A 136-day cruise around the world is set to depart in late 2021

While US cruises are suspended until 30 September in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, an epic cruise may be on the itinerary for late 2021.

The Viking Star cruise ship is scheduled to set sail on a 136-day trip on 24 December, 2021, from Fort Lauderdale. The 2021-2022 Viking World Cruise itinerary is expected to include visits to 27 countries and 56 ports, with overnight stays in 11 cities. It will explore ports of call in Central America, transit through the Panama Canal and journey up the west coast of North America before crossing the Pacific Ocean and calling upon Hawaii. It will then traverse New Zealand and Australia, and sail through Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean before concluding in London.

The 930-guest ship will also call on three new ports that are new for Viking, namely Phillip Island and Eden in Australia, and Yangon in Myanmar. Guests can also choose to embark on a shorter, 119-day portion of the sailing, called 2022 Viking World Horizons. It is scheduled to depart from Los Angeles on 10 January, 2022, and visits 22 countries and 49 ports before ending in London. Guests also have the complimentary option to remain on board for three additional days and disembark in the ship’s Norwegian home port of Bergen.

Cruise lines have announced when they will depart from the US again

While on board, Viking offers onboard lectures and entertainment, like its resident historian program, which provides guests with a historical and cultural education specific to their journey. Expert guest lecturers shed light on the destinations' art, architecture, music, geopolitics and natural world, and destination performances represent the cultural performing arts of the region, including Italian opera and Portuguese fado.

The trip won't come cheap - the cost for the 2021-2022 Viking World Cruise starts at $49,995 (€43,074) per person, and the 2022 World Cruise Horizons starts at $45,995 (€39,629) per person, based on double occupancy. However, it might be just the epic experience some people are looking for after the long halt in cruises caused by the pandemic. Further information is available from Viking here.

Read more:

Why I believe we need to start traveling internationally again
The world’s message to US travelers: go home