In the case of cruising, Australia and New Zealand are sometimes intertwined right into a single crusing — these two nations have a complementary relationship, providing a various array of sights and experiences. Plus, their relative geographic proximity makes it handy to examine each of those bucket checklist locations off your checklist concurrently, creating one unforgettable trip.
Australia’s attract lies in its vastness and selection. From the long-lasting Sydney Opera Home to the sun-kissed seashores of the Gold Coast and the traditional marvel of the Nice Barrier Reef, Australia delivers an approachable mixture of city sophistication and uncooked wilderness.
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Equally, New Zealand captivates cruisers with its cinematic surroundings. Lively shore excursions that includes mountain climbing, bungee leaping and kayaking get your coronary heart racing, whereas Maori cultural excursions add a depth and richness to your go to.
Aussie and Kiwi splendors await aboard these eight finest cruises to Australia and New Zealand. We selected choices that fluctuate in size, ports of name and value, so everybody can discover their very own Down Beneath dream cruise.
Azamara’s 16-night New Zealand & Australia Voyage
Tick a number of Australasian highlights off your checklist with this one-off 16-night New Zealand & Australia Voyage from Azamara in February 2025 aboard the 702-passenger Azamara Pursuit. Starting in Auckland, the ship will wind its means round New Zealand earlier than heading to Tasmania (with an in a single day keep in Hobart) and as much as Melbourne and Sydney. Shore excursions will maintain passengers busy throughout two-plus weeks with solely three sea days. Strive a trek by means of Hastings Collapse Tasmania, a dip in a thermal pool within the rainforest or a wine tasting in Waipara Valley.
Who ought to go: Golf lovers will probably be particularly eager to hop on this cruise, because it’s a part of Azamara’s golf program by PerryGolf. Add this to your reserving and get in six rounds all through the crusing (together with at Terrey Hills, Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers). For a lot of vacationers, Azamara represents a very good worth, with included gratuities, drinks and self-service laundry. Fares begin at $3,744 per individual.
Seabourn’s 10-night Kimberley Expedition: Waterfalls & Wandjinas cruise
As one of many world’s most treasured wilderness areas, the Kimberley is dwelling to Precambrian rocks, rugged and various panorama with mangroves and savannas, and the oldest dwelling tradition on this planet. It is no marvel cruises listed below are extremely coveted, as is the case with Seabourn’s 10-night Kimberley expeditions in 2025.
This itinerary begins in Darwin and every of the 9 port stops gives a wide selection of excursions designed to deeply entrench passengers into the locale. Many are guided Zodiac expeditions with naturalists to see waterfalls, wildlife and native methods of life.
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Who ought to go: Vacationers in search of an expensive expertise in one of the crucial distant locations on the planet will admire the 264-passenger all-suite Seabourn Pursuit, the most recent expedition vessel in Seabourn’s fleet. The yacht-like ship is tricked out with two custom-built submarines, 24 Zodiacs and eight double sea kayaks. The onboard professional Expedition Workforce helps information up-close wildlife encounters and cultural experiences, together with a go to with native pearl trade farmers and an exploration of the traditional Wandjina-style rock artwork in Cyclone Cave.
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Holland America’s 13-night Australia and New Zealand cruise
Holland America’s Australia and New Zealand itinerary gives one of the best of two nations over the course of two weeks, with two departures in 2025. Leaving from Sydney, the 1,964-passenger Westerdam stops in Melbourne, Australia; Hobart, Tasmania; and Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland, New Zealand. It additionally spends a day cruising the Fjordland Nationwide Park, the place you are prone to see seals, dolphins, whales and a uncommon chicken referred to as the flightless takahe.
Notable excursions embody a go to to the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary with koalas, kangaroos and platypus; UNESCO World Heritage website Mt. Subject Nationwide Park (Tasmania’s oldest nationwide park, that includes a eucalyptus rainforest and waterfalls) and the neo-Gothic Larnach fort, with its stunning gardens.
Who ought to go: This cruise is a improbable deal for budget-conscious vacationers craving to journey to the land Down Beneath — fares begin at simply $1,159 per individual for 2 weeks, however you may have to put up with a windowless cabin for 13 nights. Westerdam gives actions and sights for all ages, together with a children membership for youngsters ages 3 to 17, pickleball, trivia contests and dwell music.
Cunard’s 30-night Australia Circumnavigation cruise
On the lookout for a complete Australia-focused cruise and have time to spare? Do this one-time monthlong itinerary from Cunard aboard the two,081-passenger Queen Elizabeth in fall 2024. The ship sails round-trip from Sydney to 11 Australia ports and even makes a bonus cease in Bali about midway by means of the cruise.
Anticipate excursions of Whitsunday Islands and the gorgeous sands and turquoise waters of Airlie Seaside, a day spent sightseeing in tropical Cairns, a go to to the distant northern shores of Darwin, wildlife sightings in rural Adelaide and marsupial recognizing on the Tasmanian Satan Conservation Park. This cruise has a number of night departures to profit from every day in port.
Who ought to go: With fares beginning at $6,039 per individual, this cruise is not cheap, however we predict it is a stable worth for the size of the journey (about $200 per day). Cunard caters to a extra subtle traveler, one who performs croquet on the Video games Deck in between stops, marvels on the leisure within the Royal Courtroom Theatre, indulges in conventional afternoon tea and clothes up for black-tie gala evenings.
Viking’s 14-night Australia & New Zealand cruise
Cruise Australia and New Zealand with Viking for an adults-only voyage with a give attention to schooling and exploration. The 930-passenger Viking Orion and Viking Venus every provide quite a few sailings by means of 2026.
Your journey begins with two days in Sydney, the place you are docked at one of the crucial stunning harbors on this planet. Subsequent, head to the cultural capital of the nation, Melbourne, earlier than transferring on to sail by means of the scenic islands of Bass Straight and dock in Tasmania’s capital (Hobart) to view its uncommon wildlife.
As soon as in New Zealand, on the second half of this journey, stops in Christchurch, Wellington, Napier and Auckland showcase this nation’s most wonderous landmarks. Non-obligatory pre- and post-cruise extensions present a couple of extra days to discover the area since you have already made such an extended journey.
Who ought to go: Viking’s ocean ships carry roughly 900 passengers, making them a horny dimension for vacationers who need a smaller ship expertise with out sacrificing any of the facilities they love on huge ships, together with a health middle, Nordic spa, a number of eating places and well-appointed cabins. Viking’s inclusive pricing can also be engaging, with complimentary shore excursions, Wi-Fi, beer and wine, to not point out different eating at no additional cost. Fares begin at $5,999 per individual.
Princess Cruises’ 14-night New Zealand crusing
Cruisers who’ve their sights set primarily on New Zealand will love Princess Cruises’ 14-day itinerary. It begins and ends in Sydney, however the remainder of the time is cut up between exploring quite a few New Zealand ports and having fun with stress-free sea days.
Journey to Center Earth on a Lord of the Rings tour in Christchurch or take the long-lasting Wellington cable automotive up 390 ft to a scenic overlook that’ll take your breath away. You may join with Maori tradition in Tauranga, head underground into the Kawiti Caves to see the splendor of hundreds of glow worms in Bay of Islands and sip your means alongside the Auckland Wine Path.
Who ought to go: Princess does an distinctive job of constructing New Zealand accessible to these with a modest price range — fares begin at $778 per individual. The three,080-passenger Crown Princess gives a number of sailings in 2025, with extra sailings accessible by means of 2026 on the three,560-passenger Royal Princess and three,660-passenger Discovery Princess. Onboard, you may discover no scarcity of restaurant choices, plus a sports activities court docket arrange for volleyball and basketball, a number of swimming pools and scorching tubs, miniature golf and a on line casino. Youth and teenage packages maintain touring children busy with age-appropriate actions and dwell animal experiences.
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Celeb’s 9-night Australia Wine cruise
Australia is thought for a lot of fantastic issues, however for a lot of, winemaking tops the checklist — shiraz dominates the pink class, because of the local weather and soil within the area. Celeb Cruises gives passengers an ideal pairing with its Australia Wine cruise that runs round-trip from Sydney in December 2024.
In Hobart, Tasmania, discover wine nation and deal with your self to among the finest contemporary oysters on this planet. Adelaide (thought of the wine capital of Australia) excursions embody a journey into the McLaren Vale or Barossa Valley wine-growing area for a tasting accompanied by lunch. In Melbourne, spend a day with wallabies and wine within the Yarra Valley.
Throughout 4 days at sea, you’ll be able to maintain the wine flowing with a go to to the Sundown Bar for a glass of your favourite vino whereas watching the solar dip under the horizon. Or e-book dinner at Eden Restaurant to get pleasure from globally influenced dishes which you could pair along with your favourite wines from an intensive checklist.
Who ought to go: A wine-themed cruise attracts the eye of vacationers with a extra subtle palate, and a couple of,908-passenger Celeb Edge delivers an equally refined trip with such facilities because the Magic Carpet (a floating lounge cantilevered above the ocean), an adults-only Solarium and a 25-yard lap pool (the most important within the fleet). With fares beginning at $1,099, this crusing would possibly appeal to youthful {couples} in search of a very good worth on a shorter crusing.
Norwegian’s 12-night Australia & New Zealand: Auckland & Melbourne cruise
Whereas many cruises to this area provide a good quantity of sea days, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Australian & New Zealand: Auckland & Melbourne itinerary maximizes your time on land. You may go to 10 ports in 12 days for this one-off crusing in 2026, which implies the one two sea days land in the midst of the journey, once you’re prepared for somewhat rest.
Starting in Auckland, Norwegian Spirit will make its means round New Zealand to Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Lyttleton and Dunedin. You may additionally go to Uncertain Sound, Dusky Sound and Milford Sound — huge fjords which are dwelling to waterfalls, marine life and plush rainforest. The primary Australian cease is Melbourne, adopted by Eden and Sydney. From Lord of the Rings excursions and four-wheel safaris to gondola rides and a go to to a Maori tribe’s fortified settlement, the tour choices are nicely rounded with choices for all tastes.
Who ought to go: The two,032-passenger Norwegian Spirit will appeal to these in search of a ship with a contemporary vibe, because it was reworked in 2022. The $100 million facelift is clear within the expanded spa, new eating venues and lounges (together with a cigar bar), an adults-only retreat and an expanded health middle. Fares begin at $1,899 per individual.
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