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Australia Cruises

Discover the stunning beauty of australia.

Australia is teeming with vast treasures. Indulge in seasonal delicacies and fine wines. Snorkel among technicolor fish. Discover ancient cultures, explore historic landmarks, and tour the country’s most charming cities. Princess will help you create memories to last a lifetime.

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Excursions — Your Gateway to Australia's Best Attractions

Explore the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach / Ngaro Country. Visit the award-winning Rainforestation National Park in Cairns / Gimuy. Ride a camel along the shore, and learn the secrets to pearl farming in Broome / Rubibi . On itineraries with More Ashore Late Night calls, we stay until at least 9 p.m. in port so you can experience some of the fabulous nightlife.

And with a range of Discovery Recommended and Exclusive excursions available only with Princess Cruises, you’ll see Australia in a whole new way.

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Let the Journey Begin

Lifestyle & Culture

Pursue your passion for wine, beer and chocolate with a taste-testing tour in the Margaret River region. Explore the art and crafts in the charming cities of Hahndorf and Montville, or visit a variety of museums and cultural parks to celebrate Australia’s rich native and colonial history.

Natural Wonders & Landscapes

Traverse a canopy path above the forest floor for a bird’s-eye view of the ancient karri and tingle trees near Albany / Kinjarling . Behold the otherworldly spires at Perth’s Nambung National Park. Explore the underwater beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, or travel inland to Tamborine Mountain, a fertile volcanic plateau that boasts 21 species of birds.

Unique & Iconic Wildlife

From Tasmanian devils to wombats and kookaburras, you’ll encounter fascinating animals and plants from the region and from around the globe at Brisbane’s / Meeanjin Australia Zoo, Melbourne’s Healesville Sanctuary, Sydney’s Featherdale Wildlife Park and the Perth Zoo.

Monuments & Masterpieces

Architecture

Sydney hosts several architectural delights, including the iconic Sydney Opera House and the 320-meter-tall Sydney Tower and Government House, one of Australia’s finest examples of colonial-style architecture. In the heart of Melbourne sits Federation Square, and rising 230 meters into Brisbane / Meeanjin ’s skyline, the SkyPoint viewing deck boasts 360-degree views of the Gold Coast.

Art & Museums

Many of Australia’s museums are closely tied to the land, its people and history. Hobart is known for its well-preserved 19th century National Trust buildings, Broome’s / Rubibi museum traces native life and the pearling industry, while in Tasmania you can discover what life was back in the early 1900s.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

While the Sydney Opera House is a prime example of architectural design at its finest, Port Arthur’s humble penal colony stands as a grim reminder of Australia’s early beginnings. There are a number of natural World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the Blue Mountains and the Rainforestation National Park.

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Australia Cruisetours

Stretching out over two million square miles (5 million square kilometres), some of Australia’s magnificent sights require more time to explore. Pair your cruise with a land tour to the outback that lets you immerse yourself in local indigenous culture and visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the spectacular Great Barrier Reef and the mystical and iconic Uluru (Ayers Rock).

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Book one of Carnival Cruise Line’s Australia cruises and enjoy some of most picturesque destinations the country has to offer. Take a cruise ship from the Brisbane River or Sydney Harbour Bridge and explore the white sandy beaches of Moreton Island, or dive into a Great Barrier Reef Queensland cruise. Soak in the history of Hobart and Port Arthur, the tropical delights of the Kimberley, Broome, and Cairns, or the race that stops a nation in Melbourne with special offers or a majestic cruise deal. Whether you’re after a quick getaway, or a longer holiday you’ll remember forever, an Australian cruise holiday with amazing shore excursions is a great way to relax and take some time out.

• Snorkel the world’s largest reef system.
• Relax on Airlie Beach.
• Indulging in the foodie tastes of Tasmania.
• Soak up the Aussie sun in the Whitsundays.
• Explore the Daintree National Park.
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There are so many ways to cruise discover the perfect cruise line for your next voyage., frequently asked questions.

If it’s on the water, we can book it for you. Flight Centre offers a huge range of cruises, from ocean and river cruises to adventurous expedition voyages and special themed voyages. Some of the most popular lines we offer are Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line. Booking a cruise can be complicated, with a huge variety of cabin choices, itineraries and inclusions, so it’s a good idea to work with an experienced travel consultant – like us! We’ll also find the best cruise deals that save you money. 

Cruises are great value because almost everything is included in the one price. Your cruise fare will include accommodation, all meals, onboard facilities like swimming pools and fitness centres, plus entertainment. A few things can incur extra charges, like specialty restaurants, drinks, spa treatments and some activities. Specific inclusions may vary based on the cruise line, stateroom selection and package booked.

Absolutely! A cruise perfect for a group holiday or to celebrate that important milestone. We have a specialist team of group travel experts who can help. We may also be able to organise extras like a special dinner or bottle of champagne on arrival. Get in touch with a group travel expert here . 

Depending on the destination, Australians may need a visa. Always check the latest visa requirements on the cruise line website, as well as for any countries the cruise will dock in before your cruise.

Once onboard, you'll receive a daily schedule of activities. Usually, the schedule for the following day will be left in your cabin by staff when they clean the room. Many modern cruise ships also have onboard digital screens that will display the day’s events or a mobile app you can download to keep track. Take a look at the individual Cruise Ship pages on our website or visit the cruise line’s site to see what you can expect. 

It couldn’t be easier to book online through the Flight Centre website. Simply use the search function and filters on the page above and you’ll find a whole range of cruises that meet your search criteria. You can book directly online, or enquire if you’d prefer to speak to a travel expert about your cruise holiday. If you’d prefer to talk to someone straight away, give us a call on 13 70 79.

Yes, most cruise lines will be able to cater to your specific needs to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable holiday. For dietary requirements, many ships have multiple restaurants with different menus that may meet your needs, or your travel expert can request accommodations ahead of time. Accessible cabins are available on most ships and need to be booked in advance. We can also work with you to assess deck plans and accessibility options to find the right ship to suit you.

Australians are adventurous, so cruising destinations around the globe appeal. Some of the most popular places include the South Pacific islands, New Zealand, and local cruises along the Australian coastline.

Yes, there are cruises departing from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, offering a variety of destinations.

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Why the best way to see Australia is on a cruise

K nown for its epic road and rail trips through the vast, open countryside of the dusty Outback , Australia is often overlooked by Brits as a cruise destination. Yet the world’s largest island has over 37,000 miles of coastline fronting the Southern, Pacific and Indian Oceans, plus various smaller seas. Even the locals know the appeal of the sea, with 85 per cent of Australians living within 50km of the coast.

As a result, almost every kind of cruise imaginable can be found here; be it on a mega-ship with stacks of facilities; a boutique brand with a more refined air; a luxurious riverboat; or an expedition ship that can venture to truly out-of-the-way places. And with most of Australia's key attractions and cities scattered around its fringes, explorations by cruise (preferably topped and tailed with land-based touring) can pack any number of Down Under wonders into a single trip.

I've been lucky enough to visit Australia more than a dozen times, and some of my greatest memories are of experiences that I've had from the deck of a ship. I once set sail to New Zealand from Sydney, with the tiles atop the Opera House gleaming in the sunshine as we passed, and far from land on the Great Barrier Reef, I leaned over the railings to marvel at its underwater patchwork of cobalt and turquoise in an otherwise midnight-blue sea. 

Perhaps the most incredible experience of all was a cruise in the Kimberley : the little-visited wilderness region at the top of Western Australia. It's vast and sparsely populated – bigger than Britain but with fewer residents than a mid-sized English town – and its attractions are so remarkable that they would be crowded with visitors were they easier to access. But on a small-ship sailing with Coral Expeditions, I was one of just 120 guests exploring the waterfalls, reefs and ancient rock art for which the Kimberley is famed.

At the uninhabited Lacepede Islands, we saw seabirds and turtles in mind-boggling numbers. In Talbot Bay, we powered through one-of-a-kind Horizontal Falls in a Zodiac. And at Montgomery Reef, we watched a coral-encrusted plateau seemingly rise from the sea on a falling tide. 

It wasn’t only the epic landscapes and their intriguing wildlife – humpback whales, lemon sharks, saltwater crocs – that impressed. Etched in my memory is the experience of first seeing the Wandjina (ancient rock art). These alien beings stare down from rock art galleries across the region: a symbol of the oldest continuous culture on the planet, and of the Indigenous people's long connection to the land. A land littered with surprises best experienced by boat. 

Classic Kimberley 

Remote, isolated and with little infrastructure for land-based journeys, there are few parts of the world as suited to expedition cruises as the Kimberley. Explore it with Coral Expeditions – the pioneers of cruising in the region – on a formula perfected over four decades of operations. Itineraries are timed to experience key sites at optimal tidal phases: expect to see Montgomery Reef being drained by dozens of miniature cascades, and Horizontal Falls at its powerful best.

How to do it

Ten-night cruises between Darwin and Broome with Coral Expeditions operate between April and September and cost from £3,965pp; excludes flights.

Aussie icons

Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef are two of Australia’s most recognisable icons. Experience both with Princess Cruises, whose journeys up the eastern seaboard from Sydney to tropical North Queensland stop in Cairns for reef and Daintree Rainforest excursions, and Airlie Beach, gateway to the gorgeous Whitsunday Islands. 

How to do it 

A 16-night Sydney & Queensland Showcase cruise-and-stay from Cruise Kings (0800 197 8050) includes an 11-night round-trip cruise from Sydney aboard Majestic Princess and a three-night pre-cruise Sydney stay from £2,799pp. Departs January 26 & March 26 2024;  departs September 8 2023; includes flights. . 

Southern comforts

Make the festive season extra-special on a cruise along Australia’s entire south coast, taking in nine ports of call. Esperance, Adelaide, Cape Le Grand National Park and Kangaroo Island are among the highlights, with shore excursion that include wine tastings and local wildlife sightings. Better still, spend Christmas Day at sea before arriving in Sydney for a two-night stay that coincides with New Year’s Eve.

The 14-night Australia Intensive Voyage from Perth to Melbourne with Azamara Cruises (0344 4934016) departs December 21 2023 & December 20 2024 and costs from £2,859pp. Excludes flights. 

Over the top 

Nobody is more qualified to share Australia’s stories than its traditional owners and custodians. On a voyage through remote Barrier Reef islands en route to Cape York and Arnhem Land, you will meet indigenous Torres Strait islanders and other Aboriginal peoples to experience their culture, art and homelands, including Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. Along the way, spy dugongs, turtles, saltwater crocodiles and the birdlife of Kakadu’s wetlands.

A 13-night Australia's Top End cruise from Cairns to Darwin with Scenic (0808 273 6069; scenic.co.uk ) departs April 28 2024 and costs from £11,108pp. Excludes flights. 

Murray river flow 

River cruises are rare down under, ­making an active experience on the mighty Murray – the nation’s principal waterway – all the more remarkable. Murray River Trails offers short cruises aboard a 12-berth houseboat, with a daily programme of guided walks and activities. The small-group, into-the-wild nature of the experience lends itself to wildlife encounters, with sightings of echidnas, emus, koalas and ­unusual native birds all possible. It is a fascinating insight into authentic inland Australia.

The three-night Murray River Walk departs May–Sep and costs from £1,500pp. Excludes flights. 

Kim and swim

The Kimberley may have beguiling blue waters, but dips in the sea are foolhardy (and forbidden) due to the dangerous saltwater crocodiles that call the region home. Sidestep that inconvenience on a voyage with Ponant, which combines classic Kimberley elements ­(Montgomery Reef, Horizontal Falls) with the little-visited Rowley Shoals – one of the world’s most sensational snorkelling and diving destinations. Located west of Broome, in the Timor Sea, these croc-free coral atolls brim with colourful sea life.

An eight-night cruise round-trip from Broome departs September 8 2023 and costs from £11,835pp through Mundy Adventures (020 7399 7630; mundyadventures.co.uk ); includes flights. 

Queensland immersion 

Take a deep dive down under on a Great Barrier Reef & Beyond itinerary with Windstar Cruises. This holiday is particularly good for wildlife-lovers. Look out for wedge-tailed shearwaters, sooty terns and noddies while passing Willis Island; spot dingoes on sandy Fraser Island; and cuddle a koala at Australia Zoo (established by the late Steve Irwin). Show-stopping Whitehaven Beach is an unforgettable trip highlight.

An 11-night sailing from Cairns to Melbourne with Windstar Cruises (0808 178 2233; windstarcruises.com ) departs December 6 2023 and costs from £7,499pp. Includes flights and pre-cruise overnight in Cairns. 

Western wonders 

Unlike the Barrier Reef, which clings to the continental shelf, magnificent Ningaloo Reef fringes Western Australia’s coast. Discover it and the archipelagos of Abrolhos, Monte Bello and Dampier on a small-ship expedition that mixes snorkelling and shipwrecks with whale-watching and indigenous rock art. Enhance the experience by foraging and fishing for mud crabs and oysters, or take sightseeing to new heights in the ship’s helicopter. 

How to do it  

The 10-night West Coast Explorer cruise with True North sails from Fremantle to Dampier on March 7 2024 and costs from £12,208pp. Excludes flights

Island state

Raw nature meets colonial history and premium produce in Tasmania, not to mention one-of-a-kind wildlife such as white wallabies and Tasmanian devils. Sip local cool-climate wines and visit the likes of Bruny Island and Wineglass Bay while sailing from Hobart. The cruise is complemented with a self-drive exploration of the island’s west and north coast regions.

A 17-night holiday with Tasmanian Odyssey (01534 735449) combining Coral Expeditions' 10-night Coastal Wilds or Coastal Treks cruise with a 7-night self-drive land tour costs from £5,475pp. Departs Jan–Feb 2024 & 2025; excludes flights. 

All the way

Go all out and see more of the continent on a full circumnavigation of the vast island. Sail the Coral, Timor and Tasman Seas, the Indian Ocean and the Great Australian Bight on an odyssey starting and finishing in Sydney. Travelling via every coastal state and territory, ports of call include cosmopolitan Melbourne, tropical Darwin, lively Fremantle and Phillip Island with its unforgettable koala and penguin encounters. 

A 34-night Australian Panorama sailing with Oceania Cruises is available through Mundy Cruising (020 7399 7670; mundycruising.co.uk ) from £8,729pp, including flights. Departs December 22 2024.

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How to visit Australia without flying: Holland America launches new Grand Voyage

The long-haul flight can be enough to keep some U.S. travelers from visiting Australia . But a new Holland America Line itinerary will offer an alternate route.

The cruise line’s Grand Australia and New Zealand voyage will sail round-trip from San Diego, California in 2026, taking guests down under and back over 93 days.

"Our Grand Voyages are renowned for connecting guests with the world's most fascinating places while sailing roundtrip from the United States," Beth Bodensteiner, the line’s chief commercial officer, said in a news release . "Our team crafted this itinerary to show guests the parts of Australia and New Zealand they expect to visit, but also included frequently asked for, but rarely visited, ports throughout Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands."

When is Holland America’s Grand Australia and New Zealand voyage?

The cruise will depart on Jan. 4, 2026 aboard the line’s 1,432-guest Zaandam ship.

Where will the cruise sail?

The ship will visit 44 ports in 10 countries. Passengers will make their way to Hawaii first before heading to the South Pacific. The ship will then visit Australia – almost circling the country – and New Zealand, followed by Tonga and French Polynesia on the way back to San Diego.

The itinerary features two days of scenic cruising at the Great Barrier Reef and four late-night departures in Adelaide, Australia and the French Polynesian islands of Moorea, Raiatea and Huahine. Guests will also stay overnight in six ports, including Honolulu, Sydney and Auckland, giving them ample time to explore.

Short vs. long cruises: Which one is right for you?

How much does the cruise cost?

The cruise currently starts at $17,699 per person based on double occupancy, according to Holland America’s website . Travelers who book by June 16, 2025 can get perks like a Surf Wi-Fi package, airport transfers in San Diego, a 3% pay-in-full discount and more thrown in (though they vary by stateroom category).

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Virgin Voyages free cruise winner says prize will cost her $8,000 in flights after Virgin ends Australian cruises

Morgan* won a cruise with Virgin Voyages — but cashing in on the trip would mean having to spend $8,000 on flights, more than the value of the original prize. 

"We definitely don't love Virgin at the moment," she said.

"I think we feel pretty used to be honest."

Morgan won a twin share cruise in November last year.

She was flying Virgin Airlines to her home state of Tasmania after a work trip in Melbourne when she noticed something unusual at the departure gates.

"They had a lot of cameras around, there was dancing … they asked everybody to wear sailor hats when we boarded our flight."

Once on board, the air steward called Virgin boss Richard Branson on Facetime, who announced everybody had won a free Virgin Voyages Cruise.

"We were thrilled," Morgan said.

"Everyone around me was so excited."

Here is how Virgin promoted the event:

Cruise winner left high and dry

Morgan runs a small business, so gathering together savings and taking time away for a holiday for her and her partner is always tough.

"It was just nice … to get us through a bit of a tough year … to know at the end of the year we could take a break and have this free cruise," she said.

The couple used their prize to book a cruise out of Brisbane, but in February this year they were told all of Virgin's Australian cruises had been cancelled because of ongoing tensions in the Red Sea.

Morgan contacted Virgin's public relations team to see whether she could still redeem the prize and was told her only options were to take a cruise out of Europe or the Caribbean.

She discovered two return flights to the Caribbean would cost $8,000, more than the $7,000 value of original prize.

"When I clarified this with Virgin's PR team they stopped responding," she said.

Morgan said she is keen not to appear entitled but points out that "Virgin got precisely what they wanted; a massive amount of media coverage".

"We know this because people sent us messages from all over Australia saying they saw me on the news winning a cruise.

"It feels like they got all the benefits and we got nothing but cancellation fees."

The couple had to change the flights they booked to meet the cruise, at a cost of around $150.

"We were genuinely shocked, we thought Virgin would provide us with an alternative prize like a flight credit … or they would allow us to rebook on a later season," Morgan said.

"They sort of gave up on us … like 'you're a bit of a problem now'.

"It just feels very corporate for a brand that tries not to be very corporate."

A marketing strategy that works

Virgin "relies on winners to become brand ambassadors by sharing their stories with friends, family and social media followers," Dr Balkrushna Potdar, lecturer in marketing at the University of Tasmania, said.

Dr Potdar said while Virgin benefitted from showcasing winners, it was essential the company honoured promises made during the promotion.

He said with the cancellation of Australian cruises, Virgin should provide a replacement prize or compensation — if that doesn't happen, the company risks damage to its brand and people may lose trust in Virgin and see their marketing practice as deceptive.

"The winner's negative experience may become a cautionary tale dissuading potential customers from engaging with the brand," Dr Potdar said.

He said Virgin should consider some form of damage control including a "heartfelt apology" and an offer of compensation.

"This could include covering the cost of flights to Europe or the Caribbean, offering a free cruise credit, providing additional perks and benefits," he said.

Virgin apologises but said safety must come first

In a statement, a Virgin Australia Group spokesperson said "we apologise to our winners who can no longer redeem their prize due to the cancellation of Virgin Voyages' Australian and New Zealand cruises amid the conflict in the Red Sea".

The spokesperson said safety was always its priority.

"We are grateful that Virgin Voyages have offered all impacted guests the opportunity to take complimentary cruises on its other international sailings, including in Europe and the Caribbean."

The value of the replacement cruise is $10,500.

Morgan has described Virgin's response as "tone deaf".

* name has been changed

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