Cruise ships aplenty will be sailing into Australian waters and its key ports as the 24/25 cruise season is upon us. Here is our guide to the cruise ships dropping anchor soon.
As the local cruise season heats up, for the travel trade that means inspections of cruise ships, brand activity….and customer interest and enquiries.
Be prepared and mark your calendars with this guide.
SEPTEMBER
- Princess
Diamond Princess arrives Sydney Friday 27 September
OCTOBER
- Cunard
Queen Elizabeth arrives Sydney Friday 18 October (world cruise) - Disney
Disney Wonder arrives Sydney Friday 18 October - Princess
Crown Princess will arrive in Australian waters for the first time, departing Sydney Sat 26 October (on 28-day round-trip circumnavigation) - Silversea
Silversea’s new ship and the 11th addition to its fleet, Silver Nova, arrives in Cairns from Singapore Sunday 17 November; and into Sydney on 4 December - Celebrity
Celebrity Solstice 19 October Sydney; and Celebrity Edge, 22 October Sydney
NOVEMBER
- Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas arrives Sydney Fri 1 Nov (short round trip)
Quantum of the Seas based in Brisbane from December - Norwegian Cruise Line
Its first visit to Australia, Norwegian Sun* arrives in Melbourne on Sat 21 December - Viking
Viking Orion arrives Sydney Fri 29 November - Princess
Royal Princess departs Sydney Sun 2 November (6-night Tasmania round trip) - Holland America Line
Westerdam departs Sydney Sun 17 November - Silversea
Silver Muse departs Sydney Friday 22 November (to Auckland) - Hapag-Lloyd
Europa 2 arrives Sydney 27 November
DECEMBER
- Oceania
Oceania Regatta arrives Sydney 2 December - Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seven Seas Explorer arrives Sydney 19 December - Azamara
Azamara Pursuit arrives Fremantle 18 December - Viking
For the first time in Australian waters Viking Venus* arrives into Sydney 23 December
JANUARY 2025
- Seabourn
Seabourn Quest arrives Sydney 13 January - Azamara
Azamara Pursuit arrs/departs Melbourne 4 January - Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seven Seas Voyager arrives Sydney 28 January
FEBRUARY
- Holland America Line
Zuiderdam arrives Sydney 11 February - Princess
Island Princess (world cruise), departs Sydney 16 February - P&O UK
Arcadia arrives Sydney 18 February - Azamara
Azamara Onward arrives Sydney 19 February (will be in Sydney Harbour at same time as Pursuit on 20 February) - Cunard
Queen Anne arrives Sydney 28 February
MARCH
- Fred Olsen
Bolette arrives Sydney 3 March - MSC Cruises
MSC Magnifica arrives Sydney Friday 14 March - Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seven Seas Mariner arrives Sydney 26 March - Oceania
Oceania Nautica arrives Sydney 30 March
NOTES*
*Viking Venus built in 2021, will be sailing in Australian waters for the first time during the 2024/25 season. Voyages will include the inaugural 32-day Grand Australia Circumnavigation voyage departing from Sydney on 25 January 2025.
*Norwegian Sun, Spirit and Sky Norwegian Cruise Line is sending three new ships to Asia-Pacific including Australia over the next two years: 2024-2026.
Norwegian Spirit, Sun and Sky, with their colourful hulls, will sail 85 voyages from September this year until March 2026.
Norwegian Sun will sail 12-to-15-day voyages between Australia and New Zealand, including to the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific between Cairns and Lautoka, Fiji. She will also sail six island-hopping French Polynesia cruises between Fiji and Tahiti and two Asia cruises.
Then, from November 2025 to March 2026, Norwegian Sun will sail 11-to-15-day itineraries exploring Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and other destinations in Southeast Asia. And for the first time Aussies will be able to board some of the cruises in Cairns, as well as Sydney and Melbourne. Other ports passengers can join include Auckland, New Zealand and Bali, Indonesia.
The ships will also call for the first time in Albany, Busselton, Fremantle, Port Douglas, Townsville, Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and Suva, Fiji.
Did we miss anything? Get in touch at editor@karryon.com.au
