By James Shillinglaw, Sep 15, 2020
No, there aren’t any world cruises planned for 2021 that we know of, so it’s time to shift gears to 2022. Luxury cruise line Seabourn is offering a journey around the globe with its “2022 World Cruise: Extraordinary Horizons,” a 145-day voyage on Seabourn Sojourn, visiting 72 destinations and ports in 28 countries on five continents.
Seabourn Sojourn will depart Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2022, and travel westbound, visiting Hawaii, the islands of the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, a number of destinations in Asia, Arabia, Africa, before ending in Athens, Greece, on June 6, 2022. Among the notable highlights is Seabourn’s return to Egypt since 2014, with an overnight visit scheduled for Safaga (Luxor), as well as a stop at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The 2022 World Cruise is now open for sale, and the entire itinerary is available on Seabourn’s website.
“Our 2022 World Cruise promises to be an extraordinary journey across the world, whether guests take the full world cruise or join us on one of the many segments, they will visit many of the world’s most prized destinations and immerse themselves in diverse cultures, ” said Josh Leibowitz, president of Seabourn. “With so many of us limited on travel this year, booking a Seabourn world cruise for 2022 offers a much-needed extraordinary experience to look forward to and chance to explore the world around us.”
Seabourn Sojourn will feature a combination of visits to popular marquee ports, cosmopolitan cities and smaller hidden gems. The voyage will include 20 overnights with the ship lingering late into the evening in 21 ports, offering guests ample opportunities to explore these fascinating destinations in depth.
There will be three exclusive world cruise events planned for guests booked on the full 145-day voyage, as well as local shows, regional cuisines and top local wines for all guests to enjoy as they sail around the globe. In addition, the World Cruise will include two of the line’s most popular signature events available to all guests on a complimentary basis: Caviar in the Surf beach barbecue at Ko Kood, Thailand; and “Evening at Ephesus” at Kusadasi, Turkey, featuring a private classical concert in the ancient ruins under the stars. A sampling of destination highlights includes:
Sydney, The Great Barrier Reef and Queensland Coast: Try “sand-tobogganing” on the world’s tallest dune, and see the blue breathtaking Whitsunday Islands. Two days in Cairns are a highlight of the ship’s exploration of Queensland’s coast with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef and the primeval rain forests of Daintree National Park. Darwin in the Northern Territory including two days of WWII history, saltwater crocodiles and Aboriginal culture.
Marvels of Japan, Korea and China: Discover the island of “Japan’s Caribbean” with Amami-ringed with coral reefs and Okinawa’s ancient Shureimon Gate, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take in Kagoshima’s picturesque skyline, dominated by snowcapped Sakurajima volcano, and see Hiroshima’s poignant Memorial Peace Park. Overnight stays in bustling Busan, South Korea and Nagasaki, Japan, provide a memorable experience with three full days in Shanghai, China.
Southeast Asian Treasures: Zhujiajian’s bridges preserve a medieval Chinese character now hidden in enclaves among Hong Kong’s towering skyscrapers. An overnight stay in Vietnam’s Halong Bay invites guests to absorb its ethereal beauty at every hour. Seabourn Sojourn sails right up the Saigon River to the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. Ko Kood’s white sand beach is the ideal setting for the line’s extravagant Caviar in the Surf beach barbecue, with complimentary watersports.
Egypt, Petra and the Suez Canal: The two-day visit at Safaga provides guests with ample time to explore Luxor’s immense sculptural colonnades and avenues, tour the temples of Luxor and Karnak with its vast Hypostyle Hall of carved lotus columns. Later, from Aqaba, guests can discover the long-lost Nabatean city of Petra carved into the walls of a natural canyon fortress.
The Holy Land and Aegean Empires: Few places integrate antiquities with a modern, cosmopolitan outlook better than Israel. A two-day stay at Haifa is filled with UNESCO World Heritage landmarks of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Judea and Galilee, as well as the Bauhaus White City, colorful markets and seaside promenades of Tel Aviv. Guests complete their Seabourn Sojourn voyage tracing the roots of European history from Minoan Bronze-age Crete to the marble streets of Ephesus and onward to the Parthenon in Athens.
Seabourn is planning an array of optional shore excursions in more than 25 ports with designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites thanks to its unique partnership with UNESCO. The world cruise will also feature a number of optional, mid-voyage overland excursions where guests will disembark at one port and rejoin the ship at another port, providing them with a more in-depth experience at certain destinations and sites such as the Luxor & the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, outback adventures in Australia, the magnificent Taj Mahal in India, UNESCO World Heritage sites in China and Cambodia, and more. Also available are optional Seabourn Journeys, offering guests an immersive longer pre- and post-cruise land-based excursion to and from select destinations such as Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.
Guests who book the full 145-day voyage will receive a menu of complimentary benefits and amenities, including: Gala Bon Voyage dinner and overnight hotel stay at the Ritz Carlton-Marina Del Rey prior to departure in Los Angeles, three exclusive World Cruise events, exclusive World Cruise President’s event, special World Cruise pillow gifts.
Guests who book the full 145-day voyage by May 31, 2021 will receive the above amenities, as well as the following additional benefits: Round-trip Business Class Air $2,000 shipboard credit per person for Oceanview and Veranda suites; $3,000 shipboard credit per person for Penthouse and Premium suites; unlimited Internet package; private car transfers door-to-door between home and airport; personal Valet luggage shipping service between home and ship in Los Angeles and Athens; unlimited laundry, dry cleaning and pressing on board; Visa package (U.S. and Canadian citizens only); and 50 percent reduced deposit (US/CAD/AUS markets only). In addition, the line is offering a special 5 percent discount for repeat full World Cruise guests. Certain restrictions apply.
For guests who cannot sail on the entire 145-day voyage, shorter segments ranging from 22 to 89 days are also available. Guests who book either the full world cruise or segments and pay in full by May 31, 2021, will receive an additional 3 percent savings off the cruise-only fare. For guests who book and pay in full by November 10, 2020 will receive a 6 percent savings off the cruise-only fare. Certain restrictions apply. For reservations or more details, call 800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com. A dedicated shore excursion call center is available for guests at 800-984-3225.
