Princess Cruises has just dropped a big one for travelers who like their vacations to last a third of a year. The line's 2029 Grand World Odyssey is a 129-night round-trip voyage from Australia, and it's packed with enough ports to make a geography teacher swoon.
The ship, Grand Princess, will cover roughly 37,300 nautical miles and call at 61 destinations across 31 countries and five continents. You can hop on in Sydney, Brisbane, or Melbourne, and if you're coming from the UK, Dover is an extra embarkation point. The route swings through the South Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, with two full transits of the Panama Canal's newer locks and scenic cruising near Easter Island and Pitcairn Island. Cities like New York, Miami, Reykjavik, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Copenhagen are on the list, as are Tahiti and Auckland.
This isn't just a whistle-stop tour. Princess has scheduled eight late-night stays and one overnight call, with Lima (Callao), Lisbon, and New York getting extended visits. You'll also get access to 51 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the ship crosses both the Equator and the International Date Line twice. That's a lot of bragging rights for one trip.
A Season of Options Down Under
The world cruise is just one piece of a larger 2028-29 program for the region. Grand Princess, Emerald Princess, and Royal Princess will run more than 90 departures and 70 itineraries, ranging from quick two-night getaways to the full 46-night odyssey. Departure ports include Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth (Fremantle), and Sydney, so you've got plenty of flexibility.
Regional sailings cover trans-Tasman crossings, the Kimberley Coast, and trips to Queensland, Tasmania, and southern Australia. There are also 17 Round Australia voyages, which is a fantastic way to see the whole country without dealing with airport security. Emerald Princess is making a comeback to Australia for the first time since the 2016-17 season, and Melbourne gets its homeport status back.
Jim Berra, Princess's chief commercial officer, says the schedule gives guests "more ways to discover remarkable destinations, immerse themselves in different cultures and see the world in new ways." That's cruise-speak for "we've got a lot of boats going a lot of places," but the variety is genuinely impressive.
Booking Details and a Cautionary Tale
Bookings for both the Grand World Odyssey and the regional program open on 10 November 2026. If you're quick, you can snag introductory perks like onboard credit and reduced deposits, but those offers expire on 16 February 2027, and terms vary by voyage and passenger status.
Before you commit to a months-long voyage, consider what happened to passengers on the Villa Vie Odyssey. They were told with little warning to disembark in October 2026 because fuel prices had become unsustainable amid the Iran War. It's a stark reminder that long cruises carry risks when energy costs are volatile. For more on that saga, check out The $120,000 Dream Cruise That Ended on a Cambodian Dock.
If you're more into shorter jaunts, the regional program has plenty of options, including late-night and overnight calls on selected cruises. And if you're dreaming of a different kind of sea adventure, Pan Am's Glamour Returns to the High Seas on a 2027 Cruise might be worth a look.
For now, the Grand World Odyssey stands out for its Australian round-trip format, which is a fresh twist on the traditional world cruise. It's not about a new ship or a new region, but about connecting major ports with remote-island scenic cruising and giving you more time in each place. Final port timings and shore programs are still subject to change, so keep an eye on Princess's published schedule.
Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or a first-timer with a serious case of wanderlust, this is one of those trips that could redefine how you see the planet. Just make sure you've got a good book and a flexible schedule.
