What would it feel like to steer a tall ship across the Ocean? To circumnavigate the globe gliding through the waves. To fall asleep on deck under the countless stars of the night sky or dive from the ship into an azure sea?

Sailing around the world is the travel adventure of a lifetime and it could be YOUR adventure of a lifetime! It is the kind of journey that is the ultimate dream for the adventurer, wanderer, travel lover or sea farer.

*NB this post was first publised in 2020 and the voyage and route have since been updated. For all options to sail a voyage like this please contact us! 

Another World Adventures can make this dream a reality on board one of our favourite tall ships who is planning to circumnavigate the globe in 2022-2023.

The year-long trip is on board a training ship where you can join the crew sailing the trade winds around the world.

Sailing 30,000 nautical miles and putting into ports like Panama, Pitcairn Island, Tahiti, Fiji, Bali, Cape Town, St. Helena, Grenada and Bermuda, all while becoming an accomplished seafarer and learning seamanship skills hands-on through sailing a square-rigged ship is the ultimate voyage.

You become one of the crew. No sailing experience is necessary as you will get plenty of experience on this voyage!

The tall ship is best known for her deep water, ocean wandering, trade wind voyages to legendary ports of call in the tropics of this world.

You can sign on for the full year-long adventure – or for a leg of a few months’ duration.

There is an application process in place so the organisers can put a great gang of shipmates together under the leadership of the Captain and the mates and professional crew.

Read on and check out the trip page here where you can request full details. 

NB The video promo below is dated for the original voyage dates which were postponed due to COVID! The rest is as it should be!

How do you sail around the world?  

Once the ship is prepared and you have spent some time ‘learning the ropes’, you will set sail from Nova Scotia on the East Coast of Canada. You will head south across the ocean, bound for tropics and the Panama Canal and onward into the Pacific Ocean.

Planned Ports and Route – Sail Around the World 2022-2023

LEG 1 – Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada to Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia – October 3, 2022 to February 12, 2023

• Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
• San Blas Islands, Panama
• Portobelo, Panama
• Panama Canal
• Panama City, Panama
• Taboga, Panama
• San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands
• Pitcairn Island
• Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia

LEG 2 – Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia to Suva, Fiji – February 13, 2023 to June 16, 2023

• Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
• Tuamotu Islands including Takaroa, French Polynesia
• Mangareva, French Polynesia
• Raivavae, French Polynesia
• Huahine, French Polynesia
• Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
• Nuku’alofa, Tonga
• Ha’apai Islands including Pangai, Tonga
• Vava’u, Tonga
• Savusavu, Fiji
• Suva, Fiji

LEG 3 – Suva, Fiji to Bali, Indonesia – June 17, 2023 to October 7, 2023

• Suva, Fiji
• Nadi, Fiji
• Port Vila, Vanuatu
• Malekula, Vanuatu
• Ambrym, Vanuatu
• Maewo, Vanuatu
• Pentecost, Vanuatu
• Bali, Indonesia

LEG 4 – Bali, Indonesia to Cape Town, South Africa – October 8, 2023 to January 15, 2024

• Bali, Indonesia
• Rodrigues Island, Mauritius
• Reunion, France
• Cape Town, South Africa

LEG 5 – Cape Town, South Africa to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada – January 16, 2024 to June 1, 2024

• Cape Town, South Africa
• Luderitz, Namibia
• St. Helena, UK
• Some or all of the following Caribbean islands:
• Grenada
• Carriacou
• Bequia
• Dominica
• Martinique
• Anguilla
• British Virgin Islands
• St. George’s, Bermuda
• Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada

*Itinerary is subject to change for any reason at any time. Particularly with changing travel restrictions and advisories due to COVID-19, flexibility on the part of the tall ship and each individual crew member will be required, even more so than usual.

*Itinerary is subject to change for any reason at any time.

Who can join this tall ship to sail around the world?

Guest crew on this voyage are called ‘trainees’ and must be able to:

• Provide a doctor’s note attesting to good health and physical fitness
• Climb up and down steep ladders and stairways
• Maintain balance on slippery or uneven surfaces
• Lift, push, or carry
• Crouch, kneel, or crawl
• Stand for up to four hours on watch with minimal rest periods
• Distinguish objects and shapes at a distance
• Understand instruction and direction in English
• The ship is an English-speaking ship, and while full fluency is not a requirement, safety requires a minimum level of competency
• React to alarms (visual or audible) and instructions and follow emergency procedures
• Understand and comply with all provided health, safety and security information and directives
• Manage self-care including nutrition, hydration, personal hygiene, dressing appropriately for environmental conditions, health, prescribed medication
• Behave respectfully toward diversity on the ship and/or in the countries the ship visits, which includes people of all genders, sexual identities, races, ages, religions, politics, and cultural differences

This voyage is open to people of all nationalities and genders, ages 18 and up

No sailing experience is required. You will be part of the working crew of the ship, so prepare to roll up your sleeves and dive in cheerfully!

Trainees choose to sail with on voyages like this and specifically on board this boat for a variety of reasons.

Maybe you’re looking for a gap year expedition, either after high school or during or after college or university or because you’ve been working for ages and need a REALLY good break to reassess life and put your skills to the test.

Maybe you want to do something unique for your big overseas experience. Perhaps you’re looking to develop seamanship skills to help start a career as a seafarer. Maybe you are already working in a maritime career and want to gain deep-water sea time and square rig experience.

Or this is the right time to take a break from your job and life ashore to make the voyage in the trade winds you’ve always dreamed of.

Or maybe you’re retired and want to travel and learn and immerse yourself in a South Seas adventure. Whether you’re seeking adventure or a unique way to travel to exotic, iconic places, a foundation from which to launch a maritime career or an authentic square rig sailing experience on a vessel similar to one in the Great Age of Sail, there is a place for you on board.

Whatever your reason, we want to be clear that signing aboard as a trainee crew member is a big commitment.

On this voyage there will be long stretches where signing off is simply not possible. We encourage anyone who is interested and curious to contact request full details to discuss the voyage and whether it might be a good fit for you.

How to Apply

First things first. You need to get the full details. To do that please request them from Another World Adventures by requesting them on the trip page here.

We’ll send you details by email so you can connect with the crew office and make an application online.

Once that’s received by the organisers they’ll request a note from your doctor that says you’re in good health and can do moderately strenuous physical activity on a remote, oceangoing voyage. They’ll also request payment of a deposit which will hold your spot.

On previous voyages they have required applicants to come visit the ship in person for an in-person interview. On this voyage, they’ll save you the time and expense of a trip to Lunenburg and arrange an interview with you by phone or online video conference instead.

It’s still important for you to see the vessel, including what the accommodations are like, how they eat meals, what the bathroom/shower situation is, what you’ll be doing when you stand a watch, and so on, so they’ll recommend some videos for you to watch that give you the full tour.

Individuals age 18+ (no couples, please*).

Anything else?

Know what square rig sailing is? … if you do you’ve a head start.

If not, the ship you will be joining has a professional crew that will be teaching you everything you need to know about how to sail a Tall ship.

Whether you have prior sailing knowledge or not this voyage is designed as a holistic experience, that will not only provide you with internationally recognised seamanship training but invaluable life skills.

Alongside learning sail handling, rigging and even navigation, you will learn how to become a great shipmate.

This voyage could be your gap year expedition, an opportunity to develop your maritime career or to take a break from life ashore, whatever your age or motivation sailing a Tall Ship across the ocean will be an unforgettable experience.

There is an application process to check your medical fitness and fit as a crew member, but there are no qualifications needed to join the voyage.

All you need is a curious mind, a willingness to learn and get involved, alongside a passion for the wide- open sea.

What is life like at sea on a tall ship adventure?

Life at sea will be hard work but filled with new experiences. The ship runs on a three-watch system where you will be on duty for four hours and then have eight hours of free time. Your daytime duties will include handling the sails, rigging projects and steering.

You will also have shared responsibilities for maintaining the ship, including sanding or painting alongside cleaning and cooking.

In your free time,  you can enjoy the sheer beauty of your surroundings, revel in some relaxation or spend time with your shipmates. Your crew will become your family on this sailing voyage and you will make lifelong friends.

In the warmer seas of the tropics, you will work, play, and may even sleep on the deck of the ship. You will leave the Ultimate Tall Ship adventure a true sea farer.

Exploring Ashore

As the ship follows the trade winds around the globe, you will journey to paradise destinations like Tahiti, Bali, and Pitcairn Island. Alongside these beauty spots you will drop anchor in iconic ports like the western cape of South Africa, Cape Town.

Visits ashore are an opportunity to discover and explore. If you are not on a designated watch, you can climb aboard the long boat and make landfall. The sheer diversity of destinations from French Polynesia to the Far East to the Caribbean offer vast opportunities to experience rich cultures and stunning natural beauty. This unrivalled travel experience will be a once in a lifetime trip.

Learning new skills

Walking away from this voyage, you will have gained lifelong friends and unforgettable memories but this is also a training ship and offers the opportunity to learn both sailing and life skills. You will be able to take part in multiple workshops including, ropework, rigging, seamanship, celestial navigation, and other nautical subjects. The workshops throughout the journey supplement the hands- on training, where you will really learn to be a sailor.

This voyage is also a journey of personal growth with reliance on intense teamwork, collaboration, and interpersonal skills. Whether you decide to take this voyage on as part of a gap year or as a career break, this experience will provide you with skills to take with you once you have returned to life ashore.

How much does it cost to sail around the world?

Prices for the voyage, in US dollars (USD), are as follows.

How long does it take to sail around the world?

Depending on the amount of time and money you have available, there are a number of options for signing on. We always say that longer is better, but recognize that not everyone can make a year-long voyage.

Sailing for as long as you can afford, both financially and time-wise, is the best option.

NEXT STEPS: Check out the trip page and make an enquiry if you’d like full details on this epic chance to sail around the world

For further reading if you’re feeling inspired

• This Sunday Times interview with Another World Adventures co-founder Larissa Clark about ocean adventures and long travel for grown up gap years which is very relevant for this trip where the voyage legs are 3 to 4 months each
• A fun post in Wanderlust about sailing round the world, who it’s for and who it’s not!
• Sailing around the world by Kellie Pollock in CNN
• Sailing around the world some notes on Wiki
• And again but this time on circumnavigation