Viking Is Planning an Epic 28-country World Cruise for 2022

Even a pandemic hasn’t been able to kill demand for elaborate world cruise itineraries. 

By
Meena Thiruvengadam
Meena Thiruvengadam headshot
Meena Thiruvengadam

Meena Thiruvengadam is a lifelong traveler and veteran journalist who has visited more than 50 countries across six continents. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Departures, TripSavvy, and other publications.

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Published on December 21, 2020
Pool deck on Viking Ocean Cruise Ship
Photo: Courtesy of Viking

Even a pandemic hasn't been able to kill demand for elaborate world cruise itineraries.

Viking, which already is scheduled to embark on one around-the-world cruise late next year, is adding another with a departure date of December 2022.

The 138-day itinerary starts in Florida before sailing through the Panama Canal and along the North American West Coast. The cruise is scheduled to visit 58 ports in 28 countries, stopping overnight in Sydney, Auckland, Bali, Mumbai, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Travelers crunched for time can opt for a shorter 121-day journey, joining the boat in Los Angeles just in time to cruise to Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand before heading to Asia and eventually Europe. The cruise ends in London.

Despite the pandemic, Viking — which has canceled sailing through the end of the year — says demand for its around-the-world cruises hasn't diminished. The company's 2021-2022 world cruise itinerary sold out more than a year in advance of its departure date. "They continue to be one of our most sought-after offerings," Torstein Hagen, Viking's chairman, said in a statement.

Viking's 2021 World Cruise is a 136-day journey scheduled to depart from Fort Lauderdale on Christmas Eve 2021 on the Viking Star, a ship that now includes the world's first full-scale floating COVID-19 lab.

Travelers on the 2022 Viking World Cruise will be the first to sail on the Viking Neptune, a new addition to the cruise line's fleet. The ship has 465 state rooms, each with a private veranda and free Wi-Fi. It can accommodate up to 930 guests, and in true Scandinavian style, the rooms have heated floors.

The Viking Neptune includes eight restaurants and two pools, one with a retractable roof. Prices for the full voyage start at $46,995 with double occupancy.

Meena Thiruvengadam is a Travel + Leisure contributor who has visited 50 countries on six continents and 47 U.S. states. She loves historic plaques, wandering new streets and walking on beaches. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.

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