The dream of many college graduates and graduates-to-be is to spend some time exploring the world before they begin a career or enter graduate school.

Some set off for Europe or Asia with no more than a backpack and vague plans to sleep in hostels. If you’re the parent or grandparent of one of these wandering grads, it’s natural to worry a bit about their safety and well-being while they’re gone.

There is a way for your grad see the world that will provide the experience of a lifetime while giving you some peace of mind: a world cruise.

Your grad will enjoy visiting dozens of countries on multiple continents with everything they need:

• comfortable lodging (far better than couch surfing!)
• delicious food (assuredly better than dorm dining)
• laundry services (possibly worth the price alone!)
• help with arranging onshore activities (ideas they’d never thought of)

It’s true that world cruises, which last three months or more, tend to attract older guests – they are more likely than other age groups to have the time and money to cruise the world.

But, be assured that world cruise passengers are trending younger, and your grad will be able to make new friends of various ages on board.

Most world cruises depart in January, which is perfect timing for a December graduate, and not too long a wait for those who graduate in other seasons. Some of the world cruises that will set sail in January 2017 include:

Cunard Line’s three ships will all cruise the world roundtrip from Southampton, England, giving your grad a wonderful opportunity to visit nearby London before or after the cruise. Cunard pays homage to the Golden Age of ocean liners with traditions like large onboard libraries and afternoon tea.

The Queen Elizabeth will circumnavigate the globe over 120 nights, calling on 40 ports in 25 countries, so your grad will truly see the world. While most ships offer staterooms meant for two or more, this ship has some solo traveler staterooms.

The Queen Victoria will sail a 120-night itinerary that will focus on the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia – great for a beach lover.

The Queen Mary 2’s 118-night cruise will appeal to grads to want to sail a bit off the beaten path: the ship will visit several of ports for the first time, including Le Port, Reunion; Kangaroo Island and Hobart, Australia; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; Keelung, Taiwan; and Jeju Island and Busan, South Korea.

Holland America also provides a traditional cruise ambiance, though it’s a bit more casual than Cunard Line. The Amsterdam’s 111-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale is a great choice for grads interested in Asia, with port calls in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and Malaysia. The South Pacific, India, the Middle East and the Mediterranean are on the itinerary, too.Princess Cruise Line sends one of its smaller ships, the Pacific Princess (684 passengers), on its world cruises. Most of the cabins on this more intimate ship have private balconies, which your grad will love. Princess also offers a choice of two embarkation points: your grad can join the ship in Fort Lauderdale or Los Angeles. This cruise will include some emerging destinations, including Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, and Sanya, known as “the Hawaii of China.”A world cruise is a generous graduation gift, indeed: but, if a full world cruise isn’t compatible with your gift budget, you can also purchase a segment of a world cruise. For example, Holland America’s world cruise offers stand-alone segments from Fort Lauderdale to Honolulu; Honolulu to Hong Kong; Hong Kong to Istanbul; and Istanbul to Fort Lauderdale.

To explore more options for sending your grad off to see the world on a cruise, talk with your Cruise Specialists travel expert.