The oceans are always calling and looking to see who answers — and for many travelers, the ultimate answer is to take a cruise around the world. On Silversea’s World Cruise 2026, called “The Curious and the Sea: Discover How the World Was Discovered,” you can follow in the footsteps of historic explorers, becoming intimately acquainted with the primordial waters of the modern world and the stories behind each destination.

Divided into nine segments or “chapters,” this epic trip around the world visits minute islands, bustling harbors and major metropolises on six continents. Beyond the destinations, the sailing routes have their own tales to tell, taking you along for crossings and canal transits worthy of the diary pages of an old-world explorer.

Here is a look at the story of Silversea’s 2026 World Cruise, traveling from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Lisbon, as told in nine compelling chapters.

Chapter 1: Fort Lauderdale to Lima, Peru: A Tale of Two Oceans

Native Americans inhabited the land that is now Florida for thousands of years, but the written history of Florida began in 1513 with Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon.

Depart from the sunny Atlantic shores of the States to begin your in-depth cruise around the world. Kicking off the first segment: a transit of the Panama Canal, nicknamed the “eighth wonder of the world” because of its magnificent feats of engineering from the early 20th century.

First, though, the ship will wend its way through Mexico and Central America, stopping in Cozumel; Puerto Limón on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica; and Colón, Panama, on the Atlantic side of the canal.

After sailing through the canal and into the Pacific Ocean, the tale continues with a call on Manta, one of the largest seaports in Ecuador. This chapter wraps up in Callao, the seaport in Peru’s capital city, Lima. Here, the Museo Larco houses an impressive collection of pre-Columbian art, while Museo de la Nación traces Peru’s rich history of ancient civilizations.

Chapter 2: Lima to Papeete, Tahiti: An Explorer’s Paradise

The second chapter of this trip around the world lands first on Easter Island, named for the holy day when the Dutch landed there. Its original inhabitants called it Rapa Nui, but today it is a Chilean dependency.

This segment is all about Polynesia and the islands of the South Pacific. In the Marquesas, stops in Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa feel lush but are tinged with a taste of the prehistoric, thanks to the pair of volcanic archipelagos supporting sandalwood forests and fruit trees. Don’t mistake the islands’ remoteness for a lack of modern culture: Before he wrote Moby Dick, Herman Melville visited Nuku Hiva and used it as the setting for his first novel, Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. Hiva Oa, meanwhile, is the final resting place of artist Paul Gauguin (who died in1903) and famed Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel (who died in 1978).

The Tuamotu archipelago forms the largest chain of atolls on Earth. Its warm, clear water and pink sand make it a haven for divers and lovers of natural beauty. A call in Bora Bora caps off this paradisiacal chapter before the ship docks in humming Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia.

Chapter 3: Papeete to Auckland, New Zealand: Treasure Islands

Guests round out Part 1 of this cruise around the world with a treasure trove of islands, and the real treasure may be experiencing one of the world’s lesser-known places. Eight islands form a path of discovery between Tahiti and New Zealand — beginning in the Cook Islands on Aitutaki, with its stunning, abundant lagoon.

Norfolk Island, an overseas territory of Australia, immediately draws you in with its jagged cliffs and endemic pines. Its fascinating back story, however, keeps you engaged as you learn about the descendants of the Bounty Mutineers and first penal colonies who have made the island home for generations.

The Bay of Islands is a dazzling precursor to New Zealand proper — a subtropical micro-region with 144 islands, replete with scenic overlooks and wildlife as varied as penguins and whales. This awe-inspiring chapter finishes in Auckland, the most populous city in New Zealand, which offers big-city delights between two large harbors.

Chapter 4: Auckland to Perth, Australia: New Worlds of the Ancients

Beginning with a partial circumnavigation of the Australia, Chapter 4 in the 2026 World Cruise takes you to offbeat ports in southwestern Australia — the “down” and “under” of Down Under — anchored by Melbourne. The first call is Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, which has a vibrant farm-to-table dining scene.

Guests then depart for Phillip Island, a nature park that Aussies often use as a day trip. Each day it hosts a Penguin Parade at sunset, which is exactly what it sounds like: penguins dashing ashore in groups, a full-on dose of adorable.
After a stop in Melbourne, the trip heads to a Penneshaw on the Dudley Peninsula of Kangaroo Island. Idyllic beaches are joined by a sculpture trail and even a winery during this port call. It’s about 70 miles north to Adelaide, the charismatic capital city of South Australia. Seafood lovers will embrace the stop in Port Lincoln, one of the country’s fresh seafood capitals and a maritime hub.

The name of the coastal town Esperance means “hope and expectations,” and it certainly delivers. Visually captivating, this port of call in Western Australia is a contrast of cerulean seas, white sand and bubblegum-pink lakes. Wildflowers poke through its craggy coastline as kangaroos hop along the shore.

Edging into the Margaret River region, the ship will dock in Busselton. Its retro timber jetty stretches more than a mile and invites you into the family-friendly fray of this Western Australia vacation destination. You’ll end this dynamic leg of your voyage in Fremantle, the port for Perth.

Chapter 5: Perth to Singapore: The Call of the Wild

Chapter 5 signals that you are halfway through your global expedition story. This segment continues the navigation of Australia and begins to get a little … wild.

Visit Exmouth on the eye-popping Coral Coast before landing in Broome, an otherworldly destination in the Kimberley Region.

Along the Indian Ocean, Broome is a blend of First Nations culture as well as Asian and European cultures, thanks to immigrants who came here to work on its pearl farms. Visit a farm or ride a camel on the beach; whatever you do, it’s hard not to be blown away by the untapped wilderness of the Kimberley surrounding you.

Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, is the final stop before heading into the Timor and Java seas toward Indonesia. Sail into Benoa, considered the gateway port of Bali, before passing farther into Indonesia with a call in Lembar, a lesser-known destination touting equally desirable beaches and temples.

You’ll want to spend plenty of time exploring Singapore during this final stop on this segment. The Merlion is the mythical mascot (part fish, part lion) of the Southeast Asian city-state, which has Chinese, Malay, Indian and many other global influences, making it a destination at the top of nearly every trending list.

Chapter 6: Singapore to Mumbai, India: Routes of Silk and Spice

As the name suggests, this cruise chapter is about following the ancient trade routes. You’ll travel seven Asian ports on this leg as you sail to Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and more.

The transport of spice traces back to as early as 2000 B.C. Cinnamon, for instance, came from Sri Lanka and headed toward the Middle East. Many important traditional and medicinal spices grew only in the tropical regions of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, as well as the south of China, which makes their long journeys more understandable. The Silk Roads originated in China, but the value of these fine materials made itself known as far as India.

From Port Klang, the largest port in Malaysia, your ship will sail along a route of discovery to Phuket, Thailand; the resort city of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka; Colombo, Sri Lanka’s most populous city; and Kochi (Cochin) in India’s coastal state of Kerala.

Along the way, Galle, Sri Lanka, is a standout port of call, whose 16^th century Portuguese fortifications and Old Town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you might still see people stilt fishing, a practice that started because of food shortages after World War II.

Things get exciting in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. The commercial, economic and financial hub of India, Mumbai pulses with activity but also beauty: It is home to hundreds of temples and is also the heart of the Bollywood film industry.

Chapter 7: Mumbai to Jerusalem: The Tides of History

Chapter 7 turns a new page toward a new continent and a new canal. This trip around the world takes a turn of biblical proportions as you sail from India and cross the Arabian Sea for the shores of Oman on the Arabian Peninsula. There are four ports of call during this segment and plenty of sea days and a transit of the Suez Canal.

After Salalah — Oman’s largest regional seaport and also a verdant city with banana plantations and seasonal waterfalls — you will dock in Safaga, Egypt, bound for the world-famous temples and pyramids of Luxor.

Continue to ride the tides of history toward Aqaba, Jordan’s port city 80 miles across the Wadi Rum desert to Petra, one of the new wonders of the ancient world. Pass from the storied, spare landscapes of the Red Sea into the Mediterranean Sea, docking in Ashdod, Israel’s Port of Jerusalem. Spend time in the Holy City before completing your seventh world cruise chapter.

Chapter 8: Jerusalem to Split, Croatia: Mediterranea

Thirteen ports of call are included in All Things Mediterranean, and you’ll find enough history, architecture and wine in this region to more than satisfy your thirst for the cultural riches of Israel, Greece, Turkey, Crete, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Italy’s Puglia region.

After Jerusalem, dock in Haifa for another holy pilgrimage site in Nazareth. Delve further into the ancient civilizations of Turkey and Greece with calls in Antalya, Rhodes, Nafplion and the Port of Piraeus for Athens. For more ruins and dramatic seascapes, head to Agios Nikolaos on the island of Crete, a seaside town adjacent to Heraklion and its Minoan archaeological sites.

The Ionian Sea will embrace you in Saranda, Albania (also known as Sarandë), before heading to Bari, in the heel of Italy’s “boot.” Bari, the main city of Puglia, is an absolute feast for any traveler.

Be sure to wake up early for the sail into Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor, considered one of the planet’s most beautiful ports.

Capping off your Mediterranean odyssey, you’ll get to know different regions of popular Croatia, by way of the walled city of Dubrovnik; Hvar, an island off the Dalmatian Coast; and Venetian-inspired Split.

Chapter 9: Split to Lisbon, Portugal: The Origins of Exploration

As you reach the final chapter in this remarkable journey of curiosity, you will straddle Europe and Africa until coming into the harbor in Portugal, home to some of the world’s most prolific explorers.

It’s no wonder this ultimate segment is named “Origins of Exploration.” It wraps a neat bow on 20 weeks of discovery with calls on the native countries of history’s best-known seafaring pioneers.

Cruise from Italy — birthplace of Marco Polo and Amerigo Vespucci — to Valetta, Malta, and Trapani, Sicily. Continue on to Spain (Cartagena, Málaga and Cádiz, along the Costa del Sol) with a stop in Gibraltar before the last stretch that takes you to Lisbon. Portugal’s capital — and the end of World Cruise 2026 — is, fittingly, the birthplace of explorers Vasco de Gama and Henry the Navigator.

It will be hard to absorb all of the things you have seen and done on this curious reacquaintance with the sea, but much easier to digest with one of Lisbon’s custardy pasteis de nata — an excellent way to wrap up an adventure you will savor all your life.

Ready to embark on a cruise around the world? Start planning now for your own extraordinary voyage. Check out more details about the World Cruise 2026 and learn more about the other world cruises offered by Silversea. As you plan your trip, check out How to Choose Your World Cruise.