Cruises from Australia 2028

Where do 2028 cruises from Australia sail?

Australia’s cruise season in 2028 covers everything from short getaways to epic voyages spanning several months. The great majority of sailings head to destinations within the region — Australian coastal itineraries, the South Pacific, New Zealand and the combined Australia and New Zealand run — while a strong group of longer departures cross the Pacific or venture into Southeast Asia and beyond. If you are browsing all cruises or want to narrow things down, the sections below lay out where each group actually goes and which ships are sailing it.

Close to home — Australia, the Pacific and New Zealand

The biggest share of 2028 sailings keeps Australia itself front and centre. Coastal itineraries hug the continent’s eastern and western seaboards, calling at ports that range from compact town harbours to major cities. If you live close to a departure port, you drive or take a train to the ship and that is it — no airport, no check-in queue, no jet lag. If you are travelling from interstate, a short domestic hop is all it takes to reach the berth, which still makes the embarkation easier than flying to a foreign hub.

For a cruise around Australia in 2028, sailings depart most frequently from Sydney, with Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (Fremantle) all featuring as embarkation points too. The variety of home ports means that, wherever you are based, an Australian sailing is rarely far away.

The South Pacific is the natural next step — warm-water island itineraries running from a week to a fortnight, departing mainly from Sydney and Brisbane. New Zealand sailings are another popular choice, whether as a stand-alone voyage or as part of a combined Australia and New Zealand itinerary that threads through ports on both sides of the Tasman Sea. Many of these run one-way between an Australian embarkation and Auckland — or in reverse — so if you are finishing in Auckland rather than at home, we can book the domestic connection and any hotel nights either side as part of a single Cruise1st Package.

Polynesia adds a further flavour for travellers who want to reach further into the Pacific. Itineraries here are longer, typically two weeks or more, and suited to anyone who wants genuinely remote ports of call rather than the well-trodden island routes.

Also worth exploring: New Zealand cruises in 2028 is a dedicated page if that destination is your main focus, and there is a full listing of 2028 cruises around Tasmania for anyone drawn to the southern end of the continent.

The long haul — Transpacific crossings and beyond

For travellers with more time, Transpacific sailings offer one of the great ocean passages. These voyages cross the Pacific on repositioning or full-crossing itineraries, typically running for three weeks or more, and are often one-way by nature — finishing at a port on the far side of the ocean. We can arrange flights home and any hotels around the voyage so the whole trip is on one booking.

East Asia and Southeast Asia itineraries give a different kind of long-haul option: cultural port calls, warm weather and a very different pace from the South Pacific. Singapore features as both an embarkation point and a finishing port on several of these sailings, which makes it straightforward to pair the cruise with a few nights in the city. Our team can add those hotel nights and the flights from Australia at the same time. If you are considering a cruise that starts or finishes in Singapore, see also the dedicated cruise from Singapore to Australia 2028 page.

For those with the longest horizons, round-the-world sailings are also available in the 2028 season, with itineraries calling at ports across multiple continents. These voyages typically run for two months or more and combine regions that would otherwise require several separate trips.

Heading further afield? There is also a Mediterranean cruises 2028 page for anyone considering a European voyage alongside their Australian options, and a dedicated all-inclusive 2028 Mediterranean cruises page for those who want everything covered in the fare.

Which cruise lines sail from Australia in 2028?

Princess Cruises carries the most departures, with a broad range of itineraries from Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle. Carnival Cruise Line is the second most active line, offering a strong mix of family-friendly ships based in Sydney and Brisbane. Celebrity Cruises brings its premium edge-class product to the Australian market with sailings from Sydney. Royal Caribbean adds its well-known ships to the mix, while Cunard and Azamara contribute a smaller but distinctive selection of departures suited to travellers who want a more refined or destination-focused experience.

Each line positions itself differently. Princess suits cruisers who want a wide range of itineraries with strong included value through its fare tiers. Carnival is the go-to for active families and groups who want entertainment and dining variety as a core part of the voyage. Celebrity appeals to those who want a step up in cabin design and dining quality. Royal Caribbean brings its large-ship features — from multi-deck entertainment venues to adventure activities — to the Australian season. Cunard delivers its signature formal atmosphere and white-glove service, and Azamara concentrates on longer stays in fewer ports so you actually spend time ashore.

Looking for the Princess 2027–2028 season launch in detail? Or specifically Princess Cruises from Fremantle in 2028? Both have their own dedicated pages.

Which ships are sailing from Australia in 2028?

Several well-known ships make up the bulk of the 2028 programme. Below are the ships with the most sailings and the features that set each one apart.

Grand Princess — Princess Cruises

Grand Princess carries the most sailings of any single ship in the 2028 season, departing from both Brisbane and Sydney. The specialty dining lineup is anchored by Crown Grill, which USA Today named the best cruise steakhouse, and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. MedallionClass® OceanNow® delivery means you can order food, drinks and services to wherever you happen to be on the ship — deck, cabin or lounge — via the Princess app. And Movies Under the Stars® gives you a giant poolside screen with free popcorn and blankets for evenings at sea. Princess Plus and Princess Premier fare tiers build drinks, Wi-Fi and dining credits into the price if you want everything covered upfront.

Cabin grades on Grand Princess:

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m², sleeps 4, positioned on middle decks with central access to lifts and ship facilities
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m², sleeps 4, floor-to-ceiling panoramic window with unobstructed sea views
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m², sleeps 4, floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors and an open-plan feel
• Grand Suite S1 with private hot tub — 67.8 m², sleeps 4, the largest suite on board with considerably more space than any other suite category

For a full look at deck layouts and cabin positions, see the Grand Princess cabins and deck plans.

Celebrity Edge — Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Edge brings a genuinely different ship design to the Australian season. The Magic Carpet — the world’s first cantilevered floating platform — ascends 16 storeys up the hull and operates as a bar, restaurant or dive deck depending on the day. Infinite Veranda staterooms remove the dividing wall between cabin and balcony, so the fresh ocean air is always present without the wind of an open balcony. Le Petit Chef runs an animated 3D dinner experience, and Eden’s three-level live-performance venue gives the evening a character you will not find on a conventional stage. For Celebrity Edge sailings from Sydney in 2027–2028 or the full Celebrity Edge 2028–2029 schedule from Sydney, dedicated pages carry the detail.

Cabin grades on Celebrity Edge:

• Deluxe Inside cabin DI — 18.8 m², sleeps 4, around 2 m² more space than standard inside cabins with a larger bathroom and increased storage
• Deluxe Ocean-view cabin DO — 22.1 m², sleeps 4, the most spacious sea-view cabin in its category
• Sunset Veranda Stateroom SV — 21.2 m², sleeps 4, with the largest balcony of any standard veranda cabin at approximately 8.3 m²
• Iconic Suite IC with private hot tub — 239.8 m², sleeps 6, the largest suite in the Celebrity fleet with 270° panoramic views from above the bridge

See the Celebrity Edge cabins and deck plans to compare layouts before you book.

Carnival Adventure — Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Adventure is homeported in Sydney and pitches itself firmly at families and active travellers. The EDGE Adventure Park towers above the deck and packs zip-lining, rock climbing, abseiling and a flying fox into a single outdoor complex. Dining covers serious ground — Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi and a Blanc de Blanc Uncorked cabaret make evening choices genuinely interesting. Camp Ocean takes children aged 2–11, Circle C covers tweens and Club O2 runs the teen programme, while adults looking for quiet time have the Serenity Retreat and Cloud 9 Spa. Short sailings from Sydney start from A$387 pp* for an inside cabin, making this one of the more accessible entry points in the 2028 season.

Cabin grades on Carnival Adventure:

• Inside cabin 4A — 15 m², sleeps 4, with a walk-in wardrobe and generous storage for longer voyages
• Ocean-view cabin with Porthole PT — 15 m², sleeps 4, two round portholes bring natural light to quieter lower decks
• Balcony cabin 8A — 16 m², sleeps 4, private balcony with glass folding door for direct outdoor access
• Byron Beach Club Presidential Suite SB — 58 m², sleeps 4, a flagship suite more than twice the size of standard balcony cabins with an expansive balcony, dressing area and deluxe bathroom

Full deck layout and cabin positions are on the Carnival Adventure cabins and deck plans page.

Carnival Splendor — Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Splendor is Sydney’s other Carnival ship and brings a retractable-roof midship pool that keeps things going regardless of the weather. The Green Lightning waterslide and WaterWorks™ waterpark give families something to aim for each sea day. Guy’s Burger Joint and Masala Tiger join Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse in a dining lineup that covers most tastes. The Cloud 9 Spa™ features Thalassotherapy pools and thermal suites, and the Serenity Retreat gives adults a quieter corner of the ship. The Carnival Splendor cabins and deck plans page has full grade detail.

Royal Princess — Princess Cruises

Royal Princess carries one of the most striking structural features at sea: the SeaWalk, an 18-metre glass-bottomed walkway that hovers 40 metres above the ocean. The view down through the glass floor is not something you soon forget. MedallionClass OceanNow on-demand delivery operates across the entire ship, and Crown Grill and Sabatini’s anchor the specialty dining alongside the 24-hour International Café for around-the-clock eating. Check the Royal Princess cabins and deck plans for cabin grades and sizes, and the Crown Princess 2028 page if you are also considering her sister ship.

Carnival Encounter — Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Encounter is based in Brisbane and is particularly well set up for families. Its own EDGE Adventure Park delivers zip-lining, rock climbing, a flying fox and cargo-net racing in a single deck-top complex. Camp Ocean (ages 2–11), Circle C and Club O2 keep children and teens engaged throughout the voyage, while Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi Express and a Blanc de Blanc Uncorked cabaret headline the adult entertainment. For January 2028 sailings from Brisbane or March 2028 departures from Brisbane, there are dedicated pages to browse. The Carnival Encounter cabins and deck plans page carries the full grade breakdown.

Also sailing in 2028: Anthem of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas from Royal Caribbean, Carnival Luminosa, and Norwegian Spirit — each with their own cabin and deck-plan pages for Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Carnival Luminosa and Norwegian Spirit.

What fare types are available on 2028 sailings?

Fare structures vary meaningfully between cruise lines, and getting this right at booking makes a bigger difference than many travellers expect.

Princess Cruises fare tiers

Princess operates 3 main tiers. The base Princess Standard fare covers the cruise itself; drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities are added on. Princess Plus bundles four casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (up to 15 per day), MedallionNet® Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photos and 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating into one per-person price. Princess Premier adds further inclusions on top. Fare types such as early-booking offers and last-minute deals also appear throughout the season — our team can advise which is available on the sailing you are considering.

Celebrity Cruises fare tiers

Celebrity offers a cruise-only rate (Best Rate) for those who want the lowest base fare and to add inclusions later. The Best Value tier wraps a classic drinks package and basic Wi-Fi into the fare. At the top, The Retreat covers suite accommodation, a premium drinks package, premium Wi-Fi, an exclusive lounge and sundeck, private dining and dedicated personal service — all in one price. This is the tier to look at if the Iconic Suite on Celebrity Edge interests you.

Royal Caribbean fare types

Royal Caribbean’s base cruise fare gives you the sailing itself. Fare types such as last-minute offers and early-booking bonuses are available on select sailings, along with solo occupancy fares for single travellers — a useful option given that solo-traveller cruising from Australia is a growing segment and not every line handles it well.

Are there discounted 2028 cruises from Australia?

Discounts on 2028 sailings run up to 39% off the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing — though one sailing accounts for that maximum, and most reduced fares sit around 6% off. The Best Price Guarantee means that if you find a lower price elsewhere after booking with Cruise1st, we will match it. Reduced fares apply across a broad range of itineraries and lines, so it is worth checking the current price on any sailing you are considering, because availability and pricing both shift regularly.

Which ports can I sail from?

Sydney is by a significant margin the busiest embarkation port in the 2028 season, accounting for the large majority of departures. The White Bay Cruise Terminal in Sydney also handles a smaller number of sailings alongside the main Circular Quay berths. Brisbane is the second-busiest port, with a strong Carnival and Princess presence. Melbourne, Perth (Fremantle), and Adelaide each offer a more compact selection, covering coastal and South Pacific itineraries from their respective state capitals.

• Sydney — the largest departure hub, with sailings from Princess, Carnival, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean
• Brisbane — strong Carnival and Princess presence, particularly good for South Pacific and coastal itineraries
• Melbourne — a smaller selection covering coastal and Tasman Sea routes
• Adelaide — niche departures well suited to West Australian and South Australian itineraries
• Perth (Fremantle) — Princess in particular runs dedicated 2028 sailings from Fremantle, useful for Western Australian travellers who would otherwise need a cross-country flight to reach an eastern port

If you are not based near any of these cities, a short domestic flight connects most Australian capitals to the nearest departure port. We can include that domestic leg, plus any pre-cruise hotel night, in your booking.

What’s included in a 2028 cruise from Australia?

What your fare actually covers depends on the line and tier you choose, so it is worth understanding the differences before you commit. At one end, a base fare from Princess or Celebrity gives you the cabin and the voyage — meals in the main dining rooms are always included, and activities like the pools, theatre and deck spaces come as standard. At the other end, Princess Plus wraps drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities into a single per-person daily rate, which removes the bill-at-the-end uncertainty that catches some cruisers off guard. Celebrity’s The Retreat tier goes further, adding suite accommodation, premium drinks, private dining and a dedicated sundeck to a fully bundled price.

All-inclusive fares are available across 84 sailings in the 2028 season, covering a wide spread of lines and itineraries. If you want everything covered in one number, that is a straightforward filter to apply when you search.

Our team can also pull together a Cruise1st Package that adds flights, pre- or post-cruise hotels, transfers and tours to the cruise itself — so the entire trip from your front door to the gangway and back is on one booking, one price and one point of contact.

Why book with Cruise1st?

Cruise1st is a cruise specialist, not a generalist travel agent. Every booking is a cruise or a cruise-inclusive package, which means the team knows the product in detail — which cabin grades on Grand Princess suit couples wanting more light, what the difference between Princess Standard and Princess Plus means in practice for a 12-night voyage, or which Carnival ship suits a family with teenagers and younger children at the same time.

Our Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week — before you book, not only after. The Best Price Guarantee covers you if you find a lower price for the same sailing and cabin grade elsewhere. And if you want flights, hotels, transfers, tours or insurance added to your cruise, we put it all on one booking. That is what separates a specialist from booking direct with the cruise line, where everything outside the ship is left for you to arrange separately.

One-way vs round-trip sailings in 2028

Roughly half the 2028 sailings from Australia are one-way and half are round-trips, which is an important distinction when you are planning. A round-trip brings you back to the same port you left from — straightforward if you drove to the terminal or parked nearby. A one-way voyage finishes at a different city, which gives you more flexibility in how you use the trip: you could cruise from Sydney to Auckland and fly home, or sail from Brisbane to Fremantle and take the train back east. We can book the return leg — domestic flight, hotel or otherwise — as part of the same package so nothing is left unresolved.

If a one-way transpacific or Southeast Asian voyage interests you, the return journey from a foreign port is something we handle regularly. Our team can add the international flight home and any hotels either side of the cruise to the same booking.

How long are the 2028 cruises from Australia?

Voyage lengths range from 2 nights to 96 nights, with the median sitting at 12 nights — a comfortable fortnight that suits most annual leave allowances. Short sailings of 2–5 nights are a good fit for a long weekend or a first cruise. The 10–14 night range is the core of the Australian season and covers most South Pacific, New Zealand and coastal itineraries in full. Longer sailings of 3 weeks or more move into transpacific crossings and round-the-world voyages, where the journey itself is as much of the point as any individual port.

New Year and special occasion sailings

Sydney is one of the world’s most celebrated places to see in the new year, and several 2028 departures are timed around key dates in the calendar. If you are considering a voyage that coincides with a particular occasion, the New Year 2028 cruises page carries the relevant options. For sailings that straddle the end of 2027 and the start of 2028, the Christmas 2027 Australia cruise page is worth checking too — departures in late December often continue into January.

Related 2028 cruise searches

If you know which line or destination you want, these pages take you directly to a narrower result:

• Princess Cruises 2027–2028 season launch — the full Princess programme for this period
• Princess Cruises from Fremantle 2028 — Western Australia departures
• Carnival Cruises 2028 — the complete Carnival listing for the year
• Celebrity Edge 2028–2029 from Sydney — Celebrity’s flagship ship on the Australian run
• Cruise around Australia 2028 — coastal voyages staying within Australian waters
• Cruise from Singapore to Australia 2028 — one-way Southeast Asian crossings
• New Zealand cruises 2028 — Tasman and New Zealand-focused itineraries
• Cruises from Brisbane January 2028 and March 2028 — month-specific Brisbane departures
• Asia cruises 2028 — Southeast and East Asian itineraries
• Alaska cruises 2028 — for transpacific voyages continuing to Alaska
• All 2028 cruises — the full Cruise1st 2028 inventory across all markets
• Cruises from Australia — all years — the broader hub if you are not fixed on 2028
• Cruises from Australia — the parent page covering all departure dates
• 2028 cruises around Tasmania — southern itineraries including Tasmanian ports
• Easter 2027 cruises from Sydney — if you are also considering a 2027 departure
• Christmas cruises to New Zealand — festive-season Tasman crossings
• Cruises from Brisbane 2027 — the 2027 Brisbane programme for comparison
• Princess Cruises from Brisbane 2027 — Princess-specific Brisbane sailings in the neighbouring 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.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.