World cruises compared: which lines, what they cost, and how far ahead to book?
By Aspen Travel Advisors · Last verified · Grounded in the Base Camp Living Atlas
Our Voyage Atlas currently tracks 250 world cruises and grand voyages across 13 lines — Oceania, Azamara, Regent, Viking, Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn, Holland America, Princess, Explora, Cunard, Windstar and Lindblad. Full circumnavigations run roughly 110–180 days (the current longest in our data: Oceania Vista's 245-day Epic Global Adventure); most lines also sell them in 15–60 day segments, which is how the majority of guests actually experience them.
Money, honestly: entry-level full world cruises start around $40,000–$60,000 per person (Princess, Holland America, mainstream Cunard cabins); the premium tier (Oceania, Viking, Azamara) runs roughly $60,000–$100,000; and the luxury all-inclusives (Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal, Explora) begin near $100,000 and climb past $400,000 in top suites. Book 12–24 months out — the best cabins on marquee sailings sell on opening day, with past-guest waitlists ahead of you.
Which line fits which circumnavigator
| Tier | Lines | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury all-inclusive | Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal, Explora | Everything-in fares (air, excursions, gratuities on some); suite living for four months |
| Premium | Oceania, Viking, Azamara | Food-first (Oceania), culture-first (Viking, no casinos, no kids), port-intensive (Azamara) |
| Classic | Cunard, Holland America, Princess | The Cunard crossing-and-ballroom tradition; HAL/Princess value and itinerary breadth |
| Unconventional | Windstar, Lindblad | Small-ship and expedition-flavored long voyages rather than classic circumnavigations |
What veterans know that first-timers don't
- Segments outsell the full loop for a reason: 30–45 days (a Pacific leg, Cape Town–Sydney) delivers the world-cruise rhythm without the four-month commitment.
- The fare is half the spend: overland excursions (Taj Mahal, safari inserts), visas, and the onboard life add 20–40%. All-inclusive lines compress this — part of why their sticker premium shrinks in practice.
- Cabin choice is a marriage decision at 140 days — pay for the balcony and the laundry-room proximity joke that stops being a joke.
- Opening-day pricing usually is the best pricing (with shipboard-credit sweeteners and past-guest discounts); world cruises rarely fire-sale, they sell out.
- January departures dominate — the route follows summer around the planet.
Frequently asked
What's the single best value in world cruising right now?
Premium-tier segments booked early: an Oceania or Viking 30-day leg in a veranda cabin prices near a good hotel holiday of the same length — with thirty ports and one unpack. Full-cruise value peaks at Regent when you actually use the included business-class air and excursions.
Can you do a world cruise with kids or while working?
Working: increasingly yes (Starlink-era connectivity is real on Viking, Explora, Oceania's newest). Kids: Viking bars under-18s entirely; the luxury lines welcome but don't program for them; a gap-year family fits best on Cunard or HAL.
How far ahead should I really book?
Marquee luxury sailings: at launch, 18–24 months out, through an advisor with line relationships — allocations and waitlist priority are genuinely relationship-driven. Segments and classic-tier: 12 months is usually fine.