Most travelers know the feeling that there are just too many incredible places in the world to see, and nowhere near enough time to see them in. Trips around the world are at the top of every bucket list, and today’s explorers track every country that they’ve been to, hoping to see as many as they possibly can… but knowing that it’s not easy to get the most out of every trip, and that living out of a suitcase across multiple destinations can get old, fast.

However, earlier this year Viking Cruises announced a new, record-breaking journey that may be the ideal scenario for anyone who wants to travel the world for eight months, but who doesn’t want to deal with all the hassles of backpacking (or just packing and unpacking time and time again). Called the Ultimate World Cruise, this trip is a whopping 245 days long on a luxury cruise ship, checking in at dozens of different ports around the world. Of course, this comes with its own issues, too; you may not have to pack and unpack, or worry about where to eat or what to do, but being constantly on the move doesn’t provide a whole lot of opportunity to really get into an area, or to be spontaneous with the schedule. Of course, no trip is ever perfect… but from the looks of it, this one will come pretty close (if you can afford it, of course!).

20 It Costs Nearly 100K…

Months of world travel in a floating luxury hotel doesn’t come cheap, and the Ultimate World Cruise is certainly no exception. Tickets for the voyage start at a whopping $92,990 per person, and of course, there are plenty of opportunities to upgrade, or purchase additional services on board. The most expensive suite costs over a quarter of a million! And let’s not forget spending money while in port, too (those souvenirs and beachside cocktails can add up quickly!). Clocking in at significantly more than the average yearly salary, this is definitely not a cruise for the budget traveller…

19 …Which Includes Some Pretty Fantastic Perks

If that price tag is making you wince, some of the many extras that come with it might help soften the blow. As with most cruises, on-board dining is included (and it’s not buffet), along with the transport to and from port, gratuities, and visa services (which is certainly helpful on a world tour). In addition, business class flights to and from London are also part of the deal, as well as guided tours in port. All of which means that the only money you would be spending would be on spa treatments and while off the ship.

18 You Can Make It Even Longer…

Should 245 days still not feel like it’s quite long enough for this around-the-world trip, there is an option to extend the package by two nights on either side. These pre and post-cruise packages aren’t on the ship itself, but include a stay in a luxury hotel in the center of London, wine and cheese evenings, tours and time to explore the city itself. These options are certainly appealing, but cost over a thousand dollars each - of course, that’s small change for someone who spends over 100K on the cruise itself!

17 …Or Make It Shorter

While the appeal of an eight month trip is undeniable, not everyone has the ability to pack up and leave their lives (and especially their jobs) for quite that long, so thankfully there are two options to embark for a slightly shorter leg of this massive voyage. The World Treasures cruise goes from London to LA and takes 127 days, while the World Wonders cruise is 119 days and covers the second half of the trip, from LA back to London - much more manageable options for anyone with only four months of vacation that they are looking for something to do with…

16 It Doesn't Set Sail Until Next Year

Even if you happen to have 100K in the travel fund and eight months of free time, the length of this cruise means that you won’t find one departing every few months… but there’s still plenty of time to get tickets! The first ever Ultimate World Cruise doesn’t set sail until next year, on August 31, 2019. It gets back to London on May 2, 2020, and while it’s likely that a successful first voyage will be followed up by many repeat performances, this is the only scheduled cruise currently available to book.

15 It’s Smaller Than Average

This may be a record smashingly long cruise, but it’s not a particularly huge one when it comes to the actual ship capacity. The Viking Sun will only take nine hundred and thirty guests at the most, into four hundred and sixty five staterooms - significantly smaller than the average of three thousand that most cruise ships pack on board. This definitely allows for the ship to get closer to port, as well as making it even more exclusive… but it may also have something to do with the demand for eight-month cruises (or lack thereof).

14 It Only Misses One Continent…

For those travelers who enjoy ticking things off lists, and collecting the ‘whole set’ (whether that is every continent, state in the US, country in Europe, or something else altogether), this cruise is a great opportunity to cover almost every continent. Only Antarctica is skipped on this journey, although a shorter (and smaller) 140 day cruise put on by Silversea sets sail in January 2020 and will cover all seven continents, if that’s something that is high on your travel to-do list. Silversea isn’t the only seven continent cruise available, either, although they are still far from the standard.

13 …And Visits 59 Countries

The massive itinerary for this trip covers a whopping fifty nine countries over those six continents, and the ship will visit one hundred and thirteen different ports in total. Some of the highlights include Luxor, Mumbai, and Rio De Janeiro, as well as eight ports in South America that are all new for Viking Cruise lines. The leg of South America is a major part of the cruise, as the ship travels around the entire coast of the continent, although passengers wishing to see more of Africa may be disappointed, as it only travels the Northern coast of that one.

12 It Doubles The Length Of Previous Viking Cruises

Until now, the longest Viking Cruise was only one hundred and forty one days long (an extended weekend break, really), travelling from Miami to London, and which departed in December 2017. Viking is far from the only cruise line to create four and five month journeys across the seas, though, and the cruise line also has a similar route currently available at one hundred and twenty eight days. This new venture is the longest that Viking has ever offered at nearly twice that length - and making it the longest non-stop cruise in the world.

11 …But It’s Not The Longest Cruise In The World

The Ultimate World Cruise may hold the record for the longest non-stop around the world cruise, but it doesn’t hold the title for longest cruise ever. That accolade goes to the World Of Travel cruise by Mundy Cruising, who offered an epic three hundred and fifty seven day trip that covered all seven continents and launched from Miami in 2017. However, this cruise included breaks for passengers to head home - ideal for people who weren’t keen on spending almost an entire year on board a cruise ship (and who don’t mind a little unpacking and repacking).

10 You Won’t Find The World’s Biggest Cruise Fan On Board

Mario Salcedo is unofficially recognized as the world’s most experienced cruiser - a man who is on board a cruise ship an estimated three hundred and fifty days a year. The ‘frequent floater’ is based in Miami, although he’s rarely actually there, and has been on nearly a thousand cruises in the past twenty years… but since 2000, he has only been a passenger on his favorite line, Royal Caribbean, which means that he’ll probably be giving this one a miss - especially because 245 days at sea is no big deal for him!

9 Not Every Day Is Spent Somewhere New

There may be a whole lot to see in the world, but sometimes it’s nice to pause for a day or two. While the majority of the cruise keeps things moving from port to port, there are a few chances for passengers to wake up in the same place twice; twenty two, in fact. These overnight calls in port include nights in Bergen (Norway), Montreal, New York, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Bermuda, and each one gives passengers a way to see some of the biggest stops on the itinerary in more depth - and just to take a much needed break from this whirlwind way of traveling.

8 There’s A Library On Board (And An Infinity Pool)

Unsurprisingly, given the hefty price tag and the focus on culture, there’s a lot more on board this cruise ship than bars and buffets. Bookworms don’t have to worry about packing enough reading material for eight months in their suitcase, thanks to a library on board - something of a cruise ship rarity. Of course, all the usual luxury cruise amenities are also available, including a Nordic spa and multiple swimming pools - one of which is an infinity pool cantilevered off the stern. For something totally different, there’s even a Snow Grotto, where the air is kept chilled to allow snow to gently fall indoors!

7 Michael Scott (From The Office) Would Appreciate It

Ok, a luxury eight month cultural cruise is a far cry from the alcohol soaked weekend trips that are famous in Nordic countries, but alcohol is (for the most part) included in the price. While the highest-end liquors are still going to cost you extra, wine, beer, cocktails and spirits are all part of the deal (which isn’t always the case with Viking cruises) - although we’re guessing that this one still isn’t going to appeal to the kind of party people who attempt to drink back the cost of the trip whenever it's all inclusive.

6 The Suites Have Balconies

Just in case an Infinity Pool and indoor snowfall and sauna combo wasn’t quite luxurious enough, the staterooms on board the Viking Sun all have verandas - even the smallest ones. That’s certainly one way to take in the views as you travel! The rooms also have king size beds and heated floors as standard, and range in size from two hundred and seventy square feet to a massive Owners Suite at one thousand four hundred and forty eight square feet (although that particular suite is no longer available, and would cost over a quarter of a million).

5 The Ship Has The Most Al-Fresco Dining At Sea…

Clearly, the Viking Sun is designed for people who want to spend their time watching the world go by rather than being entertained belowdecks (and we really do mean watching the entire world!). As well as the private balconies and infinity pool, the ship boasts the most al-fresco dining at sea, with several of the eight restaurants allowing passengers to eat out in the fresh air and take in the view. Cruise ships are often sneered at for the all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet, but this is definitely not one where that is going to be the main focus at meal times.

4 …And Focuses On Regional Cooking

Foodies will agree that one of the best parts of travel is exploring the local dishes, and that’s something that this around-the-world cruise incorporates into the experience. As well as a constantly changing menu of regional farm-to-table options at one of the restaurants, guests can also take cooking lessons while on board, which focus on the local cuisine (and means that you may want to keep taking these throughout the eight months on board, especially when you discover a local dish you love). This is also something to appeal to the environmentally concerned crowd, and it’s not the only element of the ship that does…

3 It’s Environmentally Friendly

Seeing the world is an incredible experience - but more and more travelers are concerned about the impact that their wanderings around the planet are having on its health as a whole. And while every cruise is going to have some negative impact, the Viking Sun is working hard to minimize that as much as possible. The hull and bow are hydrodynamically optimized for fuel efficiency, exhaust pollution is minimized as far as possible, and the engines are even hybrid! That’s right, you could cruise the world on the ship version of a Prius.

2 There Are Onboard Historians

It’s clear that this is not the usual eat, drink, and shop cruise experience (the library gives that away!), but for those who want to best understand the dozens of cultures and areas that they will be visiting, this cruise even has onboard historians. These Resident Historians give lectures, roundtable discussions, and even have office hours so that curious passengers can get someone on one time to learn about the places that they visit. As if that’s not enough, there are also regular Guest Lecturers who give talks on relevant cultural topics.

1 Viking Is Officially The ‘World’s Best Cruise Line’

Obviously, ‘best’ is a very subjective term, but that’s what industry awards are for! Viking has collected an impressive array of awards, and since it launched ocean cruises in 2015, it has been voted ‘Worlds Best Cruise Line’ by Travel + Leisure every single year. This year also saw them collecting no less than ten awards from the Cruise Critics Cruiser’s Choice Awards. Clearly, they are doing something right (and the focus on culture is doing something different, too), or at least going some way to validating that $100,000 ticket price!

References: Viking Cruises Canada, The Telegraph, Sun Sentinel