Round Australia Cruise

Day 1 - Sydney

Arrive: Fri 02 April 2027 / Depart: Fri 02 April 2027 at 16:30

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby.

Day 2 - Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Arrive: Sat 03 April 2027 at 09:00 / Depart: Sat 03 April 2027 at 18:00

Newcastle is a harbour city in the Australian state of New South Wales. Its plentiful beaches are linked by the Bathers Way, a coastal walk stretching between Nobbys Beach and Merewether Beach. The walk provides access to Bogey Hole, a convict-built ocean bath from the colonial period. Also on the path is the 1880s Fort Scratchley, a historic site and a viewpoint for spotting migrating whales.

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Melbourne

Arrive: Tue 06 April 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 06 April 2027 at 17:00

Victoria may be Australia's smallest continental state, but Melbourne, its capital, is big on everything. With a population of 2.7 million people living in 59 separately named communities within 715 square miles, Melbourne is a sprawling city offering culture, art, fashion and friendly, sports-minded Australians. It is also an easy city to explore. At the heart of the city is the Golden Mile, the city's governmental and commercial center, home to hotels, shops, restaurants and theaters. Originally part of New South Wales, Victoria became a colony in its own right in 1851. The discovery of gold propelled Melbourne's growth to prominence and prosperity.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Adelaide

Arrive: Thu 08 April 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 08 April 2027 at 17:00

Founded in 1836, this graceful city lies nestled on the coastal plain between Gulf St. Vincent and the Adelaide Hills. Adelaide was the vision of Colonel William Light, Australia's Surveyor General, who created a one-mile-square grid for the city's center and surrounded it with a belt of stunning parkland. Today, Adelaide is a metropolis of over one million people, boasting wide, tree-lined boulevards, superb Victorian and Edwardian architecture, tranquil parks, world-class shopping, and the highest number of restaurants per capita of any city in Australia. Beyond the city and the rugged Adelaide Hills lie the Barossa and Eden Valleys. Here Australian vintners are winning international acclaim for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - Albany, Australia

Arrive: Sun 11 April 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 11 April 2027 at 16:00

On December 26, 1826 - Boxing Day - Major Edmund Lockyer and his party of convicts and soldiers landed at Princess Royal Harbor to establish a penal colony. Originally named Frederickstown in honor of the Duke of York and Albany, the first European settlement in Western Australia was renamed Albany in 1832. Thanks to its superb harbor, the town quickly became a busy port. Albany served as a coaling station for steam ships, as a commercial outlet for the rich farms of the interior, and as a base for the highly profitable whaling industry. The whaling station at Frenchman Bay was the last whaling station in all Australia, closing in 1978. Today it is home to Whale World, one of the world's largest whaling museums. This small city of some 25,000 souls is off the beaten track. Which makes exploring all the more fun, whether visiting Whale World Museum or touring one of the area's excellent wineries.

Day 11 - Busselton

Arrive: Mon 12 April 2027 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 12 April 2027 at 18:00

Busselton is a city on the southwest tip of Western Australia. It's known for its sheltered beach and seasonal humpback whale populations. The beachfront features the 19th-century Busselton Jetty. This wood pier stretches nearly 2km to the Underwater Observatory, where life in a coral reef is on view.

Day 12 - Fremantle

Arrive: Tue 13 April 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 13 April 2027 at 16:00

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Exmouth, Australia

Arrive: Thu 15 April 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 15 April 2027 at 18:00

Exmouth is one of the few towns in Australia with a "range to reef" experience, featuring a marine and national park as neighbors. A charming small town of approximately 2,500, Exmouth has pristine beaches and breathtaking gorges, offering fun by both land and sea for its visitors.

Day 15 - At Sea

Day 16 - Broome, Australia

Arrive: Sat 17 April 2027 at 09:00 / Depart: Sat 17 April 2027 at 19:00

In the 1870s, pearl fishermen discovered the rich waters of Roebuck Bay. A decade later, Broome was founded as a base for the pearl trade and was soon described as "the pearling capital of the world." Japanese, Chinese and Aborigine divers toiled in arduous, dangerous labor to harvest oysters from the seabed. For all its importance to the pearling industry, Broome remained a remote outpost on Australia's Kimberley Coast until its discovery as a travel destination. The legacy of its pearling days can be seen in the town's colorful mix of 19th- and early 20th century buildings. Broome also boasts Cable Beach - a 13-mile strand of white-sand that stretches along the azure waters of the Indian Ocean.

Day 17 - Yampi Sound Scenic Cruising

Day 18 - Kimberley Coast Scenic Cruising

Day 19 - At Sea

Day 20 - Darwin, Australia

Arrive: Wed 21 April 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 21 April 2027 at 17:00

Closer to Indonesia than to any other Australian city, Darwin is the capital of the "Top End" - the remote, vast Northern Territory. Home to more than half of the territory's population, the city reflects the rugged endurance and individualism required to survive the Outback. Darwin also boasts a colorful history to add to that heritage. During World War II the Japanese bombed the city and threatened invasion. In 1974, Cyclone Tracy cut a destructive swath through the region. In addition, man-eating crocodiles, tropical monsoons, searing heat and bush fires that burn for weeks are all part of everyday life. Locals in the Top End consume over 60 gallons of beer a year. All those empties don't go to waste: Each year Darwin residents compete in the Beer Can Regatta, a race with boats, rafts and other vessels manufactured out of beer cans.

Day 21 - At Sea

Day 22 - At Sea

Day 23 - At Sea

Day 24 - Port Douglas

Arrive: Sun 25 April 2027 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 25 April 2027 at 17:00

In 1877, the aptly named James Venture Mulligan struck pay dirt on Hodgkinson River, igniting the fabled North Queensland Gold Rush. At the height of the boom, Port Douglas boasted 12,000 residents and 27 hotels. Bust inevitably followed boom, and Port Douglas slid into decades of obscurity. Then came a second gold rush in the 1980s as tourists flocked to the North Queensland Coast. Located between the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and the Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas provides a perfect gateway to hardy adventurers en route to rainforest and reef. In addition to its nearby scenic wonders, Port Douglas boasts several resorts ranging from the Sheraton Mirage to the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa in the heart of the rainforest.

Day 25 - Willis Island, Australia

Arrive: Mon 26 April 2027 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 26 April 2027 at 17:00

This tiny island measures in at just 1,600 feet long by 490 feet wide, though it is the only permanently inhabited island in the Coral Sea Islands Territory. You won't find any neighborhoods, schools or homes here, however. The only structures on Willis Island comprise a weather monitoring station hosted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, where just a handful of weather observers reside at any given time. Willis Island is one of several tropical islands sitting beyond the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea Islands Territory, and is surrounded by thriving reefs where many creatures make their homes. Numbering into the thousands, Willis Island itself caters to many species of seabirds, including Masked, Brown and Red-footed Boobies that cry out nearly 24 hours a day. It is also an important nesting ground for turtles.

Day 26 - At Sea

Day 27 - Brisbane

Arrive: Wed 28 April 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 28 April 2027

Once considered the "country cousin" among Australian cities, Brisbane is today the nation's third-largest metropolis - and one of the most desirable places to live in the country. Lying on the banks of the meandering Brisbane River, this cosmopolitan city boasts elegant 19th-century sandstone buildings, a lively cultural scene and superb parklands. Brisbane is also your gateway to uniquely Australian adventures, be it the theme parks of the Gold Coast or Queensland's dazzling beaches. The beaches south of Brisbane form Queensland's Gold Coast. Travel tip: Brisbane is pronounced "Bris-bin."