Latest news World Cruise Destinations

Follow Arcadia around the world

Arcadia has set sail on her 2025 Epic World Explorer cruise. Follow along each month as we dive into every port of call on her 99-night, globe-spanning adventure.

6 min 23 Jan 2025

Editorial Team

Author

If your New Year’s resolution was to see more of the world in 2025, you can do it vicariously through Arcadia’s Epic World Explorer cruise. This is Arcadia’s 15th trip around the globe – her first world cruise was back in 2009 – so it’s safe to say she’s up to the task. Over 99 nights, from 3 January to 13 April, Arcadia will visit remote tropical beaches, glittering world-class cities and everything in between. Join us for the next three months as we follow in her wake, exploring incredible destinations and embarking on bucket-list adventures.

Fireworks in Southampton
Fireworks in Southampton
Fireworks in Southampton
Fireworks in Southampton

3 January: Southampton, UK

 

Nearly 3,000 guests and around 866 crew members boarded in Southampton, Arcadia’s home port and the starting point of all her cruises. With a fireworks celebration to send her off, she set a southeastern course into the Atlantic, where she spent four days sailing towards Madeira.

 

 

7 January: Madeira, Portugal

 

Arcadia’s first port of call was Funchal, Madeira, 500km off the coast of West Africa. The Pearl of the Atlantic has enjoyed something of a renaissance lately, shedding its reputation as a sleepy outpost and showing off its more adventurous side – it’s a haven for surfing, hiking and canyoning. But those without an appetite for adrenaline can partake in more laid-back pursuits – sipping a glass of poncha (rum punch) overlooking gently breaking waves will never go out of style.

Madeira, Portugal
Madeira, Portugal
Madeira, Portugal
Madeira, Portugal

13 January: Barbados

 

After five days spent sailing across the Atlantic, Arcadia arrived in beautiful Barbados, the most easterly Caribbean island. It’s hard to resist the siren call of the beach here – more than 80 of them beckon, and guests on Arcadia were surely itching to sink their toes into powder-soft sands after their Atlantic odyssey. Of course, there’s plenty to do beyond the beach: cricket fans can visit the hallowed grounds of the Kensington Oval, history buffs can explore Bridgetown and its garrison, and the culinarily inquisitive can sample the island’s famed fish-fry or browse the bustling Cheapside market.

 

 

15 January: Curaçao

 

Heading west through the Caribbean Sea, Arcadia’s next stop was Curaçao, the ‘C’ of the ABC Islands, a postcard-perfect archipelago (also including Aruba and Bonaire) that lies off the northern coast of Venezuela. A riot of colours greeted guests on arrival in the capital Willemstad; rows of colourful colonial-era buildings contrasting against turquoise seas made for a vibrant welcome. Equally colourful is the cosmopolitan culture that reflects the island’s rich history – it’s home to more than 50 nationalities. 

  • slider img
  • slider img
  • slider img
  • slider img
  • slider img
of

17 January: Panama Canal

 

Arcadia departed the Caribbean Sea, but not before she delivered a true bucket-list experience – a full transit of the Panama Canal. If water levels allow, up to 40 ships can pass through the canal each day, navigating a series of locks that elevate and lower vessels by 26 metres. It takes upwards of eight hours to transit the 80-kilometre-long canal, passing through the Miraflores Locks, Pedro Miguel Locks, Gaillard Cut and Gatun Locks – an experience captured in this incredible timelapse video, taken by a guest on board Arcadia’s 2024 world cruise. 

22 January: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

 

After her sojourn through the Panama Canal, Arcadia set a north-westerly course for the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. She docked in Cabo San Lucas, a resort city with a reputation for good times. But beyond the swanky hotels and beach clubs is a wealth of natural wonders including the stunning El Arco, a natural stone archway formed in the rugged cliffs; a diverse desert landscape teeming with cacti; and beautiful beaches with azure seas that beckon swimmers, divers, boaters and whale-watchers alike.

 

 

25-26 January: San Francisco, USA

 

The Golden Gate Bridge. Alcatraz. Cable cars. Fisherman’s Wharf... There are too many icons to see in San Francisco in one day, so we simply had to stay for two. Arcadia’s guests enjoyed an overnight and two full days in the City by the Bay, which gave them the opportunity to revel in its nightlife. San Francisco prides itself on its food scene, so it’s no surprise that delectable dining options abound, from cheap and cheerful food trucks to a galaxy of Michelin starred restaurants. For night owls, famed venues such as The Fillmore and the Masonic offer a chance to see a gig in a historic setting – this is the spiritual home of folk music, after all. And having an extra day also meant there was time to venture further afield, whether to the scenery of the Monterey Peninsula, the vineyards of the Napa Valley or the towering redwoods of Muir Woods.

San Francisco skyline and Bay Bridge at sunset, California
  • slider img
  • slider img
  • slider img
  • slider img
of

Bookmark this page and come back on 28 February to read all about Arcadia’s journey from San Francisco to Darwin, Australia, and again on 28 March for a look at each stop from Darwin to Walvis Bay, Namibia.

 

Inspired to embark on your own globe-spanning adventure? Discover Arcadia’s Epic World Explorer cruises for 2026 and 2027 and other bucket-list holidays here