World Cruise Dubai To Barcelona 2029 Route Announced
Key points
- Explora world cruise 2029 is a 128 day Endless Worlds itinerary from Dubai to Barcelona on Explora I
- The route covers four continents, 29 countries and territories, and 63 destinations with 12 overnight stays
- Segments are sold as seven Passages from Dubai to Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, Tahiti, Valparaiso, Miami, and finally Barcelona
- The voyage marks Explora Journeys first visits to Australia and New Zealand and extensive calls in the South Pacific and the Americas
- Reservations open in early 2026 with full world cruise bookings available from February 2026 and segment sales later in the year
Impact
- Where Demand Will Be Highest
- Expect the tightest availability on full 128 day bookings plus popular Passages such as Dubai to Singapore, Sydney to Auckland, and Tahiti to Valparaiso
- Best Times To Book
- Travelers serious about the full world cruise should be ready to place deposits as bookings open in February 2026 while segment guests can monitor later 2026 sales
- Segment Versus Full Journey
- Guests can sail all 128 days from Dubai to Barcelona or select individual Passages, but combining two or more segments is likely to give better value and continuity
- Onboard Experience And Sea Days
- Explora I is designed as a small luxury resort ship, so long sea stretches across the Pacific and Atlantic will feel more like extended resort stays than transport days
- What Travelers Should Do Now
- Review the broad route, consider whether a full 128 day commitment or one or two Passages fits better, and register interest with a cruise advisor ahead of bookings opening
Explora Journeys has confirmed plans for its first world cruise in 2029, a 128 day Endless Worlds itinerary on Explora I that will carry guests from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Barcelona, Spain, between January 6 and May 14. The voyage, marketed as the Inaugural World Journey 2029, will visit four continents, 29 countries and territories, and 63 destinations, including 12 overnight stays in key ports. For luxury travelers and advisors, it introduces a new competitor in the long world cruise segment and a fresh Dubai to Barcelona routing that leans into slow travel and long days at sea.
In plain terms, the Explora world cruise 2029 is a four month Dubai to Barcelona expedition on Explora I that stitches together Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, South America, North America, and the Mediterranean into one continuous itinerary, with flexible options to buy individual segments instead of the full loop.
Explora Journeys is the luxury ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, based in Geneva, Switzerland, and positioned as a small fleet of resort style ships with all ocean facing suites and an emphasis on wellness and extended port stays. Explora I, the first ship in the series, entered service in August 2023 and carries around 900 guests in 461 suites, penthouses, and residences, each with a private terrace. The line added Explora II in 2024 and has four more vessels scheduled between 2026 and 2028, which means that by the time Endless Worlds sails in 2029, Explora will be operating as a mature six ship brand rather than an experiment.
Route And Regions Covered
The 2029 world cruise is organized into seven Passages, essentially mini itineraries that can be sold separately but are designed to fit together as one narrative. The route starts with a Passage Through Lands of Iridescent Seas & Inspiring Cities, from Dubai to Singapore, with calls in India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Southeast Asia. From Singapore, a second Passage traces the edge of the East toward Sydney, Australia, then a third spans the Southern Arc from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand, marking Explora Journeys first visits to both countries.
From Auckland, Explora I turns deeper into the South Pacific with a Passage into the Sea of Islands, routing through Tahiti and Bora Bora on the way to French Polynesia and onward to Easter Island. A Passage to Rediscover Lost Horizons then carries the ship across the southeastern Pacific to reach Valparaiso, Chile, a traditional world cruise gateway for overland visits to the Andes and Machu Picchu. After South America, a Passage to Unveil the Many Americas follows the Pacific coast north into Peru, then through a full transit of the Panama Canal before continuing to Caribbean islands and up the East Coast to Miami.
The final Passage, through the Atlantic's Mosaic, crosses from Miami via Atlantic islands such as Faial and São Miguel in the Azores, then calls in Lisbon, Portugal, before the itinerary concludes in Barcelona on May 14, 2029. For travelers, that structure means several natural entry and exit points, from Singapore or Sydney for Asia Pacific focused trips to Valparaiso or Miami for Americas segments, even if only a minority will stay on for all 128 days.
Overnights And Pace
One of the main differentiators versus many traditional world cruises is the number of overnight stays and the pacing that the brand describes as unhurried discovery. Explora says Endless Worlds will feature 12 overnights, including in major cities and gateway islands, which should allow for evening cultural programs and longer shore excursions without the pressure of same day all aboard times. The published FAQ also positions the cruise as heavily sea day forward, deliberately giving long stretches of open ocean between clusters of ports so that travelers can lean into the spa, enrichment, and dining program on board.
Compared with some world cruises that stack shorter port calls to maximize country counts, Explora appears to be chasing depth at a slightly lower port density, even though 63 destinations across four continents still gives broad coverage. That trade off will appeal to travelers who treat the ship as a long term home at sea and are less interested in checking off every possible port.
Ship Experience On Explora I
Explora I is built at roughly 63,000 gross tons with capacity for about 922 guests, which places it firmly in the small ship luxury category rather than the megaship mass market. The hardware is designed around four pools, extensive open deck space, and a wellness program that includes an indoor outdoor spa and large fitness areas, plus multiple dining venues that rotate menus along with the regions traveled.
Suites emphasize balcony space and residential style layouts, with heated bathroom floors, walk in wardrobes, and a focus on natural light, which matters on a 128 day voyage where the cabin is less a hotel room and more an apartment. Explora also markets a relatively inclusive fare concept, bundling soft drinks, many alcoholic beverages, gratuities, and spa thermal access, although fine print around very high end drinks and specialty experiences will still matter once prices are published for the world cruise.
For long sea legs, the onboard program will lean into lectures, small scale performances, and regionally themed menus, with content shifting from South Asian influences to Pacific island flavors, then to Latin American and Mediterranean profiles as the ship moves across oceans.
Bookings, Segments, And Pricing Windows
Explora's world journey FAQ and trade communications say that reservations for the Inaugural World Journey will open in early 2026, with full 128 day Endless Worlds bookings available starting in February 2026 and individual Passages being released for sale later in the year. The line is encouraging guests to register interest now with preferred travel advisors or directly through its website, which is typical for a luxury world cruise expected to sell a limited number of long duration suites quickly.
Cruise Industry News reports that the official date window for the sailing runs from January 6 to May 14, 2029, and confirms that the routing will roughly follow Dubai to India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Easter Island, the west coasts of Chile and Peru, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, Miami, and then a transatlantic crossing to Barcelona. Pricing has not yet been published, but given Explora's positioning and cabin sizes, fares are likely to land in the ultra luxury world cruise band rather than in line with mainstream multi month cruises. That will put more pressure on the line to deliver strong enrichment, reliable operations, and a sense of community on board.
How Explora's Fleet Growth Supports The World Cruise
By scheduling Endless Worlds for 2029, Explora is giving itself several years to bed in the rest of its fleet and build a repeat guest base before asking customers to commit four months of their travel calendar and budget. Explora II joined the line in 2024, and according to recent construction updates Explora III is expected in 2026, with Explora IV and Explora V following in 2027 and Explora VI in 2028.
That cadence means that by the time Explora I departs Dubai for its world cruise, sister ships will be covering seasonal programs in Asia, the Middle East, Alaska, and Europe, giving the brand more visibility and giving repeat guests time to try shorter sailings before stepping up to a world journey. It also gives Explora time to refine service delivery, test longer segments in different regions, and study how its core clientele responds to extended sea day patterns, which are critical on any circumnavigation style itinerary.
Planning Considerations For 2029
For travelers who treat a world cruise as a once in a lifetime undertaking, the key planning decision is whether to take the full 128 day Dubai to Barcelona itinerary or to focus on one or two Passages that line up with specific regions, seasons, or life events. The Dubai to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney segments will appeal to guests who want to combine South Asia and Southeast Asia with an Australia land stay, while Auckland to Tahiti or Tahiti to Valparaiso will draw travelers focused on the South Pacific and South America with fewer long haul flights.
Guests should also consider calendar conflicts, visa requirements, and insurance rules around extended trips. A 128 day voyage crosses multiple visa regimes and will almost certainly require a mix of e visas, visa on arrival processes, and standard tourist entries, and some travel insurance policies still treat long cruises differently from normal trips. Advisors will need to monitor how Explora packages pre and post cruise land stays, particularly in Dubai and Barcelona, and whether the line partners with air programs that simplify complex one way flight patterns.
Finally, cabin selection matters more than usual on a four month voyage. Midship locations and cabins on more stable decks will generally ride better through seas in the Southern Ocean and the Pacific, and suites with adequate storage and balcony space will feel less cramped as the weeks pass. Travelers prone to seasickness or who have not sailed long ocean crossings before may be better served starting with a single Passage to test their comfort level before committing to a future full world journey.