March cruises 2027up to -50%

Where do March cruises go?

March is one of the broadest months in the cruising calendar. Sailings concentrate in the Caribbean, South East Asia and Japan, with solid representation across Australia, South America, the Western Caribbean and the Western Mediterranean. Durations range from short four-night breaks up to extended voyages, and a good share of sailings are one-way — so the itinerary starts in one city and ends in another, with a domestic or international flight connecting the two. Our team can book that onward leg at the same time.

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

If you’d rather keep the journey simple, March has options that need no long-haul flight at all. Australian sailings depart from ports including Sydney and Brisbane. If you’re local to either port, you can drive or take the train straight to the terminal. If you’re flying in from another state, it’s a short domestic hop — still a far easier run than getting to a European or Caribbean embarkation port.

South East Asia

South East Asia is one of the strongest regions in the March mix. Sailings fan out across the region, with Singapore among the popular starting points. These itineraries suit travellers who want somewhere genuinely different without the long transit to Europe or the Americas. Because most of these sailings need an international flight to reach the embarkation port, we can bundle flights, a hotel the night before, transfers and even tours as part of a Cruise1st Package — one booking, one price, no loose ends.

Australia and the South Pacific

Australian coastal sailings and South Pacific itineraries are both well represented in March. Roundtrip voyages leave you back where you started — useful if you’re flying in — while one-way sailings link Australian cities, so you could fly into Sydney and disembark in Brisbane (or the reverse), which is a practical way to see more of the country. We’ll sort the return leg for you.

Long haul — the Caribbean, Japan, Transatlantic and the Americas

The majority of March sailings head to the other side of the world, and the Caribbean leads the way. Japan is the standout destination for travellers who want something culturally immersive. South America, the Transatlantic route, Central America and the Western Mediterranean add more options for those who want a longer journey as part of the trip.

Caribbean

The Caribbean is where the biggest concentration of March sailings sits. Embarkation ports in Florida — including Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) — serve the greatest number of departures. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are about half an hour apart, so it’s worth checking both for dates and prices: the right sailing might leave from either terminal. Most Caribbean itineraries from Florida require a flight from Australia, so our team can add return flights, a pre-cruise hotel night and transfers as a complete package from the start.

Japan

Japan is a remarkable destination for a March sailing. Tokyo features as both an embarkation and a disembarkation port, so itineraries can be structured with a few days in the city at either end. Japan’s cruise season is well served in March, with a range of voyage lengths to suit both those who want a taster and those who want to go deep. Flights, hotels and transfers in Japan can all be arranged alongside your cruise through Cruise1st.

South America and Transatlantic

South American sailings give you some of the longest and most varied voyages in the March programme — great for experienced cruisers who want a genuinely extended trip. Transatlantic crossings also sail in March, typically repositioning ships between the Americas and Europe. Many of these are one-way, finishing in a European port, so flights home from there are a natural add-on that we can book for you.

Which cruise lines sail in March 2027?

MSC Cruises is the most popular line this month by volume, with a wide range of ships and itineraries. Viking River Cruises has equal representation and suits travellers who want a more intimate, culturally focused experience. Royal Caribbean brings large-ship energy with extensive onboard facilities. Carnival Cruise Lines offers a lively, value-driven option across multiple itineraries. Princess Cruises covers the middle ground well — premium without being ultra-luxury — and the Princess 2027–2028 season has a solid March programme. Viking Cruises rounds out the ocean fleet with its destination-led approach. Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line and AmaWaterways also have March departures.

A closer look at the ships

Several ships stand out in the March 2027 programme. Here is what each one actually offers, so you can judge whether the onboard experience fits the kind of holiday you have in mind.

Azura — P&O Cruises

Azura went through a bow-to-stern refresh in 2025, covering new restaurants, bars, cabin décor and updated corridors throughout the ship. The dining highlight is Sindhu, which serves modern Indian cuisine, and the Glass House wine bar curated by TV personality Olly Smith — a genuinely distinctive combination you won’t find on every ship. The 800-seat Playhouse theatre stages West End-quality aerial acrobatics, and the SeaScreen open-air cinema on deck makes sea days feel distinctly different. Cabin grades on Azura run from interior through to suite:

• Larger Inside Cabin OB (15 m², sleeps 2) — located exclusively on Riviera Deck, which makes it easy to get your bearings quickly and navigate to the rest of the ship.
• Sea View Cabin LB (15 m², sleeps 2) — everything the inside cabin offers, plus an unobstructed outlook onto the water and natural daylight.
• Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin DA (29 m², sleeps 2) — your own outdoor space, with sea air and open views that no inside or sea-view cabin can match.
• Penthouse Suite A1 (69 m², sleeps 2) — the largest suite on Azura, with a full separate lounge area and significantly more living space than any standard suite category.

Check Azura’s cabin grades and deck plans to see which grade works best for your sailing.

MSC Musica — MSC Cruises

MSC Musica is a 294-metre Musica-class ship that underwent a refit in 2024. Its centrepiece is a three-tiered waterfall atrium that gives the ship a dramatic focal point from the moment you board. The La Scala Theatre seats 1,200 guests for Broadway-style shows featuring song, dance and acrobatics — one of the larger entertainment spaces at sea. Dining runs from the Kaito Sushi Bar and Butcher’s Cut steakhouse through to the exclusive MSC Yacht Club, which operates as a private restaurant and lounge within the ship. Cabin grades:

• Inside cabin Bella I1 (14 m², sleeps 4) — 4 m² larger than the smallest inside option, so noticeably more comfortable without paying for a window.
• Ocean-view cabin Bella O1 with obstructed view (16 m², sleeps 4) — a window cabin at a more accessible price point; the view is partially obstructed by lifeboats but you still get natural light.
• Aurea Suite S3 (28 m², balcony, sleeps 5) — good for families or groups of up to 5, with the extra space that comes with a balcony grade.
• Super family Balcony cabin FLA (40 m², sleeps 4) — at 40 m², more than twice the footprint of a standard balcony cabin; well suited to families or longer voyages.
• MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite (47 m², sleeps 4) — a separate living area and dining room, all within the ship’s private Yacht Club enclave with butler service.

Browse MSC Musica’s cabins and deck plans for a full layout.

MSC Seaview — MSC Cruises

MSC Seaview was purpose-built for sun seekers. It carries over 13,000 m² of open deck — the highest ratio of outdoor space in the MSC fleet — and wraps a 360° glass-railed Waterfront Promenade around the entire ship on Decks 7 and 8, giving you an unobstructed sea view at every turn. The Aqua Park has 5 waterslides, and the onboard zip line — at 120 metres, the longest currently sailing — is a genuine draw for families and thrill seekers alike. Cabin grades:

• Premium Inside Cabin Fantastica (28 m², sleeps 5) — at 28 m², twice the size of the standard deluxe inside cabins and a genuine living space rather than just a sleeping room.
• Ocean-view cabin Bella (17 m², sleeps 4) — 17 m² with a window; brighter and roomier than the standard ocean-view grade.
• Grand Suite Wellness SEW (58 m², balcony, sleeps 5) — the largest in the wellness category, with a 21 m² balcony and space for up to 5 guests.
• Super Family cabin Plus FLP (84 m², sleeps 10) — the largest family cabin on board, with a living area and separate sleeping zones across 84 m².
• MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite (62 m², sleeps 4) — a separate bedroom and living room across 62 m², more than twice the size of a standard suite, with exclusive Yacht Club access.

See the full layout on the MSC Seaview cabins and deck plans page.

MSC Divina — MSC Cruises

MSC Divina was christened by Sophia Loren, and the ship wears its Italian heritage proudly — a Swarovski crystal staircase and a De Jorio-designed piazza give it a style that’s unlike most ships afloat. The stern Infinity Pool dissolves seamlessly into the ocean horizon, creating one of the most photographed settings at sea. The Pantheon Theatre delivers Broadway-scale productions, while the same ship also carries a Casino Veneziano, a 4D cinema and an F1 simulator — enough to fill every sea day without repeating yourself. For cabins and grades, see the MSC Divina cabins and deck plans.

Royal Princess — Princess Cruises

Royal Princess has one of the most dramatic structural features of any ship currently sailing: the SeaWalk, an 18-metre glass-bottomed walkway that extends over the side of the ship and hangs 40 metres above the ocean. It is worth experiencing at least once. On the practical side, MedallionClass® OceanNow® lets you order food and drinks to any location on the ship via the Princess app — a feature that genuinely changes how you use your time on board. Crown Grill and Sabatini’s handle specialty dining, and the 24-hour International Café means you’re never stuck for something good to eat regardless of the hour. The Royal Princess cabin grades and deck plans cover everything from interior cabins to full suites.

MSC Preziosa — MSC Cruises

MSC Preziosa shares the Italian design language of MSC Divina — Swarovski crystal staircases and a hand-cobbled Italian piazza — but has its own distinct personality on the entertainment front. The Vertigo waterslide runs 120 metres, and the same ship also offers a 4D cinema, an F1 simulator and the Platinum Theatre. For travellers who want privacy and service within the ship, the MSC Yacht Club provides butler service, a private pool deck and exclusive dining in a genuinely secluded setting. MSC Preziosa cabin grades and deck plans are available to browse.

Other ships sailing in March include the Crown Princess, MSC Sinfonia, Viking Neptune, Explora III and Azura. Deck plan links for these ships: Crown Princess cabins and deck plans, MSC Sinfonia cabins and deck plans, Viking Neptune cabins and deck plans, Explora III cabins and deck plans.

What fare options are available in March?

Fare structures differ by cruise line, and choosing the right one can make a meaningful difference to what your holiday actually costs — not just the headline price, but what’s covered once you’re on board. Here’s how the main lines structure their fares for March sailings.

Royal Caribbean fare tiers

Royal Caribbean offers several fare types, including a standard Cruise Fare, a Single/Solo Fare for those travelling alone (covering single occupancy of the stateroom), and promotional fare types such as Last-Minute and early booking offers. Promotional fares often include onboard credit or reduced fares for additional guests, but the specifics change regularly — so it’s worth speaking to our team about what’s available on the sailing you have in mind rather than assuming any promotion will still be running.

Princess Cruises fare tiers

Princess Cruises runs a tiered structure built around its Princess Standard and Princess Plus packages. Standard is the base cruise fare: it covers the sailing itself, with drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities available to add. Princess Plus bundles four 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. It’s a meaningful package for those who would otherwise spend on those extras individually. Drop N Go and limited-time promotional fares also appear on select sailings.

Norwegian Cruise Line fare tiers

Norwegian Cruise Line gives you the choice between a lowest-fare option (just the cruise, nothing added) and their Free at Sea bundle, which covers a specialty dining package, a premium beverage package, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credits. The upgraded Free at Sea Plus tier extends the same inclusions to all guests in the stateroom. NCL’s fare structure rewards those who would otherwise pay separately for drinks and dining.

Why choose a March cruise?

March sits in what Australian cruisers know as the tail end of summer and the lead-in to autumn — a period when the cruise industry is running at full capacity with the widest choice of ships and regions. The range of durations is genuinely broad, from four-night getaways to voyages stretching well past a month, so March works whether you have a week or two months to play with.

The benefits of cruising in March

One practical advantage of March is the sheer diversity of what is on sale at the same time. The Caribbean is in full swing. Japan is one of the world’s most rewarding cruise destinations at this time of year. South East Asia offers a completely different kind of voyage. And Australian and South Pacific options mean you can cruise without leaving the region if that suits you better. Whatever you are looking for — a family holiday, a solo trip, a couple’s getaway or a multigenerational voyage — there is a sailing in March that fits.

For families, longer itineraries to Japan or the Caribbean give children enough time at sea to settle in and genuinely enjoy the ship, rather than spending a week just getting used to it. MSC Seaview’s Aqua Park with 5 waterslides, and the range of entertainment on Royal Princess and MSC Musica, mean there is enough to keep everyone occupied on sea days. Solo travellers are catered for by Royal Caribbean’s dedicated Solo Fare, which removes the single-supplement sting that puts many independent travellers off cruising altogether.

March also has a good mix of roundtrip and one-way itineraries. Roundtrip sailings are simple — you leave from home, you come back to it. One-way sailings open up point-to-point voyages that can be combined with time in the embarkation or disembarkation city, which is particularly appealing on Japan or Transatlantic routes. We book the flights, the hotels either side and the transfers, so the whole thing is arranged in one go rather than pieced together across multiple bookings.

For those with an eye on Easter 2027, late March sailings from Sydney fit the school holiday window well — worth checking dates carefully if that’s what you’re planning around.

Make it a full holiday

Most March sailings depart from overseas ports — Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tokyo, Amsterdam and others — which means the cruise itself is the centrepiece of a longer trip. Cruise1st can build the whole journey around it: international flights from your Australian city, a hotel the night before embarkation (which removes the stress of an early boarding day after a long-haul flight), transfers between the airport and the port, and travel insurance to cover everything. If you want day tours in the embarkation city, or time on either side to explore, we can arrange that too.

For the smaller share of sailings leaving from Australian ports — Sydney and Brisbane both feature in the March programme — you’re looking at either a drive, a train journey or a short domestic flight to reach the ship. We can add pre-cruise hotel nights and port transfers for those sailings too, so your holiday starts the moment you leave home rather than the moment you board.

All of this comes together as a Cruise1st Package — cruise, flights, hotels and transfers in one booking, backed by our Best Price Guarantee. Our Australian cruise experts are on the phone seven days a week to help you put it together, whether you already know which ship you want or you’re still weighing up the options. Browse the full range of cruises available across all months and regions, or explore cruise deals for discounted fares. You can also explore Australian cruise departures if you want to keep things closer to home.

Sailings from Sydney and Brisbane in March

Sydney is the most active Australian home port in the March programme. If you’re based in New South Wales or are happy to fly in, sailing from Sydney means the ship is directly accessible without a long-haul flight. March 2027 sailings from Sydney cover a range of itineraries and ship types — it’s the most practical starting point for many Australian cruisers.

Brisbane is also a meaningful departure port in March. Cruises from Brisbane tend to suit Queensland-based travellers who would rather skip the Sydney stop, and the Brisbane March 2027 programme has enough variety to be worth a look in its own right. If you’re planning ahead, the Brisbane March 2028 sailings and Sydney March 2028 sailings are also bookable now for those who prefer to lock in early.

Those who have already cruised in February may find March a natural extension — February cruises share much of the same regional mix, while February 2027 sailings from Sydney offer an earlier alternative if your dates shift. And if April works better, the April 2027 Australia cruise programme picks up where March leaves off. Autumn cruises cover the broader March-to-May window if you’re flexible on exact dates.

Cruise1st is a member of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) and ATAS-accredited, so you’re booking with a specialist who is recognised by the industry and held to professional standards.

Also worth considering

If you’re open to different timing, Sydney March 2026 sailings show the kind of itineraries the month typically carries. The January sailings from Sydney are popular for those who want to cruise before the March rush, and the Royal Beach Club Lelepa sailings are worth a look for Royal Caribbean fans planning an island-focused trip.