The Genius Trick To Get A World Cruise Experience Without Being Stuck At Sea For Months On End

For many travelers, the idea of a world cruise is the ultimate bucket-list experience: sailing across oceans, waking up in a new country every few days, and enjoying the luxury of life onboard a floating hotel. Some travelers even live on cruise ships full time. However, most world cruises last 90 to 180 days, and not everyone can step away from work, family, or land-based life for that long. But we have good news: Flexible and affordable ways to get a taste of globe-trotting by sea do exist. 

Is there one region of the world that you're the most curious about? Most major cruise lines that offer world cruises, such as Cunard, Holland America, Princess, and MSC, also offer shorter segments of the larger voyage. These typically range from two weeks to a couple of months, and let you join and leave the cruise at select ports. For example, instead of committing to a full 120-day sailing stint from Fort Lauderdale to Sydney, you could book a 21-day leg from South Africa to Singapore, or a two-week stretch through the Mediterranean in that same ship where other travelers will be staying for 120 days. The segments are designed to function like mini-vacations with full onboard access and shore excursions. One of the highlights of a world cruise is the onboard lifestyle: daily lectures from historians, diplomats or scientists, wine tastings, book clubs, rotating menus, and the opportunity to meet travelers from around the world, something that regular cruises don't usually offer. 

You can also string together two or three shorter cruises (with the same or partnered cruise lines) to experience multiple ports in a way that mimics a longer journey. Instead of booking segments, book back-to-back itineraries or "grand voyages" for a similar but more flexible experience. Some cruise lines offer 30-to-50-day cruises that explore entire regions without being labeled a "world cruise." Picture sailing for one full month around Asia, another one around Africa, and another one around South America in a different ship each time. These trips can include extended overnight stays in marquee ports, plus regionally themed dining and entertainment to keep experiencing the culture even inside the ship. 

Maybe some regions don't feel as appealing to you as others. Then try one month in your favorite one, two weeks in another, one week in another, and so on. You're in charge of your own schedule here. You can book these back-to-back with the same cruise line or with partnered lines that share ports or docking hubs, or you can fly between cruise starting points. This means that you can experience many regions of the world over a few months, or even spread out over a year. Do two weeks in the Mediterranean, come back home for a couple of months, then a month in South America, and so on. No world cruise can allow you to schedule your trip around work or family obligations this way.

Make sure you look for cruises that depart close to you; this simple trick means you can forget about the extra cost and stress of long flights. Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, or Baltimore are some of the ports in America where you can hop on a cruise. That said, if you're up for more adventure, you can also fly into a middle port — say, Dubai or Hong Kong — join the cruise there, and then fly back home once that leg ends. Most cruise lines offer "fly-and-cruise" packages in which the cruise line itself will buy for you the plane tickets that best align with your cruise dates. This model can sometimes be more cost-effective than booking land-based tours in multiple countries. 

Remember, cruise ships do have Wi-Fi (albeit, typically at a cost). So if your job allows you to work remotely, rest assured knowing you can do so from the high seas. Still, it's better to be safe than sorry, so consider buying a backup satellite internet kit, such as Starlink for Maritime, for guaranteed high-speed internet access across international waters.

The choice is yours: either a segment or two of a world cruise, which means you'll have all the benefits that non-world cruises lack — like the activities and events mentioned above — or curate your own adventure with multiple back-to-back trips. However, if full world cruises still feel like the right choice for you, the good news is more cruise lines are launching these voyages each year. For instance, check out this three-year trip in which you'll sail around all six continents in a luxurious all-residence trip.