Australia Fly Cruise Packages from the UK

Why Australia Is the Destination UK Cruisers Keep Coming Back To

Australia is one of the longest-haul destinations in the world, which makes it a natural fit for a fly-cruise: the flight gets you there, the ship brings you home (or carries you onward), and you never need to unpack twice. Sydney is the most popular embarkation point, with Brisbane and Auckland both well represented. Australia draws a wide range of cruise lines and ships, from contemporary family-friendly fleets to smaller, destination-focused vessels.

Sailings range in length considerably — a short coastal hop of 5 nights sits at one end of the spectrum, and fully immersive voyages of more than 170 nights sit at the other, with a median around 19 nights. More than half the departures on offer are one-way itineraries, so if your sailing ends in a different country from where it begins, you will need a return flight — and our team can book that alongside everything else.

Where Do These Cruises Go?

The bulk of sailings focus squarely on Australian waters, exploring the country’s own coastline in depth. After that, the mix broadens considerably.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand combined itineraries are among the most popular choices for UK travellers. Ships often cross the Tasman region between Sydney or Brisbane and Auckland, making this a natural twin-destination cruise that lets you cover both countries without doubling back. New Zealand sailings — either as a standalone focus or combined — give you dramatic scenery and a completely different character from the Australian ports.

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia features prominently, with Singapore appearing regularly as both an embarkation and disembarkation port. These itineraries suit travellers who want to pair a city stay with a cruise, and our team can add a hotel in Singapore at either end of the voyage.

Transpacific and the Pacific Islands

Transpacific sailings cross the Pacific Ocean, often linking Australia or New Zealand with ports in North America — including Los Angeles and Honolulu, Hawaii. These are among the longest itineraries available and suit travellers who want to make a real expedition of the trip. South Pacific and Polynesia routes also feature for those drawn to island cruising.

World Cruises

World Cruises that include Australia as part of a longer global voyage are available too. These extended sailings call at ports across multiple continents and represent some of the most ambitious itineraries on the market. For more about world cruise departures from the UK, see our World Cruises from Southampton page.

How to Get a Cruise to Australia from the UK

Almost all of these sailings are fly-cruise packages — you fly to Australia (or to your embarkation port) and join the ship there. The most common embarkation points are Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, with Singapore also used by Southeast Asia itineraries. For transpacific crossings, Los Angeles serves as a starting point for some departures.

Because the flight is a significant part of the journey, we always recommend booking it alongside the cruise rather than separately. Cruise1st can arrange your outbound and return flights, any hotels you need the night before or after the sailing, airport transfers, and travel insurance — all on a single booking. That way, if anything changes with the cruise, your whole holiday moves with it.

If you’d prefer a cruise that needs no flight at all, our no-fly cruises from the UK page covers sailings that depart directly from British ports.

Which Cruise Lines Sail to Australia?

Several of the major lines have a strong presence here. Princess Cruises is one of the most active, with a large programme of Australian and New Zealand sailings. Carnival Cruise Line brings its fleet to Australian waters with a range of itineraries, particularly from Sydney and Brisbane. Celebrity Cruises offers both round-trip and one-way sailings in the region. Royal Caribbean also sails here, including some of its largest and most activity-focused ships. For something more intimate, Azamara focuses on longer stays in port and more immersive destination experiences.

Our Cruise1st Packages bundle the cruise with flights, hotels and transfers into one price, which is often the most straightforward way to book a long-haul fly-cruise.

Ships Sailing to Australia

Celebrity Edge — Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Edge is one of the most distinctive ships at sea. Its Magic Carpet — a cantilevered platform that travels 13 floors along the ship’s side — functions as a restaurant, bar and alfresco dining venue. The Infinite Veranda staterooms open the balcony wall fully into the cabin, giving you indoor-outdoor living that is unique to this ship. The three-storey Eden venue hosts Cirque-style performers amid a living garden. Celebrity Edge cabin options include:

• Deluxe Inside (DI) — 18.8 m², around 2 m² larger than the standard inside cabin, with increased storage
• Deluxe Ocean-view (DO) — 22.1 m², the most spacious sea-view cabin in this category
• Sunset Veranda (SV) — 21.2 m², with the largest balcony of any standard veranda cabin at approximately 8.3 m²
• Iconic Suite (IC) — 239.8 m², private hot tub, panoramic 270° views from above the bridge, sleeping up to 6

For a full breakdown of decks and grades, see the Celebrity Edge cabins and deck plans.

Grand Princess — Princess Cruises

Grand Princess brings Princess’s most popular features to the Australian market: Movies Under the Stars on the open-air poolside screen, the Crown Grill steakhouse, and MedallionClass technology that lets you order food and drinks anywhere on board via the app. Cabin grades include:

• Inside (IA) — 14.9 m², on middle decks with minimal ship motion and easy access to facilities
• Premium Sea View (O3) — 19.1 m², floor-to-ceiling panoramic window with unobstructed views
• Premium Balcony (B2) — 25.5 m², floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors for an open-plan feel
• Grand Suite (S1) — 67.8 m², the largest suite on board, with a private hot tub

See the Grand Princess cabins and deck plans for more detail.

Royal Princess — Princess Cruises

Royal Princess was named in Southampton by HRH The Princess of Wales in 2013 and remains Princess Cruises’ flagship Royal-class ship. Its SeaWalk glass-floored walkway extends 18 metres over the ocean, almost 40 metres above the waves. The Sanctuary adults-only retreat features a thermal suite, heated stone loungers and a hydrotherapy pool. Cabin grades:

• Inside (IA) — 15.4 m², with minibar, safe and desk
• Sea-view (O6) — 20.0 m², large panoramic window with forward-facing ocean views
• Deluxe Balcony (DA) — 23.4 m², private balcony for breakfast or sundowners
• Penthouse Suite (S3) — from 54.5 m², aft balcony, the largest cabin on board

Full details on the Royal Princess cabins and deck plans page.

Carnival Adventure — Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Adventure carries the EDGE Adventure Park on deck — zip-lining, rock climbing, abseiling and a flying fox in one structure. Dining runs from Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse to Bonsai Sushi and the Blanc de Blanc Uncorked cabaret. Families are well served by Camp Ocean (ages 2–11) and teen programmes, while the adults-only Serenity Retreat and Cloud 9 Spa offer quieter escapes. See the Carnival Adventure cabins and deck plans for cabin options.

Anthem of the Seas — Royal Caribbean

Anthem of the Seas holds a Guinness World Record: its North Star observation capsule is the tallest viewing deck at sea, 300 feet above the waves. The Two70° venue delivers 4K immersive performances alongside a Bionic Bar mixing robotic cocktails. On deck, the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator and SeaPlex bumper cars make this one of Royal Caribbean’s most activity-packed ships. Cabin and deck plan details are on the Anthem of the Seas cabins and deck plans page.

Carnival Splendor — Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Splendor’s WaterWorks waterpark and Green Lightning waterslide entertain all ages, and the retractable-roof midship pool makes it a ship that works year-round. Guy’s Burger Joint, Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and Masala Tiger cover the dining spread, while the Cloud 9 Spa offers Thalassotherapy pools and the adults-only Serenity Retreat. See the Carnival Splendor cabins and deck plans for full cabin details.

What Do Australia Cruise Fares Include?

Fare inclusions vary by cruise line and by which tier you book. Here is a practical guide to the main options you will encounter.

Princess Cruises Fare Tiers

Princess offers a Standard base fare — covering the cruise itself — and a Princess Plus package that adds 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to $15 each (with a daily limit of 15 drinks), MedallionNet® Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs with 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating. Princess Premier is available as a further upgrade. Our advisers can confirm which tier is available on your chosen sailing.

Celebrity Cruises Fare Tiers

Celebrity’s best-rate fare covers the cruise fare and all standard onboard activities, dining and entertainment — you add extras yourself. The best-value (All Inclusive) tier bundles a classic drinks package and basic Wi-Fi into one price. For suite travellers, The Retreat includes premium drinks, premium Wi-Fi, exclusive lounge and sundeck access, and dedicated personal service.

Royal Caribbean Fare Types

Royal Caribbean offers fare types such as last-minute offers and early-booking bonuses, as well as solo traveller fares for single-occupancy bookings. Terms and availability vary by sailing; our team can check what is available on your preferred departure.

Are There Deals on Australia Fly Cruises?

Reduced fares do appear on Australian fly-cruise sailings. Discounts are measured against the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing — on the strongest deals you can find up to 35% off on a single departure, though most reduced sailings are closer to 4% below their previous price. It is worth checking regularly, or asking our team to alert you when a price drops on a sailing you have shortlisted.

Australia Cruise from the UK: What to Expect

For UK travellers, a cruise to Australia is typically a long-haul fly-cruise rather than a direct sailing from a British port. You fly to your embarkation port — most often Sydney or Brisbane — join the ship, and return home by air at the end. Because the journey involves significant flights at both ends (on most itineraries), we strongly recommend booking flights, hotels and transfers through us at the same time as the cruise. That way everything is protected under one booking, and if your cruise date changes, your travel arrangements change with it. Our Australia cruises from the UK page covers the full picture of getting there.

For those interested in fly-cruises to other destinations, we also have dedicated pages for Japan fly cruises, Canary Islands fly cruises, Caribbean fly cruises, Antarctica fly cruises, and Mediterranean 2027 fly cruises. You can also browse all cruises to find the right fit for your travel plans.

Cruise1st is rated 4.5/5 on Trustpilot from more than 7,000 reviews, and all bookings are ABTA and ATOL protected.

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.