Traveling the world, a luxury that has surprisingly little to do with money

It can take 80 days à la Phileas Fogg, more than 100 at a more relaxed pace, or less than a month, if you’re short on vacation days. When it comes to traveling around the world, there’s a wide range of possibilities when it comes to both time and money. Of course, like so many things in life, how much you have in both categories does make a difference.

In general, the trips that offer the option to spend the most amount of time making your orbit involve cruises. Since 2019, MSC has offered an around-the-world package. In 2025, this boat set out from Barcelona on January 7, bound for a journey of 46 destinations in 21 countries that will last until May 7. “Each year, the route is different, although we always visit five continents and spend 15 nights docked at destinations that have great appeal for tourists. In 2025, those will be Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, and Sydney, among others,” says the company’s general director in Spain, Fernando Pacheco, who highlights the fact that the journey begins and ends in a Spanish city.

From Barcelona, the MSCA Magnifica crosses the Atlantic, stopping first in Málaga, and sails along the American continent until it crosses the Strait of Magellan. Once in the Pacific, it visits paradisiacal spots like Tahiti and French Polynesia, eventually reaching Oceania, then setting course for Africa. “It’s a trip that sells relatively quickly,” says Pacheco. “In six months, we covered the desired occupancy level. We are already marketing the 2026 and 2027 crossings.” Prices start at around $16,700.

And for those who don’t want to, or can’t, set sail for four months, the company offers the option of boarding the ship for sections of the trip. “After putting tickets on sale for the whole journey, we released tickets for three sections that last between 30 and 40 days,” says Pacheco, who adds that these abridged versions generate interest among those for whom 120 days at sea is not within reach. The manager explains that “the client does not have to be someone with a very high purchasing power.” Among the people who get on the boat, a large portion are retired, although there are some working professionals who have the option of clocking into their jobs remotely. “There are even some families with young children who take a few months off,” says Pacheco.

The price point is higher for passengers who embark on the round-the-world trips offered by Silversea, the Royal Caribbean group’s luxury brand, which is already selling tickets for its 2026 and 2027 voyages. Next year, The Curious and the Sea cruise will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and arrive in Lisbon 140 days later. In between, it will stop at 70 destinations in 37 countries across six continents. Its prices start at $90,200. For 2027, Royal Caribbean has opted for the title of The Three Oceans, billed as the “most extensive and diverse trip in the company’s history,” according to a press statement. That same communication says that “over 149 days, the exclusive Silver Dawn will visit 80 destinations in 35 countries and five continents, including 20 new stops and 11 nights in port, a record for the brand.” The starting port is Los Angeles and the trip ends in Copenhagen. Prices start at $95,900. Silversea opted not to give information on the client profile of those who will embark on the journey.

Starting prices similar to those at Silversea can be found by customers of Regent Seven Seas, which belongs to Norwegian Cruise. For 2027, it’s offering a round-the-world trip that embarks January 11 from Miami, and will arrive at it final destination in New York 140 nights later, after having visited 71 locations in 40 countries on six continents. Fares start at $91,499 for the 307-square-foot Veranda Suite, and go up to $839,999 per guest for those staying in the luxurious Regent Suite. Like MSC, the company offers the option of taking a shorter, 126-night version of the trip, disembarking in Rome. Prices for that option start at $30,698.

The brand Oceania Cruises belongs to the same company as Regent Seven Seas, and offers a round-the-world trip that embarks in Miami, where it also ends. Its trip for 2026 is longer, for a total of 180 nights, during which it will visit 101 destinations in 43 countries. Fares start at $41,999.

For those looking to travel the globe, but who don’t want to spend so much time on a boat, there are many travel agencies who offer planet-spanning plans. One of them is Hanaley Travel, whose co-founder and executive director Carla Tarrés says that “the world’s two main airline alliances, One World and Star Alliance” offer the option of booking flights from different companies around the globe, which is cheaper than buying them separately. In her opinion, the most important thing when it comes to planning an itinerary is knowing how much time a traveler has. “Our recommendation is that it be at least one month. Although ideally, it should last between three and four months.” Regarding the prices her clients pay, she prefers not to give an exact figure because, “a lot depends on the accommodation options and the time of year chosen.” However, she is quick to point out that “you don’t have to be rich to travel around the world,” and that “it can be done on a mid-sized budget.” Regarding the clients who contact her agency to inquire about such trips, Tarrés explains they are mostly retired couples who have already traveled extensively, as well as the occasional couple who are getting married and want to do something special for their honeymoon.

That’s similar to the kind of travelers who get in touch with Nakara Viajes, whose executive director Iris Abad agrees that the journey need not come at a prohibitive cost, because depending on the options they choose, trips can start around $6,300, though she says on average they cost $10,400 and up. She says, “you can’t do it in 10 days, because the traveler will spend the whole time in the airplane,” calculating that the minimum duration should be 25 to 30 days.

To create an itinerary, it’s important to listen to a client’s wants and needs, says a representative from luxury travel agency Nuba. In recent years, they say they’ve seen an increase in clients that show interest in such trips, especially demanding and experienced individuals who want to go beyond a conventional vacation. One of the services that is most often requested, and which they highly recommend, is that the client make the journey in a private jet, as this provides the freedom to decide on a trip’s length and greater flexibility to make last-minute changes in destinations.

As not everyone may have access to a private jet, Four Seasons offers its own aircraft to travelers looking to go to several continents in one month, putting them up in the chain’s locations all around the globe. Among the different trips it hosts is one that takes place in September called Grand Horizons that will make one stop in the recently renovated Four Seasons Mallorca. It leaves from Napa, California, and ends in Montreal, after spending 24 days in nine destinations, among them Japan, Vietnam, and Italy. On each stop, travelers spend from one to three nights before taking to the skies once again. Prices start at $199,000.

With options like these, it’s clear that while having enough time to travel around the world may be the biggest luxury of all, a fat wallet also comes in handy.

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