Think of a cruise and you might picture a week island-hopping in the Caribbean.
What about a full 26 weeks — half the entire year — sailing around the world? That’s the trip that a lucky few are about to embark upon this weekend from San Francisco.
This sailing aboard Oceania Cruises’ Insignia departs on Sunday, January 26 from San Francisco. And while the cruise is scheduled to end in New York on July 25 (a full 182 days later), it’s what’s in between that will make other travelers envious.
All told, the cruise will visit more than three dozen countries (and roughly 100 ports of call), ranging from Sri Lanka to Singapore. The trip begins in California, skipping down the coast of Mexico and South America. After a turn around the famous Cape Horn, the cruise continues up the east coast of South America, with stops in Argentina and Brazil before heading across the Atlantic to Africa.
From there the ship make stops in several African ports before crossing the Indian Ocean. India, Thailand, Hanoi, China, and Japan are all on the list of stops before a port of call in the remote Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. (Note: there are about two week’s worth of stops in Japan alone.)
After that the ship will cross over to Alaska before dotting down the coast again, transiting the Panama Canal, and then back up the east coast of the United States to New York.
While most ports of call feature traditional stops during the day, this cruise does feature overnights calls on ports like Rio de Janeiro, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and more.
As mentioned, the cruise runs from January 26 through July 25, but the complete journey (a staggering 200 days!) actually departed Miami about two weeks ago.
Prices Start at Nearly $40K
The sailing is part of Oceania’s lineup of around-the-world cruises, designed for travelers looking for something more than a short trip to the Bahamas or Caribbean.
The trips typically take place on smaller ships (the Insignia can carry only about 800 passengers; much less than the 6,000 carried by the largest cruise ships) and have a more luxurious atmosphere.
Be prepared to open your wallet if you’re interested in a trip like this. Fares start at $38,999 per person for an inside stateroom. Those wanting to sail in the top-of-the-line Owner’s Suite at a generous 1,000 square feet would have to pony up $143,699.
With that you’ll get some nice amenities. Oceania includes Belgian chocolates each day and plush robes for all rooms. Book the Owner’s Suite and you’ll also get 24-hour butler service, an iPad to use on the ship, cashmere lap blankets, free shoe shining and your choice of daily printed newspapers.
You can see the full schedule of this 182-day cruise here.
Photo by Ivan T. – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16834381
