World Cruises 2025: The Best Itineraries To See The World

For the vast majority of travelers, a cruise is anything from a weekend getaway to a 7- or 14-day vacation in the sun. Some people can afford the time and money to splash out on a longer trip, perhaps an intensive month-long historic tour of the Mediterranean, or the Caribbean and Central America. But for the fortunate few, there is another option.

World cruises offer guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to circumnavigate the planet, take in some of the world’s most famous sights and discover diverse cultures on an epic three- to four-month-long trip.

Most world cruises take place from January to April, which is otherwise low season for cruising. Typically, itineraries follow a westward circumnavigation covering the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Australia and Asia, including transits of the Suez and Panama Canals, but there are other routes.

Too long or too expensive? Most cruise lines also sell shorter segments of their world cruise itineraries, offering a taste of a longer cruise vacation.

Because of the complex itineraries, lengthy durations and high ticket prices, world cruises go on sale well in advance. As such, some of the world’s most popular cruise lines have released their 2025 world cruise itineraries, and many are already selling well.

116 Nights On MSC Cruises

Overnight stops in some of the world’s most desirable city destinations and in-depth explorations of South America, Australia and New Zealand are among the highlights of this 116-night itinerary from MSC Cruises. The focus on the southern hemisphere is relatively rare among world cruise itineraries.

The January 4 to April 30 trip starts and ends in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, Italy. Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona are alternate start- and endpoints. For this reason and the line’s Italian heritage, MSC Cruises offers a primarily Mediterranean experience in terms of dining and entertainment.

The lengthy itinerary includes port calls at 50 destinations in 21 countries. Seven overnight stops give passengers more time to explore select destinations, including Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

While by no means a small vessel, MSC Magnifica is much more compact than the newer MSC megaships. Also, the maximum passenger capacity of 3,223 is unlikely to be reached given the expected lack of children sharing any of the ship’s 1,279 cabins.

MSC Cruises is known for its budget approach to cruising, yet things work a little differently on the world cruise. Unique to this itinerary, a “Dine & Drink” package is provided for all passengers, which includes house beers and wines served with lunch and dinner in the restaurants and buffet. Guests also benefit from 15 included excursions, mainly short sightseeing tours of select destinations.

At the time of writing, the MSC Cruises’ 2025 world cruise is available from $17,179 per person, based on two people sharing an inside cabin.

155 Nights On Azamara

Those with plenty of money and time may prefer to consider the luxury offering from Azamara. The 155-night itinerary offers a more immersive experience than many world cruises, with a slower pace and 46 late-night and overnight port calls.

Completists may be disappointed that the westward San Diego to Southampton itinerary isn’t a full circumnavigation of the planet. However, immersive experiences are offered in Hawaii, French Polynesia, Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Italy and France, ensuring broad cultural exposure and a wealth of diverse experiences.

Azamara’s world cruise begins at $39,999 per person based on two sharing an inside cabin. That’s more than twice the price of the MSC itinerary.

However, there’s a lot of value packed into the Azamara fare. Not only is the itinerary more than one month longer and on a significantly smaller ship, but guests also receive business class air travel, a beverage package, Wi-Fi, weekly laundry service, a pre-departure party, inclusive cultural experiences and thousands of dollars of onboard credit.

111 Nights On Cunard’s Newest Ship

The maiden voyage of Cunard’s latest cruise ship, Queen Anne, has long since sold out. However, the maiden world voyage of the long-awaited cruise ship from the historic line is sure to be a major event, too.

The 111-night itinerary from Hamburg, Germany counts visits to Honolulu, Sydney and Penang, plus a transit of the historic Suez Canal among its highlights. A slightly shorter option is available starting and ending in Southampton, England.

Cunard’s 249th ship will carry almost 3,000 guests and promises more modern design touches, a pool with a retractable roof and several new dining concepts.

The 2025 world voyage on Queen Anne starts from approximately $18,000 per person, based on two people sharing an inside cabin.

World Cruises From The U.K.

In addition to Cunard, British-based P&O Cruises and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines are among the cruise lines that offer world cruises departing from the U.K. in 2025.

P&O’s 99-night circumnavigation includes overnight port calls in San Francisco and Sydney, and transits of both the Panama and Suez canals. With fares starting from $12,500 per person, based on two sharing an inside cabin, it’s one of the cheaper options to see the world from a cruise ship.

As with MSC’s world cruise, the 2025 world voyage from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines puts the focus on the southern hemisphere. Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Easter Island and several port calls in Australia are among the highlights. Fares start from $15,850 per person, based on two sharing an inside cabin.

Princess Offers Two Itineraries

Fans of Princess Cruises have not one but two world cruises to choose from in 2025. The 116-day itinerary on Island Princess is available as a roundtrip from either Los Angeles or Fort Lauderdale. It features an intensive tour of the Mediterranean, including stops in Montenegro and idyllic Greek islands.

An alternate 113-day itinerary on Crown Princess sets sail in the summer from Australia and features Asia, Indonesia, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe including Greenland, the Americas and the South Pacific.

Other World Cruise Options

Other cruise lines offer world cruises, including Holland America, Oceania and Viking Ocean Cruises. High-end cruise lines including Seabourn, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas also offer world cruises.

If you are keen to explore all your options for 2025 and beyond, signing up for the cruise lines’ newsletters is a good idea. World cruises going on sale are usually news items. Despite the cost, they are generally popular and the best cabins sell quickly.