“When cruising restarted last year, the retired demographic was first to get out on cruises, and they were willing to spend more money,” says Suzy Schreiner, owner of Seattle-based Azure Blue Vacations. “Now we’re starting to see more of these megalong cruises, and the first thing to sell out is the suites.”

Some ships circumnavigate the globe, while others focus on a specific region but with longer itineraries than the typical pleasure voyage. For example, Windstar Cruises offers an 85-night Grand European Bucket List Adventure that sails from Iceland to Turkey, visiting 18 countries along the way. Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise sets sail from Miami on a journey to 150 ports over 274 nights.

Such trips attract travelers who value the experience. In 2019, Winona Hamilton, 80, of Cumming, Georgia, booked a 71-night circumnavigation of Africa on the Holland America Line. The cruise was postponed twice due to the pandemic but finally took place in October 2022. Fares for the journey started around $12,000 for inside cabins. “I fell in love with these grand voyages and anticipated this trip for three years,” she says.

Despite the cost, passengers on long cruises are not all Rockefellers. Schreiner says a pair of long-term clients who booked a 35-night Oceania cruise that will circumnavigate Australia are “not some of my wealthier clients; they’ve been saving up for it.” But Schreiner notes that expense is relative. “We broke down the costs and compared it with the cost for four seven-night cruises. Then it feels more doable.”