Costa Cruises 139-night 2028 world cruise across 29 countries to feature South Africa

Costa Cruises has announced its 2028 World Cruise, a 139-night itinerary aboard Costa Deliziosa spanning five continents, three oceans, and 51 destinations across 29 countries.

The voyage will depart Savona on November 25th, 2027 and return to the Italian port on April 11th, 2028, incorporating a mix of major global cities, island destinations, and long-haul ocean crossings.

The programme includes 21 island calls and multiple extended stays designed to support longer time ashore, with port calls in key South African cities including Port Elizabeth, Durban, and Cape Town.

“With the 2028 World Cruise, Costa Cruises offers a truly extraordinary travel experience, designed for those who want to explore the world without haste,” said Luigi Stefanelli, Vice President Worldwide Sales, Costa Cruises. “It is a proposal that brings together emotion, depth and quality, and reflects our ability to create distinctive, high-value journeys dedicated to world explorers.”

The itinerary begins with a westbound crossing of the Atlantic, followed by a North American segment including extended stays in New York and Los Angeles. The latter will host a New Year’s Eve call, forming a central feature of the early part of the voyage.

From North America, the ship continues across the Pacific, calling in Hawaii before proceeding to Oceania. Destinations in Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand, and Australia are included, with a two-day stay scheduled in Sydney. The itinerary then transitions into Asia, with ports in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The Indian Ocean segment includes calls in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Mauritius, before the ship continues to Southern Africa. Ports in Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town are included, followed by calls in Namibia and Cape Verde before the return to Europe via the Canary Islands, Barcelona, and Marseille.

In addition to the full 139-night sailing, Costa is offering a shorter 100-night segment departing San Francisco, covering Oceania, Asia, and Africa before concluding in Savona.

The programme incorporates a series of multi-day overland excursions in selected destinations, including itineraries in North America, Japan, and Southern Africa. These are designed to complement port calls with inland travel and extended regional experiences.

The structure of the itinerary reflects continued demand for long-duration voyages that combine multiple regions within a single sailing, with a focus on extended stays and a broad geographic scope. By integrating both major cities and smaller ports, the programme aligns with wider trends in the world cruise segment, where operators are expanding itinerary complexity while maintaining a consistent onboard product.

Cosa Deliziosa, which accommodates approximately 2,800 passengers, will operate the voyage with a mix of onboard dining, entertainment, and enrichment programmes structured for extended travel. The ship’s deployment follows Costa’s established model of seasonal repositioning between European and long-haul markets.

Bookings for the 2028 World Cruise are now open, with the sailing forming part of the line’s broader long-duration cruise offering.

Costa World Cruise 2028 overview

Duration: 139 nights (November 25th, 2027 – April 11th, 2028)

Ship: Costa Deliziosa

Departure/return: Savona, Italy

Destinations: 51 ports across 29 countries and 5 continents

Islands: 21

Highlights: New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles; two-day stay in Sydney; Pacific crossing; Southern Africa segment

Alternative option: 100-night sailing from San Francisco to Savona