New cruise itineraries you can sail from Australia this season

Cruising around Australia or to the South Pacific is a must-do for ship fans from down under.

And as the new cruise seasons kicks off, there are some exciting new itineraries and destinations on offer.

Here are some of our favourites - and it's not too late to jump on a sailing this summer cruising season.

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Celebrate Christmas with Mickey Mouse

It's the ultimate dream for kids (and many adults too). And you can now go on a Disney Cruise for Christmas.

Disney Cruise Line will be hosting a number of Christmas-themed sailings when the ship returns to Australia in the coming weeks.

On select Disney Magic at Sea sailings from Australia and New Zealand between November 24 and January 3, 2025, things will get extra festive.

Discover PNG

You can explore Papua New Guinea on a cruise from Brisbane.

P&O is offering ten-night cruises, calling at Milne Bay, Rabaul, The Trobriand Islands and the Conflict Islands this coming season.

It's the perfect way to visit the emerging and largely unspoiled travel destination.

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See the whole nation by ocean

Viking Cruises' inaugural sailing of the 32-day Grand Australia Circumnavigation, which sets sail on 20 January 2025, is a roundtrip voyage from Sydney on the Viking Venus.

It's calling at Geraldton, Busselton and Albany for the first time, as well as Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, Cairns, Townsville and the Whitsunday Islands.

Guests will also have the opportunity to visit Komodo in Indonesia, snorkel at Pink Beach and, visit the temples of Bali.

Getaway on a weekend cruise

Royal Caribbean has a variety of new itineraries including more weekend sailings on Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.

Sail from Brisbane on Quantum of the Seas on a four- or six-night Queensland getaway exploring the Great Barrier Reef and enjoying the seafood of Airlie Beach and Cairns.

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Plus there are new two- to three-night weekend getaways from both Sydney and Brisbane, perfect for a quick escape.

Royal Caribbean also has two special sailings on Ovation of the Seas for the 2024-2025 season to celebrate the second year of its exclusive partnership with Ponting Wines, co-founded by Australian cricket legend, Ricky Ponting.

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View gallery

All the new cruise ships heading to Australia this season

Set sail with a book

Cunard will feature its inaugural Australian Literature Festival at Sea later this year, on Queen Elizabeth.

The five-night sailing departs from Sydney on 11 December 2024, heading to Tasmania.

Alexander McCall Smith is among authors who will be onboard.

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Sample a slice of a world cruise

Cunard's Queen Anne is making her maiden Australia visit in February.

The new ship from the upmarket brand is on a world voyage from Southampton in the UK, but you can book shorter parts of the cruise.

Leaving Sydney on February 28, the 19-night bucket-list-worthy trip sails up the East Coast of Australia before visiting Manilla in the Philippines, and arriving in Hong Kong.

Norwegian's beach getaways

Norwegian Sun is making her debut in Australia as Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) launches a new collection of voyages.

The new itineraries include trips to the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific between Cairns, Australia, and Lautoka, Fiji.

You can also get a taste of the Olympic surfing location in Tahiti on one of the cruise line's three new island-hopping French Polynesia cruises between Fiji and Tahiti.

There are also two new Asia sailings to look forward to.