Silversea Cruises®, the leading ultra-luxury cruise line, has unveiled details on its 140-day World Cruise 2026, ‘The Curious and the Sea’—the most diverse and immersive voyage in the cruise line’s history, which broadens the largest collection of extended sailings in ultra-luxury cruising.
Guests will embark Silver Dawn®in Fort Lauderdale on January 6, 2026, before travelling deep into 70 destinations in 37 countries—the most ever on a Silversea World Cruise—including 26 calls that are new for a Silversea World Cruise or unvisited since 2020, and 9 overnights. An exclusive pre-sale opens to Venetian Society members on June 14, while general sales open on June 22.
‘The Curious and the Sea’ will connect travellers with the rich history of navigation, inspired by the same curiosity that led ancient seafarers to sail to unknown lands. Channeling the same spirit of discovery that has driven exploration throughout the ages, bespoke events ashore, onboard activities, regionally inspired culinary experiences, three optional overland tours (Uzbekistan, Luxor, and the Balkans), and more will enrich the voyage. Guests will follow ancient trade routes, sailing the waters that connected the Silk Road, and transiting both the Panama and Suez canals; they will step foot on some of the world’s most remote islands, including those in the South Pacific, a region explored by Captain James Cook in the 18th century; and they will witness lands that inspired scientific progression, such as Western Australia, which attracted Charles Darwin in 1836.
“Calling in more destinations than any voyage in Silversea’s history, our World Cruise 2026, ‘The Curious and the Sea,’ will connect the most enriching experiences across 70 destinations and six continents,” said Barbara Muckermann, President and CEO, Silversea Cruises.
“For this World Cruise, we took inspiration from history’s most pioneering explorers, each of whom has sailed to the end of the earth—driven by curiosity and a thirst for discovery. Appealing to the curious traveller within, we are inviting our guests to experience our planet’s beauty with new eyes, while celebrating the rich history of navigation. ‘The Curious and the Sea’ demonstrates our commitment to unlocking the most immersive travel experiences for our guests, broadening the largest collection of extended voyages in ultra-luxury cruising. We can’t wait to welcome our extended family aboard Silver Dawn for this special sailing.”
70 DESTINATIONS, 37 COUNTRIES, 26 NEW DESTINATIONS, 140 DAYS
Following a curated travel experience—including private executive transfers, Business class air, and a dedicated meet and greet service—world cruising guests will board Silver Dawn in Fort Lauderdale on January 6, 2026, journeying through Central America, before transiting the Panama Canal to South America. Easter Island, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific will follow, leading guests to New Zealand and a semi-circumnavigation of Australia. Travellers will then explore Southeast Asia, crossing the Bay of Bengal to Sri Lanka, India, and the Red Sea, before passing through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean. They will delve into European history and culture, before the voyage concludes in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 27, 2026.
Highlights will include:
- NEWLY SCOUTED: 28-DAY DEEP DIVE OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Following months of extensive scouting by Silversea’s destination experts to unlock new destinations, a 28-day immersion into French Polynesia and the South Pacific will highlight the global voyage. New calls for a Silversea World Cruise include Nuku Hiva and Atuona in the Marquesas Islands; Fakarava, with its UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve; Tonga’s Nuku’alofa; New Caledonia’s Lifou and Noumea; and Norfolk Island. Explorations of Bora Bora and Papeete in French Polynesia, Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, and Savusavu in Fiji will also highlight the region. Bespoke World Cruise events will spotlight the South Pacific’s history, traditions, and folklore. - FIRST TIME ON A SILVERSEA WORLD CRUISE: SEMI-CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF AUSTRALIA
Silver Dawn will sail between Hobart (Tasmania) and Darwin on a 21-day semi-circumnavigation of Australia, journeying off the beaten path along the country’s southern and western coastlines for the first time on a Silversea World Cruise. Guests will admire some of the world’s clearest night skies, retracing the steps of early explorers who looked to the stars for navigation, as well as the country’s most spectacular landscapes and wildlife species—some of which inspired Charles Darwin’s ‘Theory of Evolution.’ Highlights will include the rarely visited Phillip Island for the chance to see the penguin parade, during which thousands of Little Penguins dash from the sea to the dunes; Port Lincoln, for the Coffin Bay National Park and the Eyre Peninsula; and Esperance, visited for the first time on a Silversea World Cruise, with its pink salt lakes. Other calls will include Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as Exmouth for the Ningaloo Reef and the chance to swim with whale sharks, and the Kimberley Coast. - ALL-NEW CULTURAL EXPERIENCES IN NORTHERN AFRICA
An emphatic finale to ‘The Curious and the Sea,’ Silver Dawn will unlock the cultures of Northern Africa for the first time on a Silversea World Cruise. One of the most eagerly anticipated calls on the voyage, La Goulette in Tunisia will provide insight into the bygone eras of the Ancient Carthaginians and the Roman Empire, with its UNESCO-listed medina, the Bardo Museum, and its fascinating cultural offering. A gateway to Tunisia, La Goulette is an historic port that has long been key for international trade, connecting Africa with Europe.
- BESPOKE & EXCLUSIVE: WORLD CRUISE EVENTS
- ‘POLYNESIAN DREAMS’ – THE SOUTH PACIFIC: A bespoke event in French Polynesia, reserved exclusively for world cruising guests, will display the rich, historical seagoing cultures of local communities, with a seafood feast and cultural performances that connect guests with the soul of these spectacular islands. During the event, guests will sample the local flavours, learn the local dances, and bask in the Polynesian sunset.
- ‘THE MAGIC OF MYSTERY ISLAND’ – MYSTERY ISLAND, VANUATU: Collaborating closely with the island’s Chief and the department of tourism, Silversea has curated a special event on Mystery Island in Vanuatu. Dancers from various islands throughout the region will perform a fusion of cultural rituals, while guests dine on catch of the day in a scenic beach setting and snorkel in some of the world’s clearest waters, which teem with marine life.
- ‘FROM PADDY TO PLATE’ – BENOA, BALI: The cruise line’s guests will feast on regional cuisine alongside the stunning rice paddies of the five-star Tanah Gajah resort in Benoa, Bali. Authentic Balinese performances will enrich the occasion, as travellers develop an appreciation for Southeast Asia’s sacred grain, which migrated around the world with the early seafarers.
- ‘THE EXOTIC MARIGOLD AND MORE’ – COCHIN, INDIA: Guests will journey into Alleppey in the backwaters of Cochin for a bespoke afternoon of entertainment. Following a tuk-tuk ride through the urban streets, guests will be greeted with flower garlands and exclusive cultural experiences, including performances from Kerala drummers and martial artists, an authentic Sadhya lunch served on banana leaves, and a traditional houseboat cruise down the Kerala River.
SILVER DAWN: AMONG THE MOST LUXURIOUS SHIPS AT SEA
Travelling aboard the ultra-luxury Silver Dawn, guests will benefit from the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations that are hallmarks of the Silversea experience. All guests will enjoy the personalised service of a butler and one of the highest space-to-guest ratios at sea, at 68 GRT-per-guest. The latest Muse-class ship offers travellers immersive culinary experiences both on board and ashore through Silversea’s S.A.L.T.℠ culinary programme. In the S.A.L.T. Lab, an onboard test kitchen, more than 60 culinary programmes curated by regional food experts will enable travellers to get hands-on with local ingredients during the World Cruise 2026. In the S.A.L.T. Kitchen, the menu will change daily, inspired by local flavours. The S.A.L.T. Bar will offer approximately 70 custom-designed cocktails related to visited destinations. Exclusively reserved for full world cruising guests, two complimentary S.A.L.T. experiences ashore, designed in collaboration with some of the world’s foremost restaurants, will also enrich guests’ travels. Moreover, a complimentary treatment and a host of wellness experiences offered through the Roman-inspired Otium℠ wellness programme will indulge guests as they discover the world.
SILVERSEA’S WORLD CRUISE COLLECTION
Silversea Cruises offers the largest selection of extended voyages in ultra-luxury cruising. The cruise line’s World Cruise 2023, ‘South Side Story,’ is due to conclude in Fort Lauderdale on May 28, having called in 67 destinations over more than 130 days. Highlights of the voyage include a bespoke event on Kalanggaman Island in the Philippines, for which the cruise line rented the entire island and collaborated with 500+ locals; an exclusive evening at Manaus’ opera house in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest; and an evening of authentic entertainment in the Cave of Descending Dragons in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. The cruise line’s World Cruise 2024, ‘Far East-West,’ and its World Cruise 2025, ‘Controtempo,’ are each set to bring innovation to global cruise travel.
Visit Cruise Critic to research and plan your future cruises, connect with other cruisers and share your passion for cruising.
Find out more information about Silversea’s World Cruise 2026, ‘The Curious and the Sea’: