62 ports, 32 countries, £55k per person: the first cruise to visit all seven continents

The Norwegian fjords
Silversea's new cruise will see the first ever cruise passage through both the northern and southern fjords of Norway Credit: Dmitry Shishkov

For the first time in history, cruise enthusiasts can conquer all seven continents in one go, with a mammoth newly-announced 140-day round-the-world voyage.

Setting sail in 2020, Silversea’s luxury Silver Whisper liner will stop in at 62 ports across 32 countries, emcompassing everywhere from Antarctica - the last great wilderness on Earth - to both the northern and southern fjords of Norway, the company has announced.

The itinerary, starting with Florida's Fort Lauderdale port, includes 40 new destinations from the luxury small ship operator, comprised of nine legs with a string of overnight stays in the world’s major capitals.

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Credit: davidmerron/David Merron Photography

From the US, the all-suite cruise ship, which carries up to 382 passengers, will sail through the Caribbean and South America (with visits to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires) before reaching Antarctica, then the warmer shores of the South Pacific; with stops in Robinson Crusoe Island and Easter Island, as well as Australia - Sydney, Melbourne, Kangaroo Island and Perth included.

The journey continues in Asia, where passengers can indulge in the white sandy beaches of Phuket in Thailand, explore the Unesco designated temples of Colombo in Sri Lanka, and absorb Mumbai in India - “the most engaging, colourful and life-affirming country in the world,” describes Telegraph Travel’s India expert Gill Charlton.   

The Asia route concludes in the Middle East, where travellers can discover the lost city of Petra in Jordan and the ancient sites of Muscat before circling back to Europe, heading to Sicily, Rome, Barcelona and Lisbon.

The final segment of the itinerary brings passengers from Dublin through Northern Europe, including to the scenic Norwegian fjords, as well as the Isles of Orkney and Edinburgh in Scotland before arriving in Amsterdam where the journey ends.

It's not the longest cruise in history, however - that would go to the 357-day package announced by Munday Cruising in 2016. With tickets costing more than £125,000, this itinerary also covered all seven continents but incorporates several cruise ships, with breaks to go home and re-pack in between. 

Silversea's World Cruise, available form $62,000 (£55,000) per person, runs from January 6 to May 25 in 2020.

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