The top 10 best cruise lines in Australia – according to Cruise Passenger

Australia can have as many as 63 ships sailing around its shores during the cruise season. But how do spoilt-for-choice Aussies know which are the best?

Thousands of Cruise Passenger readers voted in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards 2026. The most coveted category is Best Cruise Line.

Oceania Cruises took out first place – a fascinating choice given the luxury line has recently sent two vessels to Australia, including one which sails our waters for five months.

Perennial favourite Princess Cruises, family pick Royal Caribbean and premium Celebrity Cruises are all in the top five, as lines that have been sailing in Australia for some time.

Which one will you chose?

The best cruise lines in Australia according to Cruise Passenger readers:

1. Oceania Cruises – Luxe for less

It should be no surprise to see Oceania Cruises come in at the top of this list. A luxury line strong on value – some cruises are priced as low as $300 a day per person, when other luxury lines are charging $800 – and with the proud boast: “Best cuisine at sea”, Oceania has been constantly refining its offering.

Oceania’s new ‘Your World Included’ offer may well have helped the line shoot to the top of the rankings, with the cruise line now offering something very close to an all-inclusive experience. Your World Included comes with specialty dining, unlimited Wi Fi, specialty non-alcoholic beverages like coffees, teas and sodas and beer and wine during restaurant hours.

Considering all the inclusions, that makes for tremendous value.

With two ships sailing in our waters and new launches – Oceania Sonata will be a new class when she debuts in 2027 – the line is expanding.

Oceania offers the chance to have a small-ship experience with more intimate service. I was lucky to be onboard Oceania Vista, when the ship was christened.

What stuck out was how Oceania had elevated its offerings and had started to move itself toward the luxury space which can be seen in its cuisine and the interior design of the ship.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: My personal favourite – taking a cooking class at the Culinary Centre, which has been expanded to 24 cooking stations.

2. Princess Cruises – An Aussie favourite

Australians are massive fans of Princess Cruises, and it consistently ranks as one of our best cruise lines.

You could say the line reflects quintessential Aussie values: premium, refined and good value.

Princess is celebrating 50 years of sailing in Australia, making it our oldest operating cruise line. And while it does cater for families, the line sails minus the family madness of a Carnival or Royal Caribbean. There are no water parks, slides or race tracks. Instead, Princess Cruises strike a balance between sophisticated entertainment and immersive shore excursions.

It offers the widest diversity of destinations. You can set off on circumnavigations around Australia, head out to the South Pacific, you can explore Australia’s west coast and there are more itineraries to places like South Australia and Tasmania than other line in Australia.

Princess also has very popular cruise packages, Princess Plus and Princess Premier, which include drinks packages and WiFi, as well as other perks depending on the package, offering an all-inclusive feel.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: Cruise Passenger contributor and experts, Jane Archer was onboard the Crown Princess on a New Zealand sailing from Sydney, where, for her, the food and service were an absolute standout.

After sailing on the Crown Princess 20 years ago, she’s still as impressed as ever.

3. Royal Caribbean – Family favourite

Royal Caribbean is a classic vacation option for Australian families – and with good reason. Royal Caribbean can’t be beaten for family cruising, offering big-ship experiences like no other line. From Waterslides, rock climbing and sports to surf pools and iFly experiences, Royal Caribbean ships are floating resorts with all the facilties.,

While Royal Caribbean’s true selling point is it’s offerings for families, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t also have plenty on offer for adults. You can find high-quality dining, wine tastings, spa offerings, Broadway-style entertainment, endless activities and more.

Pricewise, Royal Caribbean offers good value – but has increased its price point. It is more expensive than its fiercest rival, Carnival Cruise Lines, but offers younger ships with more facilities.

Royal Caribbean is about to break the mold when it opens its private beach club, Lelepa, in Vanuatu from late 2027. Most Royal Caribbean sailings will head out to the South Pacific, rather than to other parts of Australia.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: I was recently on Ovation of the Seas, 10 years after I first sailed on the ship.

What has continuously impressed me about Royal Caribbean is how diverse the range of activities is onboard the ship. Coming back to Ovation a decade later is like reuniting with someone who was wildly ahead of their time – and discovering they’ve aged well.

4. Celebrity Cruises – A premium experience

Celebrity Cruises is another Aussie favourite, and the arrival of Celebrity Edge and the huge upgrades on Celebrity Solstice has lifted the line’s game. Once considered a Princess competitor, Celebrity is now carving out its own niche. No waterslides, but gardens, bars and wine tasting experiences and specialty restaurants mark out Celebrity’s premium offering.

The line now focuses on new venues and contemporary dining. The Magic Carpet on Celebrity Edge – a platform that moves up and down the side of the ship, transforming from a marine platform to a night venue, is a masterpiece of modern maritime design.

A highlight for Celebrity in Australia is wine cruises, which focus on visiting ports known for famous wine and gourmet food, with specialised shore excursions and onboard experience to complement the sailing.

Celebrity offers sailings out of Sydney, but does visit a variety of Aussie and South Pacific ports, providing variety for guests.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: Cruise Passenger contributor and expert Sue Bryant sailed on Celebrity Edge when the ship first launched and was impressed by how advanced the design was.

5. Viking Ocean Cruises – A game changer

If there’s a cruise line where you always know what you’re going to get, it’s definitely Viking. The line’s ships are identical and the experience has been refined down to every detail, no matter where in the world you’re sailing.

No kids, no casinos. The thinking person’s cruise. Viking has an extremely loyal fanbase, and has carved out a new niche. Cruisers who know and love the experience sail over and over again.

Viking has the world’s largest river fleet, two expedition vessels and 15 Ocean ships. While many would describe it as luxury, Viking prefers to shy away from such descriptions. Fares can be will above $500 per night, but the inclusions and value is a high point and the vessels are built to extremely high standards.

Viking has two ships in Australian waters during the season and offers sailings to New Zealand.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: Viking’s speciality restaurants and all included – and its ocean ships have one of the best Italian restaurants at sea. Manfredi’s is a delight.

6. Cunard – British upper-crust cruising

Cunard doesn’t shy away from its upper-crust position. From dress codes to ballrooms, this line is from a bygone era – and its guests simply love it.

It’s an experience drenched in elegance and grandeur. Grill class is first class, and white-gloved service is everywhere. From speakers talking about history, diplomacy and art to traditional entertainment, Cunard has a loyal following.

Sadly, Cunard no longer homeports out of Australia, making it a bit more complicated for Aussies to get onboard, but there are plenty of sailings just a flight away in the USA or Europe.

Cunard is in a different price bracket to Princess, but a touch below lines like Oceania. The ships are larger, generally taking between 2000 and 3000 passengers, but the experience does dial in a more intimate type of service and refined aesthetic across the ship.

If you are seeking a cruise that gives you the chance to get dressed up, indulge in the finer things and have a large ship traditional cruise experience, Cunard is for you.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: High tea is sooo British. Expect finger sandwiches and scones. And formal nights mean formal – black tie and dinner jacket.

7. Disney Cruise Line – A kids’ (and parents’) favourite

Another cruise line which unfortunately is not sailing in Australia for the time being is Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Cruise Line‘s short stint in Australia showed that Mickey still has many fans.

In terms of overall entertainment and an immersive experience for kids, plus great dining and luxury ships for mum and dad, Disney has nailed the market. While a line like Royal Caribbean might offer more activities, Disney offers unique experiences that are tailored for fans of the franchise.

For now, Aussies who want to cruise with Disney should look towards Singapore, where the new Disney Adventure has begun sailing. With just a short flight to Singapore Aussies can still enjoy a Disney cruise, where Disney’s largest and newest ship will be waiting.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: The big surprise: the food is excellent, and you’ll be surprised at how many dining venues there are.

8. Holland America Line – A quiet achiever

Holland America is sometimes the forgotten cruise line of Australia. Despite lines such as Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean being talked about more and marketing more heavily, Holland America has a quiet popularity in Australia and beyond.

It sails older ships each summer. Its local specialty is definitely its cruises between Australia and New Zealand, generally offering two-week, one way sailings that visit a range of New Zealand ports and often stop in places like Melbourne and Hobart as well.

Holland America offers something similar to Celebrity and Princess, but is generally more a no fuss line attracting an older demographic who like a slower and more relaxed onboard experience.

HAL is a great option for something different for Aussies who want to sail locally and an ultra relaxed cruise line.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: Music is everywhere at night on Holland America. Especially jazz.

9. Silversea – Quality and silver service

Silversea is very much in the world of ultra-luxury cruising, and is clearly a hit with Aussies. So much so that it sails its flagship Silver Nova here during the season.

Silver Nova has to be one of the most beautiful ships sailing our waters, with incredible design that produces a light-filled ship and an amazing pool deck.

Food is a specialty. SALT kitchen is the line’s homage to culinary excellence, and Silver Nova includes a SALT kitchen, a learning studio, as well as a specialty restaurant.

Silversea has been upping its presence locally. It’s all about service, with butlers and almost 1:1 to crew-to-guest ratio. You can expect top quality across dining, accommodation, amenities and more.

There are cruises available around the country, as well as sailings in between Australia, Asia and the South Pacific, with two ships generally here each summer. A standout sailing is from Sydney to Tokyo, passing through Bali, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and more over a 30-day trip.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: I was onboard the Silver Nova on a sailing from Darwin to Cairns and what I loved about the ship is the service. It is at the heart of what makes Silversea, a luxury line with luxury prices, different. Silversea won Best for Service in our Readers’ Choice Awards last year, and sailing on Silver Nova we can see why.

10. Seabourn – expedition with an American flavour

Seabourn offers a relaxed and opulent yacht-like experience. Australia is Seabourn’s third biggest source market globally, and the line has adopted new strategies to bring Australian guests aboard its ships.

The Kimberley remains a key drawcard, with Seabourn’s purpose-built expedition vessels offering immersive exploration in one of Australia’s most remote regions. Beyond home waters, the company is working to funnel Australian guests onto itineraries in Europe and Antarctica, leveraging partnerships to simplify access and broaden appeal.

Among those partnerships are agreements with APT and, more recently, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.

You can expect luxury in every corner of the ship, and top-notch quality and service across all aspect of your cruise. But it will delivered in a low-key way. Indeed, you’ll hardly notice it.

Cruise Passenger recommendation: Caviar may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or glass of champagne) but Seabourn serves it up at any time as an included option. And the service is impeccable.