New Zealand cruises 2028

Where do New Zealand cruises go in 2028?

New Zealand sailings in 2028 concentrate on 3 main areas: dedicated New Zealand itineraries, combined Australia and New Zealand voyages, and longer transpacific crossings that use New Zealand as a gateway to or from the wider Pacific. A smaller number of sailings reach into the South Pacific and Polynesia. Most depart from Sydney or Brisbane, with voyages wrapping up in Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or further afield. Durations run from 5 nights up to 96 nights, with a median of 14 nights — enough time to experience multiple ports at a comfortable pace.

Close to home — New Zealand, the Pacific and beyond

New Zealand and Australia and New Zealand sailings

The largest share of 2028 sailings focuses squarely on New Zealand, or pairs it with Australian ports in a single itinerary. These voyages are the natural choice if New Zealand is the centrepiece of your trip. Most depart from Sydney or Brisbane, so if you live close to either port, you can board the ship without a flight at all — drive in, park up and sail. From another state, it is a short domestic hop rather than a long-haul international journey, which is still the easiest way to reach a ship.

Combined Australia and New Zealand itineraries suit travellers who want to see both countries in one sailing — ideal if you are coming from interstate and happy to finish the voyage in a different city, connecting home via a short domestic flight. Our team can arrange that return leg, along with a pre-cruise hotel and transfers, so nothing is left loose.

South Pacific and Polynesia

A handful of 2028 sailings push further into the South Pacific and Polynesia, visiting island groups beyond New Zealand’s coastline. These suit travellers who want more time at sea and a broader sweep of the Pacific rather than a port-intensive New Zealand focus. They are less frequent than the core New Zealand sailings, so if a Pacific extension appeals, it is worth booking early.

Transpacific sailings

Seven sailings in 2028 are classified as transpacific — long-haul one-way voyages that link Australia and New Zealand with ports across the Pacific. These voyages disembark in cities including Tokyo and Honolulu, well beyond the Tasman. If you are planning a transpacific crossing, bear in mind that the voyage finishes far from home: a return international flight will be needed, and Cruise1st can book that alongside your hotels and any pre- or post-cruise nights, so the whole trip is arranged in one place. Explore the full range of transpacific cruises if that longer voyage is what you are after.

Round-trip or one-way — which suits you?

Just over half the 2028 New Zealand sailings are one-way, which means the ship starts in one port and finishes in another. That is worth knowing before you book: a one-way voyage gives you more flexibility about which city you fly into and out of, but it does mean organising a return leg. Cruise1st can sort the domestic or international flight at either end, plus transfers and overnight hotels if you need them, as part of a single booking.

The remaining sailings are round-trip, returning to their home port — convenient if you are local to Sydney or Brisbane, or if you would rather keep your travel arrangements simple. Both shapes are well represented in 2028, so the choice comes down to how you want to build the rest of your holiday.

Which cruise lines sail to New Zealand in 2028?

Princess Cruises leads the 2028 programme with the most sailings of any line. Celebrity Cruises is the second most active, followed by Holland America Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Cruise1st Packages — cruise-inclusive holidays with flights, hotels and transfers bundled in — are also available for this region, as are a small number of sailings from Carnival Cruise Lines.

The range covers the full spectrum from contemporary to luxury all-inclusive, so whether you are after a well-priced New Zealand circuit on a large ship or a fully inclusive premium voyage, there is a sailing that fits. If you are considering the Princess 2027–2028 season specifically, that programme includes a strong line-up of New Zealand itineraries you can explore in detail.

The ships sailing New Zealand in 2028

Several well-known ships make up the 2028 New Zealand fleet. Below is a guide to what each one offers, so you can match the ship to the kind of holiday you have in mind.

Royal Princess — Princess Cruises

Royal Princess carries one of the most dramatic structural features at sea: the SeaWalk, an 18-metre glass-bottomed walkway that hovers 40 metres above the ocean. You walk out over the water and look straight down — there is nothing else quite like it on a New Zealand sailing. Day-to-day life on board is handled by Princess’s MedallionClass® OceanNow® system, which lets you order food and drinks to wherever you happen to be on the ship via the Princess app, whether that is your cabin, a sun lounger or a quiet corner of the deck. For dining, Crown Grill and Sabatini’s provide the specialty restaurant options, and the 24-hour International Café means there is always something available whatever time you surface.

Royal Princess has 9 sailings in 2028 — more than any other ship in the programme. See the Royal Princess cabin grades and deck plans for a full layout of the ship.

Royal Princess cabin grades

• Inside cabin IA — 15.4 m², sleeps up to 4. The most affordable way onto Royal Princess, with minibar, safe and desk included.
• Sea-view cabin O6 — 20.0 m², sleeps up to 4. A large panoramic window with a forward-facing view of the open ocean — natural daylight that inside cabins cannot offer.
• Deluxe Balcony cabin DA — 23.4 m², sleeps up to 4. A private balcony for breakfast or sundowners, giving you your own outdoor space at sea.
• Penthouse Suite S3 with aft balcony — from 54.5 m², sleeps up to 4. Substantially more living space than any mini suite or ocean-view cabin on the ship, with an aft balcony looking back over the ship’s wake.

Grand Princess — Princess Cruises

Grand Princess brings the same MedallionClass OceanNow delivery system as her fleet-mate, so drinks and services come to you wherever you are on board. The specialty dining line-up is anchored by Crown Grill — rated by USA Today as the best cruise steakhouse — and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. What sets Grand Princess apart for New Zealand sailings, though, is Movies Under the Stars®: a giant poolside screen where you can watch a film under open skies with free popcorn and blankets provided. It is a simple pleasure that works especially well on the longer voyages departing from Brisbane and Sydney. Grand Princess has 7 sailings in the 2028 programme. Check the Grand Princess cabin grades and deck plans if you want to compare deck positions.

Grand Princess cabin grades

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m², sleeps up to 4. Located on middle decks, which means minimal ship motion and central access to lifts and facilities.
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m², sleeps up to 4. Floor-to-ceiling panoramic window with an unobstructed sea view and natural light directly into the cabin.
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m², sleeps up to 4. Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors give a more open feel and extra natural light compared with standard balcony grades.
• Grand Suite S1 with private hot tub — 67.8 m², sleeps up to 4. The largest suite on board, with a private hot tub and considerably more space than any other suite category.

Celebrity Edge — Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Edge is built around a handful of genuinely novel ideas. The Magic Carpet — the world’s first cantilevered floating platform — glides up to 16 storeys on the outside of the hull and serves as a bar, a restaurant or a dive platform depending on where it has stopped. Infinite Veranda staterooms take a different approach to the balcony cabin: instead of a separate outdoor space, the entire balcony wall opens, merging the interior of the room with the fresh air outside. For entertainment, Eden’s three-level live-performance venue stages evening shows that go well beyond the standard cruise format. Celebrity Edge has 6 sailings in 2028, and Celebrity Edge sailings from Sydney in 2027–2028 are worth browsing alongside. See the Celebrity Edge cabin grades and deck plans for a full picture of the ship’s layout.

Celebrity Edge cabin grades

• Deluxe Inside cabin DI — 18.8 m², sleeps up to 4. Around 2 m² larger than the standard inside grade, with a bigger bathroom and more storage.
• Deluxe Ocean-view cabin DO — 22.1 m², sleeps up to 4. The most spacious ocean-view grade on the ship — around 3–4 m² more than standard ocean-view cabins.
• Sunset Veranda Stateroom SV — 21.2 m², sleeps up to 4. The largest balcony of any standard balcony grade, at approximately 8.3 m² compared with around 3.7 m² in other veranda categories.
• Iconic Suite IC with private hot tub — 239.8 m², sleeps up to 6. The largest suite in the Celebrity fleet, with 270° panoramic views from above the bridge.

Westerdam — Holland America Line

Westerdam is a mid-sized ship carrying around 1,916 guests, which means a more relaxed pace and quieter corridors than you find on the largest vessels. The dining highlights are genuinely distinctive: Morimoto by Sea brings Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s Japanese cuisine on board, alongside Tamarind for pan-Asian fine dining. Entertainment runs across multiple venues — World Stage, Rolling Stone Rock Room, Billboard Onboard sing-alongs and live sets from The Dam Band — so there is real variety each evening. Westerdam has 5 sailings in the 2028 New Zealand programme. See the Westerdam cabin grades and deck plans for details.

Seven Seas Mariner — Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises positions Seven Seas Mariner at the luxury end of the market, with a focus on generous space per guest and an all-inclusive approach that covers more than most fare tiers on other lines. The ship has 3 sailings in the 2028 programme. If you are comparing luxury all-inclusive options for New Zealand, it is worth a conversation with our team about what the Regent fare covers and whether it suits your travel style. The Seven Seas Mariner cabin grades and deck plans are a good starting point.

Anthem of the Seas — Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest viewing deck at sea: the North Star observation capsule lifts guests 300 feet above the waterline. The RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator and SeaPlex bumper cars add to the active options on board, while the Two70° venue delivers 4K immersive performances and Bionic Bar robotic cocktails. Anthem of the Seas has 2 sailings in the 2028 New Zealand programme. See the Anthem of the Seas cabin grades and deck plans for a full view of the ship.

What do Princess Cruises fares include?

Princess Cruises offers 3 main fare levels for its 2028 New Zealand sailings:

• Princess Standard — the base cruise fare. The voyage itself is included; the Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages (covering beverages, Wi-Fi, gratuities and casual dining) can be added on separately.
• Princess Plus — adds 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (up to 15 drinks per day), MedallionNet® Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating.

If you are unsure which fare level suits your travel style, our team can walk you through the difference and help you work out whether the package pays for itself on a typical day at sea.

What do Celebrity Cruises fares include?

Celebrity Cruises offers 3 fare tiers for its 2028 New Zealand voyages:

• Cruise-only (best-rate) — the lowest available fare, with amenities added separately to suit your preferences.
• Best-value — a classic drinks package and basic Wi-Fi included in one price, giving you the convenience of knowing those costs are covered before you board.
• The Retreat — the luxury suite tier, covering premium drinks, premium Wi-Fi, suite accommodation, exclusive lounge and sundeck access, private dining and dedicated personal service.

If you are looking at Celebrity Edge sailings specifically, the Celebrity Edge 2028–2029 sailings from Sydney page gives a focused view of available departures and fare options.

Are there discounts on 2028 New Zealand cruises?

A number of 2028 New Zealand sailings are available at a reduced price compared with the fare previously listed for that cabin grade. Most reductions cluster around 5%, though one departure carries a reduction of up to 21%. That headline figure applies to a single sailing; the majority of discounted voyages are closer to the typical level. If a particular sailing or cabin grade catches your eye, our team can check whether a reduction is currently in place and whether there are fare types such as early-saver or last-minute offers that make it better value still.

Make it a full holiday

A New Zealand cruise is often the centrepiece of a longer trip rather than a standalone booking. Cruise1st can build the rest of the holiday around it: flights from your nearest airport, overnight hotels before or after the voyage, transfers between the airport and the port, shore tours, and travel insurance — all arranged as a Cruise1st Package or a fully custom itinerary, whichever suits you better.

If you are travelling from interstate and your voyage ends in a different city, we can connect that return leg as part of the same booking rather than leaving it as a separate thing to organise. And if you are local to Sydney or Brisbane and planning to drive to the port, we can still help with parking options and anything you want to add around the cruise itself.

Our Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week, and the Best Price Guarantee means you will not find the same cruise for less by going direct.

Also worth considering

If you are open to other departure windows or neighbouring destinations, several related programmes are worth a look. Cruises around Australia in 2028 cover a similar geography and include some of the same ships. The Princess Cruises departures from Fremantle in 2028 are a useful option if you are based in Western Australia. For a broader 2028 sailing calendar from the east coast, 2028 sailings from Sydney and 2028 sailings from Melbourne each cover the full range of destinations and lines available from those ports.

Thinking about a longer voyage? Alaska cruises in 2028 are a natural companion to a transpacific sailing, and a number of ships in this programme pass through or connect to that region. For festive travel, Christmas cruises to New Zealand bring a different mood to the same destinations, and New Year cruises in 2028 are worth considering if the timing lines up.

You can also browse the full range of cruises from Australia, or go broader still with the complete cruise holiday listings if you are still deciding on a region.

Planning around Brisbane? The January 2028 departures from Brisbane and March 2028 departures from Brisbane show what is available from that port month by month. For a broader look at the history of that port’s programme, Brisbane cruises in 2027 give useful context on the ships and lines that regularly sail from there. And if Tasmania is on the itinerary, 2028 cruises around Tasmania are worth checking alongside New Zealand options.

Carnival fans can compare the Carnival 2028 programme for their options across the region. If Easter timing suits your schedule, Easter sailings from Sydney are a popular choice for shorter voyages from the east coast.

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.