Where in the world to cruise? As the brochures get fatter, the destinations more daring and the boats more bootylicious, it can be a tricky call. But if you can’t decide, there’s one simple, if indulgent, expedient. Do the whole planet in one go.

Early in the new year, a dozen or so liners will cast off from their home ports to circumnavigate the world. The trips are hugely popular, and most operators are already selling sailings for 2008 — when the hottest ticket will be the maiden world cruise of Cunard’s new Queen Victoria. But it’s not too late to enlist for this year, and not as bank-breaking as you might have feared.

Yes, this is trip-of-a-lifetime territory, but round-the-world cruising isn’t just for lottery winners, golden-handshake squanderers and City-bonus wallahs. The cost can average out at just £60 per day. You can also save money by cherry-picking — signing up for a single sector of the voyage rather than the global works. Then again, if you happen to be a Premiership footballer or a Russian oligarch, you could blow £250,000 on a top suite on the most luxurious ship.

All the boats featured here still have berths for 2007. Let’s start with cruise royalty — but you’ll have to be quick, because there are just a few cabins left on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, which sails from Fort Lauderdale on January 10. She will be doing a full circle of South America on the way to stopoffs in California, New Zealand, Australia, the Far East, India, Dubai and the Med — but it’s Mary’s Latin leanings that make this round-the-world itinerary leap out. Prices start at £9,899 for 74 nights, including flights to Fort Lauderdale; call 0845 071 0300 or visit www.cunard.co.uk.

Three of the more luxurious vessels afloat, all sailing from the USA, offer world cruises. Silversea’s Silver Shadow casts off from Fort Lauderdale on January 15 for a four-month odyssey, visiting a postcard-pulping 61 ports of call.


Her route takes in the Caribbean, Mexico, the Panama Canal and Peru, with a spot of island-hopping in the South Pacific. From New Zealand and Australia, she sails to Bali and Thailand, then on to India and the Middle East, and potters through the Med before crossing the Atlantic to Bermuda and New York.

You can pay anything from £35,498 to £98,336 for the full 126 days, including flights, all drinks, tips, a number of shore excursions and on-board “spending credit” worth $2,000 per suite. Call 0870 333 7030 or visit www.silversea.com.

Also catering for high rollers is Regent’s Seven Seas Voyager (023 8068 2280, www.rssc.co.uk), which sails from Fort Lauderdale on January 9. Prices start at £37,528 for 111 nights, (for a grade-C cabin, the only category left), including drinks and gratuities, but not flights, which add £570 return.

Then there’s Crystal’s Serenity (020 7734 4404, www.mundycruising.co.uk), but there is no availability for its Round the Horn passage, so only shorter jaunts are available, including the homecoming from Rome to Southampton, departing on April 19; 12 nights from £3,973.

These days, cruise lines like to trade exaggerated claims that their passengers are getting younger by the day. Saga (0800 505030, www.sagacruising.co.uk), though, is glad to be grey.


Its twin vessels — the Ruby and the Rose — are exclusively for those aged 50 and over, and both cast off from Southampton on January 7, one heading west, the other east. They meet mid-cruise in Sydney — where, if you really liked the first half, you can opt to jump ship and return on the sister ship. Prices start at £11,586, for 109 nights on Ruby.

Time-rich but cash-poor cruisers should consider stepping aboard one of the four working freighters of the British-owned Bank Line (020 7575 6484, www.aws.co.uk), which each carry a dozen passengers and sail roughly once a month throughout the year. Prices start at £6,300 for 105-110 days, and are the same for single travellers as for those sharing a cabin. Bear in mind, though, that despite all those days at sea, freighters don’t offer much in the way of entertainment — you’d better hope that those 11 other passengers are fun.

• For more details on round-the-world cruising, visit www.discover-cruises.co.uk.
  
  

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