Cruises 2028

Where can you cruise in 2028?

The mix of 2028 sailings spans both the familiar and the far-flung. Close to home, cruises around Australia, the South Pacific and South America give you the Pacific region in depth. Further afield, voyages to Japan, the British Isles and beyond make 2028 one of the widest-ranging years on the books. Most sailings are ocean cruises — see the note on river cruises below for the Viking River Cruises options in the mix. Durations run from short breaks to extended voyages, with a median around 12 nights, so there is something to suit whether you want a defined fortnight or a longer journey.

Close to home — Australia, the South Pacific and South East Asia

For many travellers, the appeal of a 2028 cruise starts closest to home. Australia leads the primary regions in the 2028 mix, followed by South East Asia and the South Pacific — together these three account for a significant share of what is on sale, and they are where demand is clearly concentrated.

Australia

A cruise around Australia in 2028 is exactly what it sounds like: sailing between Australian ports, with no long-haul flight involved at either end. If you live near a departure port, you can board the same day. If you are coming from another state, a short domestic hop is all it takes — still the simplest way to reach a ship. One-way itineraries in this region finish in a different Australian city, so a domestic flight to connect the two is easy to arrange. Our team can book that alongside your cruise. Sailings depart from Sydney and Brisbane, among other ports. If you want to narrow it down by month, Brisbane departures in January 2028 and Brisbane departures in March 2028 each have their own pages. There are also Australia cruises in April 2028 worth exploring, and dedicated listings for 2028 cruises from Sydney, 2028 cruises from Melbourne and 2028 cruises from Perth. For something a little different, cruises around Tasmania in 2028 are also available.

South Pacific

The South Pacific is a natural companion to Australian departures — many voyages sail north or east from an Australian port into Pacific island waters. These itineraries tend to suit anyone who wants warmth, island scenery and a relaxed pace. The Australia and New Zealand combination is also well represented, and New Zealand sailings — including those calling at Auckland — give you two countries in one voyage. Many of these are one-way, finishing either in New Zealand or back in Australia, so connecting flights between the two are straightforward to add.

South East Asia

South East Asia is the second-largest region in the 2028 mix. Singapore features prominently as both a departure and arrival port, and Singapore-to-Australia sailings in 2028 are a popular one-way option — you fly one way and cruise the other. Hong Kong also appears as a disembarkation port. For most Australian travellers, a flight to join the cruise is part of the plan, and our team can book that alongside hotels either side and transfers as a complete Cruise1st Package.

The long haul — Japan, the British Isles, South America and beyond

For those with the time and the appetite for something further afield, 2028 brings a strong selection of long-haul sailings.

Japan

Japan cruises in 2028 are one of the standout long-haul options. Tokyo features as a disembarkation port, and Japan sailings typically combine multiple Japanese ports in one voyage — something that is genuinely difficult to do any other way. These are fly-cruise trips for most Australian travellers, and we can book the flights, hotels and transfers as a single booking. You can explore more on the Japan cruise deals page.

British Isles

The British Isles is the leading European region in the 2028 mix. Dover features as a disembarkation port, and Southampton is one of the main embarkation points in this region — home port for several of the Cunard ships detailed below. If you are planning a British Isles sailing as part of a longer UK or European trip, Cruise1st can combine your cruise with flights from Australia, pre- or post-cruise hotel nights in London or elsewhere, and transfers, all on one booking.

South America

South America sailings in 2028 are a smaller but genuine part of the mix — a long-haul option that suits travellers who want to combine a cruise with the continent. As with other fly-cruise itineraries, our team can arrange the full journey, from your Australian city to the ship and back. Alaska cruises in 2028 are also available for those drawn further north into the Americas.

Transpacific and China

Transpacific crossings and China sailings round out the long-haul options. Transpacific voyages are often one-way, connecting Australia or New Zealand with ports on the US west coast or in Asia, so they pair naturally with a fly-home arrangement — which we can book for you.

Which cruise lines sail in 2028?

The 2028 selection draws on a wide range of lines, from mass-market ocean cruising through to small-ship luxury. Here is who is sailing:

• Viking Cruises — the largest single presence in the 2028 ocean sailing mix, with itineraries across multiple regions
• MSC Cruises — broad global coverage with a strong European programme
• Princess Cruises — significant Australian and Pacific presence, with structured fare tiers (see below)
• Viking River Cruises — river itineraries forming a notable share of the 2028 total; see the river cruise note below
• Holland America Line — strong across Asia, the Pacific and longer voyages
• Celebrity Cruises — well represented from Sydney and across the South Pacific
• Norwegian Cruise Line — sailing across multiple regions with flexible fare options
• Royal Caribbean — South Pacific and Australia and New Zealand itineraries alongside global routes; see Celebrity and Royal Caribbean 2028 sailings for the combined offer
• Silversea Cruises — small-ship luxury across a range of destinations

A note on river cruises

Viking River Cruises accounts for a significant portion of the 2028 total. These are river sailings — European rivers, Asian waterways and others — rather than ocean cruises, and the experience is quite different: smaller ships, closer-to-shore itineraries and a more intimate pace. If you are specifically after an ocean cruise, filter by cruise line to separate the two. If river cruising is what you are after, the Viking River Cruises page has the full selection.

Featured ships for 2028 sailings

Several well-known ships have strong 2028 programmes. Here is what each one offers, so you can match the ship to what matters most to you.

Queen Mary 2 — Cunard

Queen Mary 2 is the world’s only true ocean liner — purpose-built with reinforced hull plating for the open North Atlantic, not adapted from a cruise ship design. That distinction matters: she handles open-ocean conditions differently from any other vessel afloat. On board, she carries the only planetarium at sea: Illuminations projects star shows as you cross the world’s oceans — a genuinely rare experience. The Royal Court Theatre delivers large-scale productions nightly, the Queens Room hosts ballroom dancing, and six speciality restaurants cover everything from a classic grill to casual dining. If you are considering cabin grades or deck plans, the Queen Mary 2 cabins and deck plans page has the full detail.

Queen Elizabeth — Cunard

Queen Elizabeth wears her Art Deco interiors with genuine commitment — chandeliers, a grand lobby and fittings that put you firmly in the golden age of ocean travel rather than in a generic hotel at sea. The dining arrangement is one of the most distinctive afloat: 3 separate restaurants assigned by cabin grade, each with dedicated White Star Service. The Royal Court Theatre runs nightly, the Queens Room hosts ballroom dancing, and deck croquet is a Cunard tradition on every voyage.

Cabin grades on Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth offers a range of cabin grades to suit different budgets and preferences. See the Queen Elizabeth cabins and deck plans page for full details. The main grades, from most affordable to most spacious:

• Britannia Inside cabin Deluxe GB — 19.2 m², sleeping 2. Around 5 m² more generous than the standard inside cabin, giving noticeably more living space at the entry price point.
• Britannia Ocean-view cabin EB — 18.3 m², sleeping 2. A cabin window brings natural daylight and a sea view that inside cabins do not offer.
• Britannia Club Balcony cabin A1 — 24.0 m², sleeping 2. Your own private balcony with a sea view — outdoor space and fresh air that inside and ocean-view guests in the Britannia category do not have.
• Queens Grill Grand Suite Q1 — 127.7 m², sleeping 2, with a private balcony of approximately 90 m². The outdoor space alone is considerably larger than most cabins on the ship, making this the option for two people who want genuine room to spread out at sea.

Nieuw Statendam — Holland America Line

Nieuw Statendam was designed by Adam D. Tihany and Bjørn Storbraaten, and the brief clearly went beyond functional: the main dining room is anchored by a dramatic two-storey Wine Tower, and the ship’s Music Walk brings together Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Billboard Onboard in 3 dedicated live music venues. For dining, the Tamarind pan-Asian restaurant — with its integrated 7-seat sushi bar — has been Holland America’s signature Asian dining venue since 2008.

Cabin grades on Nieuw Statendam

See the Nieuw Statendam cabins and deck plans page for the complete picture. The grades available, from the most affordable inward through to the most exclusive:

• Inside cabin I — from around 13 m², sleeping up to 3. The most affordable category on board, with solid fittings throughout.
• Family outside cabin FA — around 20.6 m², sleeping up to 5, with 2 separate bathrooms (one with bath, one with shower). A practical choice for families travelling with children.
• Spa Balcony cabin VQ — 21.2 m², sleeping up to 3, with a private balcony away from public decks.
• Signature Suite SS — 36.0 m², sleeping up to 3. Located on Deck 7 in a central position with good lift and ship access.
• Pinnacle Suite with hot tub — 120.0 m², sleeping up to 4. The only Pinnacle Suite on board, in the most exclusive deck position on Deck 7, with a hot tub and floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Rotterdam — Holland America Line

Rotterdam carries 150 years of Holland America heritage in her name — she is the sixth Rotterdam in the line’s history and HAL’s newest Pinnacle-class ship. The Music Walk entertainment hub runs the length of the ship: Billboard Piano Bar, Rolling Stone Rock Room and BB King Blues Club give you 3 distinct live music venues under one roof, each with a different character. The Tamarind restaurant brings authentic Southeast Asian cuisine on board — a HAL signature that suits the Asia-Pacific itineraries Rotterdam frequently sails. The Rotterdam cabins and deck plans page covers grades and layouts in full.

Seabourn Ovation — Seabourn

Seabourn Ovation sits at the luxury end of the 2028 selection: an intimate ship built around classical elegance, with complimentary fine dining included throughout your voyage as standard. The standout grade is the Grand Wintergarden Suite GR — approximately 115–120 m², sleeping up to 4, with a private hot tub, a separate bedroom, a generous living area and a full kitchen with bar. At nearly twice the size of the Owner’s Suites on board, it is genuinely a private apartment at sea. For cabin comparisons and deck layouts, see the Seabourn Ovation cabins and deck plans page.

Azura — P&O Cruises

Azura went through a bow-to-stern refresh in 2025 — new restaurants, bars, cabin décor and corridor carpets throughout, so the ship you board in 2028 is a substantially updated one. The dining highlights include Sindhu for modern Indian cuisine, and the Glass House wine bar curated by Olly Smith. Evening entertainment runs from aerial acrobatics in the 800-seat Playhouse theatre to the SeaScreen open-air cinema on deck. The Azura cabins and deck plans page has the cabin detail.

Queen Anne — Cunard

Queen Anne joined the Cunard fleet after Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth, continuing the line’s tradition of large ocean ships. For cabin and deck information, the Queen Anne cabins and deck plans page has full details.

Also sailing in 2028: Viking Mira (see Viking Mira cabins and deck plans), Arvia (see Arvia cabins and deck plans), and EXPLORA V (see EXPLORA V cabins and deck plans).

What fare options are available in 2028?

The fare structure varies by cruise line, and knowing what each tier covers helps you compare prices honestly rather than comparing apples with oranges.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers 3 main fare tiers for its 2028 sailings. The base tier, Princess Standard, covers the cruise itself — extras such as drinks, Wi-Fi and crew appreciation are available to add via the Princess Plus or Princess Premier packages. The Princess Plus package — available as a higher fare tier — includes 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (with a daily limit of 15 drinks), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating. There are also tactical and promotional fare types such as last-minute offers — Cruise1st can advise on what is available. The Princess 2027–2028 season launch page has more on what the line is offering across the period, and you can browse Princess Cruises from Fremantle in 2028 or Crown Princess sailings in 2028 as a starting point.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises structures its fares around 3 tiers. The cruise-only rate gives you the lowest base fare, with extras added later. The mid-tier value fare bundles a classic drinks package and basic Wi-Fi into one price — a practical choice if you know you will use both. At the top, The Retreat covers suite accommodation, premium drinks, premium Wi-Fi, exclusive lounge and sundeck access, private dining and dedicated personal service. For Sydney-based travellers, the Celebrity Edge 2027/2028 sailings from Sydney and Celebrity Edge 2028/2029 sailings from Sydney pages show what is available from your home port.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a base cruise-only fare alongside the Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus packages. The mid-tier Free at Sea adds a beverage package, a speciality dining package, a Wi-Fi package and shore excursion credits per port to the booking for guests 1 and 2. The Free at Sea Plus tier extends this further, applying the dining package to all guests on the booking — the number of meals scales with the voyage length.

Are there 2028 cruises departing from Australian ports?

Yes — Australian departure ports feature in the 2028 mix, with Sydney and Brisbane among those appearing as embarkation points. That said, the majority of 2028 sailings depart from international ports, so most itineraries involve a flight to join the ship. For those that do depart from Australia, the dynamic is straightforward: if you live near the port, you can drive or take a train and board on the day. If you are coming from another state, a short domestic flight is usually all that is needed — and we can add that to your booking alongside any pre-cruise hotel night or transfer. One-way itineraries finishing in another Australian port are equally simple to connect: a domestic flight brings you home, and we can book it as part of the same package.

For port-specific options, see cruises from Sydney, cruises from Brisbane, and the dedicated pages for 2028 cruises from Melbourne and 2028 cruises from Perth. Cruise deals from Brisbane in 2028 covers discounted departures specifically.

How do we make your 2028 cruise a complete holiday?

Most 2028 sailings involve a flight — to Southampton for a British Isles voyage, to Singapore for a South East Asia departure, to Tokyo for a Japan itinerary. That is not a complication; it is an opportunity to build a better trip. Cruise1st can add flights from your Australian city, hotels the night before you board and the night after you disembark, transfers between airport and ship, tours at ports of call, and travel insurance — all as a single Cruise1st Package on one booking.

Our Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week to help you compare ships, work out which cabin grade suits your plans, and decide whether a fare that includes drinks and Wi-Fi actually saves you money versus adding them later. That is the kind of detail that is hard to work out from a website alone — and it is why booking with a specialist pays off. Our Best Price Guarantee means you are not giving anything up by calling us rather than booking direct.

For a New Year sailing to start 2028 in style, the New Year 2028 cruises page has dedicated options.

Planning ahead — or looking at the year before?

If you are still deciding between years, there are options on either side. For 2027 departures, the main cruise search covers all years and regions. If you know roughly when you want to travel but want to compare seasons, browsing by month is often the quickest way to find the right sailing. Specific 2027 pages worth checking include Easter 2027 cruises from Sydney, Princess Cruises from Brisbane in 2027, Singapore to Sydney cruises in 2027, Christmas cruises 2027 in Australia, and Royal Caribbean Christmas 2027 in Australia. For 2028 specifically, the full range of regions and lines on sale starts at A$228 pp*.

If the Caribbean is on your list, the Caribbean cruises 2028 page covers those itineraries, and all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises in 2028 are a separate option for European sailings. Asia cruises in 2028 brings together the full Asian region for those looking beyond Japan alone. For those interested in Carnival specifically, the Carnival Cruises 2028 page has what is available, and Sydney to Hawaii cruises in 2027 is worth checking if a Pacific crossing appeals for the earlier year.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.