From the Sydney Harbour Bridge skywalk to breakfast with Orang Utangs in Singapore, there is something to suit all kinds of holidaymaker on a world cruise.

These are voyages in the true sense of the word – stylish adventures that span the globe taking in breath-taking scenery on the way.

What to Expect on a World Cruise

Full circumnavigations of the globe can often last for as much as 100 days with exotic shore excursions that can range from the cultural and fascinating to the extreme and active.

Highlights may include a Zulu village in Durban, koala sanctuary in Brisbane, America’s Cup sailing in Auckland and a dune buggy safari in Dubai.

Classic worldwide hotspots such as Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore can be interspersed with new, more unusual, ports of call such as Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.

If three months at sea seems too much, individual sectors of world cruises, ranging from 15 to 45 nights, are also available. These can be enhanced with pre or post cruise stays in cities such as Auckland, Brisbane, Cape Town, Dubai, Fremantle, Hong Kong, Mumbai, San Francisco, Singapore and Sydney.

UK-based world voyages sail from Britain to Australia via the Mediterranean and Asia or sail south to South Africa and return via Latin America and the Caribbean.

Round-the-world cruises starting in South America travel south via Cape Horn, the cross the Pacific to Australia before traveling back via the Far East and Mediterranean.

Cruise Lines Offering World Cruises

Lines running world cruises include Cunard Line, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

For example, between three ships – Arcadia, Oriana and Aurora - P&O Cruises will visit 71 destinations in 34 countries on world cruises in 2009, all with departures from Southampton.

Line voyages to and from Australia and New Zealand are also available, offering holidaymakers the opportunity to sail for less time and tailor make their holiday with a pre or post cruise stay in popular cities such as Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney.

Line voyages range from 36 to 65 nights in duration.