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Regatta entered service for Explorations by Norwegian on September 1, 2026, and sailed from Civitavecchia, the cruise port for Rome, on the first leg of a 371-day world voyage, Cruise Industry News reports. The 684-guest ship closed a 23-year Oceania Cruises career in August, then started its new life as the platform for a voyage the brand describes as the longest cruise in the industry.
Travelers now face a concrete booking choice: commit to the full year at sea or join for a shorter regional segment, and both paths run through My Cruises rather than a standard cruise brochure channel. For background on the ship itself, see our Oceania Regatta guide, which covers the vessel travelers will be living aboard.
- First sailing: Regatta departed Civitavecchia (Rome) on September 1, 2026, for Explorations by Norwegian.
- Voyage scope: 371 days covering more than 220 ports in 62 countries across six continents.
- Booking choice: Full world voyage or shorter segments, sold through My Cruises.
- Next window: A 367-day sailing from Australia is scheduled for February 2027, with the exact date still to be announced.
Regatta Sailed From Civitavecchia on September 1
The ship sailed from Italy earlier this month to open the first cruise of the new Explorations by Norwegian brand, according to Cruise Industry News. The 30,200-ton vessel is sailing under a two-year charter agreement for the My Cruises-backed brand after retiring from the Oceania Cruises fleet, where it had sailed for about 23 years as one of the founding ships of that line.
The brand marked the departure with social media updates celebrating the planning behind the voyage. The company said it started with a blank map and asked where a ship should be at the right time of year, and that question shaped the full itinerary. That positioning matters because the line promises deeper regional stays with late departures and overnight calls rather than simple port-to-port movement.
The first sailing skews Australian. Karryon reports more than 650 Australians boarded the first sector, including eight committed to the full circumnavigation, while My Cruises expects more than 10,000 Australian and New Zealand guests across the season.
This sailing follows directly from the handoff we covered when Regatta closed its final Oceania voyage in Istanbul on August 27. The August story looked ahead to the September 1 start date; this story confirms the ship is now in service and accepting travelers under the new brand.
371 Days Across 62 Countries and Six Continents
The headline numbers define the decision. Travel and Leisure Asia reports the inaugural voyage runs 371 days across 220 ports, 62 countries and six continents, departing Rome on September 1, 2026. In comparison, the same report notes the voyage has eclipsed Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise, which previously held attention with a 274-night itinerary.
European calls include Santorini, Naples, Copenhagen and Helsinki. The African leg includes Cape Verde, Cape Town and Zanzibar. Asian stops run through Hiroshima, Jeju Island, Colombo and Male. Farther west, the route reaches from Alaska to the Amazon and continues through Central America and the Mediterranean, with Scandinavia, Southeast Asia and the Far East also on the segment map.
Treat port counts as the line’s published plan rather than a guarantee, since year-long routings can shift with conditions. The 371-day length and September 1 start are confirmed; check the current My Cruises itinerary before money changes hands.
Shorter Segments Open the Voyage to More Travelers
A full year at sea suits very few calendars, so the segment program is the practical news for most readers. Cruise Industry News reports the company is selling shorter itineraries across Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, Alaska, Central America, the Amazon and the Mediterranean. Travelers can join one region instead of the entire circuit.
Two named segments add detail. Travel and Leisure Asia reports a 47-night African Odyssey Exploration and a 19-night sailing through Turkiye, the Greek islands and Malta. Those lengths fit travelers who want an extended voyage without resigning from work or renting out a home for a year.
Segment travelers get the same ship and the same destination-immersion format, including the late departures and overnight stays the brand promises. The tradeoff is obvious: a segment samples the concept while the full voyage delivers the complete six-continent arc. Pricing and availability differ by segment, so compare the per-night math before assuming the shorter trip is the cheaper way to experience the ship.
Booking Runs Through My Cruises as the Exclusive Seller
Explorations by Norwegian was developed by Ignite Travel Group in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and My Cruises is the exclusive booking channel, according to Cruise Industry News and the line’s own product pages. Shoppers will not find this inventory in a standard Oceania or Norwegian brochure flow, which is exactly the confusion that sent some travelers to the wrong place during the handoff month.
A second full-length option is already on the calendar. Travel and Leisure Asia reports a 367-day sailing from Australia scheduled for February 2027, although the exact departure date has not been published. Australia-based travelers, who are the core market for this product, may prefer that sailing to the Rome departure now underway.
On price, Travel and Leisure Asia lists a per-person ticket price of EUR 65,700, about USD 76,379, for the voyage. Treat that figure as a starting reference from one report, not a live quote: verify current pricing for the exact sailing or segment on the My Cruises site before budgeting, since fares move with cabin grade and remaining inventory.
Small-Ship Format Shapes the Onboard Experience
Regatta carries 684 guests, which keeps the ship far smaller than the mega-ships that dominate world-cruise marketing. The brand says Regatta reaches places most cruise ships never see while still feeling familiar each evening, a claim Cruise Industry News attributes to the company’s own departure statements. Small size is the enabler for the secondary ports on this route map.
Travel and Leisure Asia describes a 348-room ship carrying library, Monte Carlo-style casino, Aquamar Spa and Vitality Centre, fitness center, pool and running track, plus a sports deck with golf and shuffleboard. Those facilities matter more than usual here because travelers spend weeks at a time aboard between standout ports.
Expect a destination-focused crowd and enrichment-style programming rather than mega-ship spectacle. Weigh intimate scale and unusual ports against the broader dining and entertainment choice on bigger hulls.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Want the full 371-day voyage | Book through My Cruises now and confirm your cabin grade, since the September 1 sailing is underway. |
| Want one region only | Compare the 47-night African Odyssey, the 19-night Turkiye sailing and other segments on per-night value. |
| Prefer an Australia departure | Watch for the exact date of the 367-day February 2027 sailing before committing to fly to Rome. |
| Are deciding between world cruises | Weigh Regatta’s small-ship ports against bigger-ship amenities, then verify the live itinerary. |
September 1, 2026 is the service-entry gate. Regatta is now sailing for Explorations by Norwegian, so all new bookings run through My Cruises and no longer through Oceania channels.
February 2027 is the second-voyage gate. A 367-day sailing from Australia is scheduled but undated, so interested travelers should monitor My Cruises for the exact departure before making flight plans.
Segment inventory is the booking gate. With 684 guest berths shared between full-voyage and segment travelers, check availability for your exact segment early rather than assuming space.
When did the Regatta world voyage depart?
Regatta departed Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, on September 1, 2026, entering service for Explorations by Norwegian on the same date.
How long is the Explorations by Norwegian world cruise?
The inaugural voyage runs 371 days and visits more than 220 ports in 62 countries across six continents, according to current reporting.
Can I book part of the voyage instead of the full year?
Yes. The line sells shorter segments across regions including Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, Alaska, the Amazon and the Mediterranean, plus named sailings such as the 47-night African Odyssey.
How do I book the Regatta world voyage?
Bookings run exclusively through My Cruises, which developed the product with Ignite Travel Group in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
What does the world voyage cost?
Travel and Leisure Asia lists a per-person ticket price of EUR 65,700, about USD 76,379. Confirm live pricing for your sailing or segment on the My Cruises site before budgeting.
