Passengers exploring the icy continent on Ponant expedition ship, Le Commandant Charcot. Photo / Ponant Studio, Morgane Monneret
From arctic expeditions to Australia adventures, Tiana Templeman reveals what ships are coming to our shores this summer season.
With new ships debuting and beloved favourites returning to local waters, the 2025/26 cruise season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet for our region. Whether you’re dreaming of a sophisticated luxury escape, a family-friendly adventure or an expedition into the wild, here’s a look at what’s in store this summer.
Carnival Australia is bringing the good times with Sydney-based Carnival Splendor and Carnival Adventure offering year-round cruises ranging from three to 12 nights, with itineraries to and from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Brisbane gets Carnival Encounter year-round and Carnival Luminosa for the summer season.
Family favourite Royal Caribbean is also going all out this summer, with Voyager of the Seas offering short breaks and longer cruises around Australia and the South Pacific from Brisbane. Sydney welcomes the 4,180-passenger Anthem of the Seas, which is making its Australian debut and includes the Broadway-style show We Will Rock You.
Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Solstice will sail from Sydney this season. Edge offers itineraries to the Great Barrier Reef, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, while Solstice is dropping in to offer a New Zealand cruise and a repositioning cruise to the US.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Anne are both offering departures from Sydney this year too. Queen Mary 2 sails to Hong Kong, Cape Town, New York and Southampton, while Queen Anne offers a choice of disembarkation ports including Miami and Hamburg. Expect white-gloved service, ballroom dancing and a touch of old-world glamour.
Princess Cruises’ has got three ships to choose from. Crown Princess is sailing from Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne and Fremantle, with itineraries ranging from quick getaways to a 112-night world cruise segment. Discovery Princess will debut in our region this year, with sailings around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Coral Princess will also offer one sailing from Auckland and another one from Sydney.
Aurora Expeditions’ Douglas Mawson is another local debut. It will offer a round-trip Tasmania cruise from Hobart, and a few Antarctica sailings from Hobart and Dunedin. The ship’s citizen science centre and lecture theatre make it ideal for curious travellers who enjoy learning while they explore.
Coral Expeditions’ three ships have some great Australian adventures this season. Coral Discoverer is everywhere: Sydney, Hobart, Cairns, Broome and Darwin. Coral Geographer will offer a few sailings from Perth and join Coral Adventurer in the Kimberley.
New Zealand cruise line, Heritage Expeditions, will also explore the Kimberley on Heritage Adventurer. This ship also offers Antarctic and Subantarctic sailings to. Heritage Explorer is smaller and offers an extensive programme of New Zealand sailings.
A lot of luxury lines are visiting our region this summer, including expedition ships like Ponant’s Le Soleal, Le Jacques Cartier, and Le Commandant Charcot. These ships will sail from Broome, Cairns, Darwin, Dunedin and Hobart and offer Tasmania and Kimberley sailings, and voyages to East Antarctica and Cape Town. Scenic’s Scenic Eclipse II has helicopters and a submarine and will explore Tasmania, Antarctica, New Zealand and the South Pacific with departures from Australia and New Zealand.
Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity will take you from Melbourne to Bali in style. Other luxury options include Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Venus which will sail from Sydney to Auckland (there is also a voyage from Auckland to Bali, but this is currently sold out). Viking Orion will also sail from Sydney and offer Australia circumnavigation voyages. Meanwhile, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be sailing from Sydney and Auckland this year too, with a focus on Australia, New Zealand and Pacific itineraries.
Seabourn has three ships in our region. Seabourn Quest will sail in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Seabourn Sojourn has world cruise sectors visiting Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Antarctica, and will also sail from Auckland. Seabourn Pursuit will sail in the Kimberley this season.
Silversea goes one better with four ships for local cruisers to choose from. The all-suite Silver Nova, Silver Moon, Silver Cloud and Silver Dawn are sailing from ports including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin, Fremantle and Auckland. Itineraries include Kimberley expeditions, sailings to and from New Zealand, and repositioning cruises.
Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward will offer departures from Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney on their upscale vessels. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit returns to Sydney, with cruises to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Disney Wonder is returning for its final season, sailing from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Families can enjoy Disney movies, live musical productions like Frozen, pools, themed dining and plenty more Disney magic onboard. Itineraries include short round-trip cruises, one-way sailings and a repositioning voyage to Honolulu.
Holland America’s Noordam, Zaandam and Volendam will offer sailings from Sydney and Auckland. Noordam features longer itineraries around New Zealand, the South Pacific, and Australia. Volendam is sailing to Yokohama and Fort Lauderdale, while Zaandam will offer a 33-night voyage to San Diego. This line does cater to families but mainly attracts a mature, relaxed crowd who appreciate traditional touches like afternoon tea and classical music.