Want a Trip of Global Proportions? Better Save Up

Here’s one tidbit of trivia reminding us that we’ve entered the second Gilded Age: Next year, at least five ships will offer world cruises lasting months instead of days.

These voyages are trips of a lifetime, given the price and the leisure time needed to enjoy them. They cost as much as $712,000 per couple and spend as long as four months at sea. The cruises are especially remarkable because shorter trips from a multitude of ports have been the industry trend.

The cruises are on some of the industry’s pricier ships. Here they are, arranged in trip length from longest to shortest:.

* Silversea leads the list with the longest journey, 126 days from Los Angeles to London. The company’s 296-passenger Silver Wind travels from Jan. 3 to May 9, 2001, with stops at more than 50 ports in 30 countries. The trip will include two- and three-day port calls in Sydney, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Hong Kong; Istanbul, Turkey; and Bordeaux, France. Prices start at about $74,000 per person, double occupancy, inclusive (first-class air fare on return from London, beverages including wine and spirits, gratuities). Telephone (800) 774-9996; Internet https://www.silversea.com.

* The Queen Elizabeth 2 will cruise 104 days on its “Voyage of Great Discoveries,” departing Jan. 5 from New York. The ship makes 34 ports of call in 26 countries. Highlights include the Caribbean; Acapulco, Mexico; Honolulu; Samoa; Auckland; Hobart in Tasmania; Bali, Kobe, Japan; Hong Kong; Bangkok; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; the Suez Canal; the Mediterranean; and Southampton, England. Prices range from $28,480 to $356,030 per person, double occupancy, including air fare. Passengers who book by June 1 receive a 20% discount; those who pay in full by June 1 receive a 30% discount. Tel. (800) 728-6273; Internet https://www.cunardline.com.

* Crystal Cruises offers a 104-day world cruise from Los Angeles to London on a new route featuring 35 harbors in 29 countries. The 940-passenger Crystal Symphony departs Jan. 12 and travels to ports in Hawaii, Guam, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, among others. The second leg includes Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India. The third leg continues to Oman, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. In the last leg, Crystal Symphony travels up the west coast of Africa, to Portugal, Spain and Britain. Fares range from $38,052 to $166,075 per person, double occupancy, including air fare and early booking discounts. Tel. (800) 820-6663; Internet https://www.crystalcruises.com.

* Seabourn Cruise Line’s recently refurbished, 758-passenger Seabourn Sun will depart on its first world cruise Jan. 9 from San Francisco. It will return April 19, 2001, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In between, the ship will stop at 31 ports in 21 countries across five continents. The cost is $34,300 to $158,140 per person, double occupancy, including air fare. Tel. (800) 929-9595; Internet https://www.seabourn.com.

* Princess Cruises will send the 1,200-passenger Royal Princess on its first world cruise from Feb. 15 to April 29, 2001. The ship departs from Fort Lauderdale, travels through the Panama and Suez canals and ends in Rome. The 29 ports of call include Callao, Peru; Easter Island; Papeete, Tahiti; Fiji; Auckland; Sydney; Manila; Hong Kong; Bombay, India; Safa^ga, Egypt; Athens; and Sorrento, Italy. Prices run $18,782 to $34,057 per person, double occupancy, including air fare. Tel. (800) 774-6237; Internet https://www.princess.com.

Naedine Joe Hazell is a travel writer on staff at the Hartford Courant.