Papua New Guinea cruises departing from Australiaup to -17%

Why cruise to Papua New Guinea from Australia?

Papua New Guinea is one of the few destinations in the world where a cruise from an Australian port puts you somewhere genuinely remote within a relatively short voyage. The country’s coastline, islands and reefs are best explored by ship — where a plane would fly over, a cruise ship slows down and stays. Most sailings depart from ports along Australia’s east and north coasts, so depending on where you live, you may be able to board without a flight at all, or reach the embarkation port on a short domestic hop. These are long, immersive voyages: the median length sits at 32 nights, with itineraries ranging from 9 to 96 nights.

Where do these sailings go?

Papua New Guinea cruises from Australia cover a broad sweep of the region. The majority pair a PNG passage with wider Australian coastal sailing — calling at ports along the continent’s east and north before or after crossing into PNG waters. A strong group of sailings then extends further into the South Pacific, taking in island groups beyond PNG, while a smaller number venture through Australia and New Zealand together, finishing as far south as Auckland.

For those with more time and a taste for the long haul, a number of transpacific sailings use PNG as part of a much grander crossing, eventually reaching ports in the Americas. There are also sailings that carry guests through Polynesia and into Indonesia, weaving PNG into a broader regional journey through Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Disembarkation ports reflect this variety. Voyages end in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Auckland, Papeete, Tahiti and Lautoka, Fiji — so a one-way itinerary often finishes somewhere other than where it started. If you board in Sydney and disembark in Papeete, or start in Darwin and end in Auckland, a domestic flight connects you home at the other end. Our team can arrange that flight, along with any hotels before or after, as part of the same booking.

Which ports in Australia do these sailings leave from?

Embarkation is spread across several Australian cities, giving you real flexibility about where to join the ship.

• Sydney is the most popular starting point, with the largest share of departures. If you are based in New South Wales, you can board directly; from elsewhere in Australia, it is a short domestic flight.
• Darwin is the natural gateway for itineraries heading north into PNG waters, and is well placed for travellers from the Northern Territory and northern Queensland.
• Broome features as a departure point on several sailings — a distinctive and less-common embarkation that suits those approaching from Western Australia.
• Brisbane offers departures particularly suited to Queensland-based travellers.
• Cairns puts guests straight into the tropical north, with PNG just across the Coral Sea.
• Perth (Fremantle) appears as a departure on selected sailings, usually on the longer transpacific itineraries.

Most of these voyages are one-way — what does that mean for you?

It is worth knowing up front: 14 of the 18 sailings are one-way voyages. They start in one port and finish in another, which means the ship does not return to where it began. Only 5 are round trips. A one-way itinerary gives you a richer journey — more ground covered, no doubling back — but it does mean planning the return leg. That is something we do routinely: our team can add the connecting flight and any overnight hotel at the finishing port to your booking, so nothing is left loose.

Which cruise lines sail to Papua New Guinea from Australia?

The cruise lines are predominantly luxury and premium operators, which reflects the nature of the destination: small-ship specialists and expedition-capable vessels suit PNG’s remote anchorages far better than large resort ships.

Seabourn leads by volume and brings two ships to this route. Holland America Line follows, with Princess Cruises offering a familiar mid-market option from Australian home ports. Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea round out the lineup with ultra-luxury, all-inclusive voyages. Cruise1st Packages bundle select sailings with flights, hotels and transfers — worth considering if you are travelling from interstate or want everything arranged in one place.

More than half the sailings are all-inclusive, meaning drinks, gratuities and often Wi-Fi are covered in the fare. That is a meaningful difference when you are at sea for 30 or more nights.

What are the ships like?

Six ships cover the Papua New Guinea routes from Australia, and they are quite different from one another. Here is what each one offers.

Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn Pursuit is an expedition ship built to PC6 Polar Class standards — robust enough for remote, shallow anchorages that larger ships simply cannot reach. Every cabin has a private balcony, and the signature Seabourn Conversations programme brings local experts, scientists and storytellers aboard to put each destination in context. The flagship cabin category is the Grand Wintergarden Suite — 115 m² of living space with a private hot tub, a separate dining area seating 4, and roughly twice the room of a standard Penthouse suite. See the full range on the Seabourn Pursuit cabins and deck plans page.

Seabourn Quest

Ultra-luxury for 450 guests, with a near 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio. Every suite includes a private balcony, butler service and all fine wines and spirits — the fare is genuinely all-inclusive. The Seabourn Square social hub replaces the traditional cruise desk with an open, café-style lounge, giving the ship a relaxed, unhurried rhythm. Browse the Seabourn Quest cabins and deck plans to compare suite categories.

Westerdam

Holland America’s Westerdam carries 1,916 guests — mid-sized by today’s standards — and is known for genuine craftsmanship throughout the ship. Morimoto by Sea brings Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s Japanese cuisine on board alongside Tamarind pan-Asian fine dining. Evenings fill with variety: World Stage productions, Rolling Stone Rock Room sets, Billboard Onboard sing-alongs and The Dam Band. Cabin grades on Westerdam run from compact to palatial:

• Inside cabin I — 13 m², sleeps 4, with complimentary 24-hour room service included
• Ocean-view cabin C — 16.2 m², sleeps 4, middle-deck positions for quieter, stable sailing
• Balcony cabin VA — 21 m², sleeps 4, private balcony with sea views
• Signature Suite SS — 36 m², sleeps 3, hot-tub bath and separate shower
• Pinnacle Suite PS — 120 m², sleeps 4, private hot tub and the most generous space on the ship

Full deck layouts are on the Westerdam cabins and deck plans page.

Grand Princess

Princess Cruises’ Grand Princess sails from Brisbane and Sydney on voyages that include PNG. Crown Grill — recognised by USA Today as the best cruise steakhouse — and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria anchor the specialty dining options. The MedallionClass® OceanNow® system lets you order food, drinks and services to wherever you are on the ship via the Princess app. On evening sailings along the reef, Movies Under the Stars® brings a giant poolside screen, free popcorn and blankets. Cabin grades include:

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m², sleeps 4, central mid-deck location
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m², sleeps 4, floor-to-ceiling panoramic window
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m², sleeps 4, floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors
• Grand Suite S1 — 67.8 m², sleeps 4, private hot tub, the largest suite on board

Compare layouts on the Grand Princess cabins and deck plans page. The Princess 2027–2028 season launch has further detail on dates and fares for the full Princess programme.

Seven Seas Navigator

Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Navigator offers what the line calls the most inclusive luxury experience at sea — spacious suites, immersive shore excursions and a style of voyaging built around exploration rather than resort-style entertainment. Cabin grades and deck layouts are on the Seven Seas Navigator cabins and deck plans page.

Silver Cloud

Silversea’s Silver Cloud operates on an all-inclusive basis: butler-serviced suites, exceptional dining, unlimited wines and spirits, gratuities and Wi-Fi are all covered in the fare. The All-Inclusive Plus fare adds a shore excursion credit and a fully refundable deposit — worthwhile on longer, higher-value voyages. On board you will find a swimming pool with deck and bar-grill area, a fitness centre with complimentary classes, and full-scale productions in a multi-tiered show lounge. Deck layouts are on the Silver Cloud cabins and deck plans page.

What do the fares include?

What your fare covers depends on the cruise line and the tier you choose.

Princess Cruises offers 2 main tiers on these voyages. The standard fare covers the cruise itself; dining packages, the MedallionNet® Wi-Fi and crew appreciation are available to add. The Princess Plus fare bundles in 4 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 photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating — a meaningful saving on a voyage of several weeks.

Silversea operates all-inclusively on every sailing. Butler-serviced suites, all dining, unlimited wines and spirits, gratuities and Wi-Fi are standard. The All-Inclusive Plus tier adds a shore excursion credit scaled to voyage length, plus a fully refundable deposit.

Seabourn, Holland America and Regent Seven Seas all carry their own inclusions — our team can walk you through exactly what each fare covers before you commit.

Are there any discounts available?

A number of sailings carry reductions from the price previously listed for that cabin grade. Discounts reach up to 17% on one departure, though that is the maximum on a single sailing; most reduced sailings are closer to 3% off. It is a genuine saving rather than a page-wide sale, and availability changes as berths fill. Our Australian cruise experts can tell you which sailings currently carry a reduction when you call.

Make it a complete holiday

A Papua New Guinea cruise from Australia is rarely just the cruise. Many itineraries are one-way, ending in a different city — or a different country — from where they begin. Others start from a port you need to fly to. Either way, Cruise1st can put the whole trip on one booking: the cruise, your flights there and back, hotels the night before you board or after you disembark, transfers between the airport and the port, tours ashore, and travel insurance. You deal with one team, one itinerary, one bill.

If you want a cruise and flights packaged together from the start, look at our Cruise1st Packages — they are built exactly for this. Our Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week, and every booking carries the Best Price Guarantee.

More ways to explore Australia and the Pacific

If you are weighing up Papua New Guinea alongside other Pacific and Australian options, these pages cover the territory most closely related to what you are looking at here.

• Cruise around Australia — itineraries that circle or coast along the continent
• Cruise deals and packages from Australia — the broader range of sailings departing Australian ports
• South Pacific cruises from Sydney in 2027 — Pacific island itineraries leaving from Sydney
• Round the world cruises from Australia — for the longer transpacific voyages that use PNG as one leg of a much bigger journey
• Cruises from Australia to Hawaii — another popular transpacific routing
• Cruises from Australia in 2027 and cruises from Australia in 2028 — if you are browsing by year
• Papua New Guinea last-minute deals — for flexible travellers keeping an eye on late availability
• Last-minute Seabourn cruises — Seabourn is the most active line on this route, and late deals do come up
• Easter cruises 2027 from Sydney — if the school-holiday window suits your travel dates
• Cruises to New Zealand over the holiday season — a popular extension for voyages that end in Auckland
• Cruises from Brisbane in 2027 — for Queensland-based travellers planning ahead
• Short cruises from Brisbane — if a longer PNG voyage is for another time
• Cruise deals from Sydney — value options departing Australia’s busiest cruise port

*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.