(CNN) -- Back in September 1522, an 85-ton carrack barely larger than a modern leisure yacht became the first ship to successfully complete a circumnavigation of the globe.
The hazardous journey, which began with a fleet and ended with one lone vessel, saw the deaths of at least 50 crew members, including the original captain.
Juan Sebastian Elcano, who took control after the death of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, and his remaining 18 men arrived in Seville, southern Spain, three years after first setting off.
Thankfully, sailing the high seas has become much safer and more comfortable since then, while the allure of sailing around our blue planet remains a travel dream for many.
For those with time and money to spare, cruise operators have come up with a number of offerings to retrace the path of the great sailors of the Age of Discovery.
If you're ready to spend between three and eight months at sea, there have never been more options to complete your very own global circumnavigation.
Travelers now have the option to hop from one ocean to the next in the comfort of some of the most luxurious ships the cruise industry has to offer.
While shorter cruises can vary in terms of clientele, passengers on world cruises tend to be older travelers looking for destination-focused journeys and comfortable shopping at a higher price point.
The ships are decidedly smaller, which means they can make longer stops at destinations, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of some of the world's most picturesque locations.
Another advantage to their size is that they can call at some of the more remote and off-the-beaten-path ports where big ships just wouldn't be able to squeeze.
All of these factors mean that these cruises tend to be aimed at the upper end of the market.
"Many luxury lines have perfected the world cruise concept. You're not on board for the flashy water slides and Broadway-style shows -- you're likely more focused on what's happening in port," explains Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, a TripAdvisor-owned publication specializing in the cruise industry.
"That said, a few mainstream lines offer their own world cruises, although those tend to be on their smaller ships.
"Cruises on these lines are somewhat less expensive and are a great option for passengers looking to cruise the world on a smaller budget."
One of the big draws of this type of cruise is its experiential element. This is the ultimate lifetime experience for many.
"World cruises provide an incredible adventure for true travelers at heart. And while cruising is generally a very social form of travel," she adds,"it's even more so on a world cruise, as you're spending far more time with your fellow cruisers -- both on board, and in port. You make friends for life."
In fact, Joseph Chabus, a spokesperson for high-end cruise operator Regent Seven Seas, says there are many cases of passengers meeting on board and choosing to cruise together again.
"We find that guests who frequently sail on our cruises become friends and end up booking world cruises together because they enjoy each other's company and have a shared curiosity to explore our world," says Chabus.
Technology has also helped make the prospect of a long sea voyage more attractive, since it's easier than ever for travelers to stay connected to the office or family back home from virtually anywhere during this absence.
The number of operators launching new products in this space or diversifying their existing offerings has contributed to the growing popularity of this market segment.
Here are 10 of the best around-the-world cruises departing over the next two years:
Cunard
The first continuous circumnavigation cruise was completed by a Cunard ship, the Laconia, in 1922.
Since that voyage, chartered by American Express, the British-American cruise line has sent more ships around the globe than any other cruise operator.
This tradition is maintained to this day with its annual world cruise. The 2020 outing will call at 38 destinations across four continents.
And, from 2021, two Cunard ships will offer full world voyages: the Queen Mary 2 is to sail on the traditional East to West direction, while the Queen Victoria will do so on the westbound route via the Panama Canal.
The World Voyage on Queen Mary 2
Duration: 99 nights
Dates: January 10 to April 18, 2020
Cost: Prices start at around $14,800
Ship: Queen Mary 2
Port of Departure: New York (113 nights) or London (99 nights)
Port of Arrival: New York (113 nights) or London (99 nights)
Crystal Cruises
At the upper end of the market, Crystal Cruises is another veteran of this category, having offered world cruises for more than two decades.
Next up is its 105-day 2020 World Cruise, from Miami to Rome. Although technically not a full circumnavigation, it will travel a good three-quarters around the globe.
Further editions of this luxurious cruise, 2021 and 2022 -- the latter a full circumnavigation of the world starting and ending in Miami -- are already on the market.
If these journeys sounds too long, passengers can book one segment of the route and complete the other part of the itinerary by air.
Crystal Cruises 2020 World Cruise
Duration: 105 days
Dates: Jan. 6 to Apr 21, 2020
Cost: Prices start at $194,000
Ship: Crystal Serenity
Port of Departure: Miami
Port of Arrival: Civitavecchia, Rome
Silversea
Boutique cruise operator Silversea has two different offerings in this segment -- a more traditional cruise on board the Silver Whisper, a ship designed for around 500 passengers, and an active cruise aimed at more adventurous travelers.
The latter will be operated by the Silver Cloud, a relatively small ship with a 250-passenger capacity and a strengthened hull allowing it to venture into polar waters that are off limits to most other ships.
This cruise travels from Antarctica all the way to the Arctic Circle by way of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The Finest World Tour
Duration: 150 days
Dates: Jan. 7 to June 6, 2021
Cost: Prices start at 51,000 ($61,700)
Ship: Silver Whisper
Port of Departure: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Port of Arrival: New York
The Uncharted World Tour
Duration: 167 days
Dates: Jan. 30 to July 16, 2021
Cost: Prices start at 77,000 ($93,000)
Ship: Silver Cloud
Port of Departure: Ushuaia, Argentina
Port of Arrival: Tromso, Norway
Seabourn
Another boutique operator at the high end of the market, Seabourn has brought back its world cruise after a six-year hiatus.
Although this isn't a full circumnavigation, it gets very close.
Passengers depart Miami in an eastward direction and cross the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean before disembarking in San Francisco, California.
In a way, it's a US coast-to-coast sailing, but with a bit of a detour.
2020 World Cruise
Duration: 146 nights
Dates: Jan. 4 to May 28, 2020
Cost: From $66,999 per person (rates are based on double occupancy and are subject to change)
Ship: Seabourn Sojourn
Port of Departure: Miami
Port of Arrival: San Francisco
Viking Cruises
Also at the high end of the market, Viking has brought its signature Scandinavian-chic to longdistance cruising.
This is the longest world cruise currently offered, taking a total of 245 nights, or about eight months at sea.
Viking Ultimate World Cruise
Duration: 245 nights
Dates: Aug. 31, 2019 to May 2, 2020
Cost: Prices start at 82,990 ($99,350)
Ship: Viking Sun
Port of Departure: London
Port of Arrival: London
The 2019 trip is already underway, but there are still variants of the cruise available.
For example, the 161-night Miami to London segment (setting off December 14) and the 119-night Los Angeles to London (departs January 4) portion of the itinerary are marketed separately.
If nothing less than the full experience will do, contact Viking directly if you want a spot on the next epic sailing.
Regent Cruises
Regent has been offering luxury world cruises for quite a few years.
Its next one is the 131-night 2020 cruise. It starts in Miami, then goes west across the Panama Canal and the Pacific, up the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, then returns to Miami.
At 117 nights, the 2021 edition is a little shorter. It follows a similar route, but stops in Barcelona instead of going all the way to Miami.
The 2022 edition will be focusing on the Pacific, with a 120-night circumnavigation, not of the whole globe, but of its largest ocean.
This choice has proven popular, though. The day it was launched, in July 2019, this four-month Pacific cruise beat the Regent's same-day sales record for this type of product by no less than 39%.
A World of Luxury
Duration: 131 nights
Dates: Jan. 6, 2020 (or January 24 if boarding in San Francisco) to May 17, 2020
Cost: Prices start at around $66,700
Ship: Seven Seas Mariner
Port of Departure: Miami
Read more:
Water Cooler Here are the best around-the-world cruises for 2020 Miquel Ros, CNN 7 - WPTV.com
- EU votes to ratify landmark High Seas Treaty - Euronews - April 29th, 2024 [April 29th, 2024]
- Cruise ship industry is booming despite spate of high-seas deaths - New York Post - April 29th, 2024 [April 29th, 2024]
- The Indian seafarer deserves better in choppy high seas - The Hindu - April 29th, 2024 [April 29th, 2024]
- Pharrell Takes To The High Seas For Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall 2024 | Fashion - Clash Magazine - April 29th, 2024 [April 29th, 2024]
- When it comes to fighting sea pirates, bones don't lie - Deccan Herald - April 29th, 2024 [April 29th, 2024]
- Seabirds spend nearly 40% of their time on high seas, study finds - NIWA - April 29th, 2024 [April 29th, 2024]
- High seas drama: Cruise ship bound for Bahamas is diverted to Portland - Mainebiz - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- African Ports Overwhelmed By Red Sea Reroutings - gCaptain - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Party Pirates: A Hilarious Co-op Adventure on the High Seas - Game Is Hard - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Boat sinks in high seas off Malpe, eight fishermen rescued - Public TV English - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Arena's Swept Away is a Dark Tale on the High Seas with Music by Grammy Winners The Avett Brothers - The Zebra - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Money Memories: Finances on the high seas - Louisville Public Media - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- The Arctic Sunrise II Does the ISA have 'enforcement jurisdiction' on the High Seas? - EJIL: Talk! - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Severe Weather Impacting Multiple Cruise Ships - Cruise Hive - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Taking to the high seas for an up-close look at South Fork Wind - theday.com - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- High Waves and Rough Seas Forecast for Costa Rica Coasts - The Tico Times - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Diesel theft on the high seas: When international cargo ships meet fishing boats in the dead of night - The Indian Express - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Meet the couple who've been on more than 200 cruises - and love life on the high seas so much they're selling - Daily Mail - December 16th, 2023 [December 16th, 2023]
- Report to Congress on the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention - USNI ... - USNI News - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Simplifying Docker Installation on Linux - Linux Journal - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Mallory to Present 'Oceans Apart: Global Governance Approaches to ... - University of Arkansas Newswire - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- NEWS: A NEW 'Moana' Show Is Coming to the Disney Treasure ... - AllEars.Net - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Things to do Oct. 13-19 in the Chicago suburbs, Northwest Indiana - Chicago Tribune - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Marine "Biomimetics" Could Be the Blue Economy's Next Big Hit - The Maritime Executive - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- All eyes on France this Saturday evening - Offaly Independent - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- 80s-themed cruise: A blast to the past with P&O's high-sea adventure - New Zealand Herald - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- High seas glamour: what its like to cruise the world with Cunard - Executive Traveller - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Warfare MMO Foxhole is adding naval combat complete with huge ... - PC Gamer - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- One Piece Season 2 Cast: Every Character Expected to Appear - The Direct - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- The future of Portuguese football: the pitch, the pixels, and the promise - PortuGOAL.net - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Typhoon Koinu to cause high winds, rough waters in East Sea - VietNamNet - October 10th, 2023 [October 10th, 2023]
- Governing our seas using core principles of sustainability - Mail and Guardian - September 19th, 2023 [September 19th, 2023]
- Marine Medium Speed Engine Oil Market: Navigating the High Seas ... - Digital Journal - September 19th, 2023 [September 19th, 2023]
- Threats on the high seas and the Pak-Saudi partnership - Arab News Pakistan - September 19th, 2023 [September 19th, 2023]
- China Wants to Burn Out Southeast Asian Navies - Foreign Policy - September 19th, 2023 [September 19th, 2023]
- Sea of Thieves Will Have to Face the Reaper Sooner or Later - GameRant - September 19th, 2023 [September 19th, 2023]
- Whine Wednesdays: Pigs On The High Seas Disgusting Behavior ... - LoyaltyLobby - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Carnival Now Looks in Ship Shape for the High Seas - RealMoney - RealMoney - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Why a new UN treaty to safeguard the high seas matters | Mint - Mint - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Navigating Unfairness on the High Seas: Class Action Waiver Clauses - Lexology - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- High-Seas Search for 39 Crewmembers of Capsized Chinese ... - The Maritime Executive - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The Wager by David Grann review a rollicking and nuanced history of the high seas - The Guardian - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- A musician from Sauk Prairie sees the world on the high seas - WiscNews - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- How to obtain The Major-General minion in Final Fantasy XIV - Fanbyte - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- ShipRocked 2024: Artist Lineup Revealed For Hard Rockin Adventure On The High Seas! - Icon Vs. Icon - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Local playwright's Hollerwood show premiers at West T. Hill - The ... - Interior Journal - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Meth worth several thousand crores seized from high seas by Indian Navy, NCB - The News Minute - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Salute to Sailors: Navy employs technology and training to ready sailors - WHP Harrisburg - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The Ocean Race Summit Newport urges recognition of the inherent ... - The Ocean Race - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Max Reveals All of the New Titles Coming to It's Platform In May ... - Just Jared Jr. - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Fisheries: agreement reached on sustainable management of ... - Oceans and fisheries - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- United Arab Emirates formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries ... - WTO Latest News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Murky Tar Balls Reappear on Goa's Golden Beaches | Weather.com - The Weather Channel - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Study: Fishing Subsidies Support Unregulated Distant-Water Fishing - The Maritime Executive - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The Rings Of Power's Morfydd Clark Hints At 'Quite A Lot Of New ... - Looper - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Chris Armstrong Short Cuts: High Seas Fishing LRB 18 May 2023 - London Review of Books - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- It's Chaos on the High Seas in New 'The Meg 2' Poster - Collider - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- From South Dakota to the high seas, the world gets less transparent - Coda Story - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Stepping up action - Nature.com - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Stricken Shiling tipped to return to Wellington the scene of its ... - Stuff - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Secretary ... - The White House - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Bangladesh: Dangerous Cyclone Mocha expected to make landfall ... - Save the Children International - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Stricken 294-metre Shiling tipped to return to Wellington - the scene ... - Stuff.co.nz - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Sneak peek: Inside Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever - The Points Guy - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War' is Celebrating Its 6th ... - Touch Arcade - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Is Deck 1 on a Cruise Ship Bad - Pros and Cons - Cruise Hive - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- US-Iran nuclear struggle is playing out on the high seas - The Telegraph - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Muscle Flexing In South China Sea: Why India-ASEAN War Games Send A Strong Signal To Beijing - ABP Live - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Everybody Has a Story: Surviving rough ride in a smelly ship - The Columbian - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Holiday warning over Majorca party boats loved by Brits as officials vow massive new crackdown... - The US Sun - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Dark waters: how the adventure of a lifetime turned to tragedy - The Guardian - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Guarding our seas and the blue economy - Philstar.com - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Driverless boats, enduring sensors on the special ops maritime menu - Defense News - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- List Of The Cleanest Cruise Ships In The World (2023) - Cruise Mummy - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Sea of Survivors: What if Vampire Survivors and Sea of Thieves had ... - Windows Central - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- All hands on deck as UN meets to protect high seas - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- 'High Seas' Season 4 Canceled at Netflix Even After Initial Renewal - January 22nd, 2023 [January 22nd, 2023]
- 'High Seas' Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It? - Decider - January 22nd, 2023 [January 22nd, 2023]
- What Is High Seas Governance? - National Oceanic and Atmospheric ... - January 22nd, 2023 [January 22nd, 2023]
- Move Over Disney: Carnival Is Grooming on the High Seas - December 23rd, 2022 [December 23rd, 2022]