartica, Africa, Egypt, Petra, Kuşadasi, France, Norway, Note: not a full circumnavigation
World Cruise Perk: *Shore excursion in every port, 35 unique specialty experiences, business class air, Bon Voyage reception, dinner, and accomodation, private transfer from airport to pier pre and post cruise, $1,000 onboard credit, exclusive world cruise events, special commemorative gifts, baggage valet, laundry service, Wi-Fi, medical services, Visa package _{^{*Terms and conditions apply to all listed perks}}
Rates: price not listed
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Silversea

Viking World Cruise 2022:

Ship: Viking Star
Departure: December 24th, 2021 Fort Lauderdale to London, 136 Days
Itinerary Highlights: 27 countries, opportunities to see the Great Barrier Reef, Ho Chi Mihn city, Komodo Island, Petra, Israel, Kuşadasi, including double overnights in some cities.
World Cruise Perk: Business Class air, Ground transfers to and from the ship, private car transfer for Owner’s Suite or Explorer’s Suite, All onboard gratuities and service fees, Our Silver Spirits beverage package, including virtually all drinks on board, Complimentary visa service
Rates: from $60,160 – $88,860 (almost sold out)
More Info: 2022 World Cruise Viking Star

Should You Go On a World Cruise in 2022?:

What better way to come back from a pandemic then exploring the world by way of cruise ship? With so many choices – on a variety of different types of cruise lines – a World Cruise can be a wonderful experience and a great way to see the world. Get out, explore, and have fun!

Unsure about World Cruises 2022? Understandable. Take a look at the options for World Cruises 2023 here!