Around the World in Eight New Ways

A few years ago, it looked like the around-the-world cruise was going the way of the dodo, but that was before the rapid series of cruise company acquisitions, culminating in the recent purchase of the venerable Cunard Line by Carnival Corp.

Cunard is arguably the most famous brand name for world cruises, since its Laconia introduced the first around-the-world cruise in 1922. The Queen Elizabeth 2 has sailed off into the sunset on world cruises every January since 1969, and the Royal Viking Sun has done the same.

Long considered a prestige loss leader, the world cruise is making an astonishing comeback, with at least eight companies scheduling them in the near future.

First out of the gate this season is Princess Cruises’ Island Princess, which sails from San Francisco Sept. 16 and ends up in Rome Nov. 21. In between, the ship visits Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Oman, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and Greece.

The most unusual of the upcoming world cruises is from the World Cruise Co. The Ocean Explorer I will sail on three long cruises called Voyages of the Millennium. The first is “The Last Frontiers,” visiting 23 countries beginning in Greece on Nov. 19, 1999, and returning to Greece March 25 after sailing around North Africa, South America, the South Pacific, East Africa and the Middle East.

The second one, 116 days long, is called “The Lost Worlds” and leaves Greece March 26, 2000, for the Mediterranean, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific, Southeast Asia, India, Africa and the Middle East. The third, “Northern Exposures,” sails from Greece on July 20, 2000, and cruises north to Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Bermuda, the Panama Canal, Canada, Mexico, Alaska, Russia, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and India, returning to Greece Nov. 14.

Fares for the voyages range from $11,890 to $29,990.

The QE2 sails Jan. 5, 1999, from New York and winds up there again 104 days later after sailing the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Borneo, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, India and the Middle East. Full cruise prices quoted by Golden Bear Travel in Novato, Calif., range from $31,930 per person to $307,760 (for two in the penthouse suite).

Cunard’s Royal Viking Sun sails Jan. 8, 1999, from Miami headed through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles, then into the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Sumatra, China, Japan and Mexico, returning May 10.

Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony will set out from Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 5 and Los Angeles on Jan. 18, with a 112-day itinerary that takes it through the South Pacific to Australia and New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Guam, the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, the Middle East and Mediterranean. The cruise ends in Lisbon.

Holland America’s elegant new Rotterdam VI cruises from Los Angeles on Jan. 20, also heading into the South Pacific and to Australia and New Zealand. Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean are spring highlights; the ship returns to New York April 28.

P&O;’s pretty new Oriana leaves Southhampton, England, Jan. 4, calling in the Canaries, South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the North American West Coast and the Caribbean, returning to Southhampton April 5.

The Arcadia, in its first world cruise, sets out from Southhampton Jan. 6, visits the Caribbean, California, Hawaii, Fiji, Australia and Indonesia, then calls in Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and Spain before returning to Southhampton April 7.

Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa will make its last around-the-world cruise for that company this winter before being delivered to its new owners, Singapore-based Star Cruises. The cruise leaves Dec. 19, 1998, and returns April 10.

Contact: Crystal Cruises, telephone (800) 446-6620; Cunard, tel. (800) 5-CUNARD; Golden Bear Travel, tel. (800) 551-1000; Hapag-Lloyd, tel. (800) 334-2724; Holland America Line, tel. (800) 426-0327; P&O; and Princess Cruises, tel. (800) PRINCESS; World Cruise Co., tel. (888) 558-0887.