From skydiving in New Zealand to cruising the Norwegian fjords and watching rugby in Japan, these are the top nine must-have luxury travel experiences for 2019, according to global luxury travel network Virtuoso….

1. Skydive in New Zealand, consistently named one of the world’s top places to jump out of a plane. Skydivers will marvel at stunning views of glaciers, mountains, rainforests, and bodies of water such as the Pacific Ocean, rivers and lakes.

2. Cruise the Norwegian fjords to the North Cape to mark the summer solstice on June 21. In the same year, cruise the Chilean fjords to the South Cape on December 21, enjoying endless daylight in both hemispheres.

3. Travel by luxury rail from Paris to Istanbul on the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The 10-night journey aboard the restored Art Deco train winds through some of Europe’s most captivating cities, transporting passengers back to the Golden Age of travel.

4. Savour an incomparable culinary experience in Barcelona by dining at Tickets, helmed by the Adrià brothers of El Bulli fame. Travellers wishing to sample Tickets’ playful modern tapas must book two months in advance.

5. Visit the beaches of Normandy in northern France on a river cruise to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. See where Allied forces landed during the World War II invasion and learn about the heroic operation that led to the liberation of German-occupied France.

6. Take in a Rugby World Cup match in 2019 host country Japan. The timing of the six-week tournament coincides with opportunities to view stunning fall foliage, with leaves changing into vibrant shades of orange, red and yellow.

7. Explore the undersea world by submarine at the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, the first to feature DeepFlight Adventures. Encounter vividly coloured fish, turtles, sharks, dolphins and rays in the Maldives’ only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

8. Experience absolute totality in a destination with a landscape as close to the moon as you can find on Earth. View the 2019 solar eclipse July 2 with a glamping experience in Northern Chile, then cap off the trip by heading south to wine country.

9. Call on Croatia’s coastal communities from the comfort of a private yacht. Time visits to popular ports such as Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar Island for late afternoon, when crowds from cruise ships have dwindled.