The best 20 cruises out of Sydney this summer – with savings of up to 50 per cent off

• Sydney’s cruise season is just kicking off.
• The Emerald City is by far the most popular cruise port in Australia and one of the most frequented in the world.
• Here are the best Sydney sailings for the summer ahead.

Sydney and its iconic harbour continue to serve as the dominant cruise hub of Australia. Whether you’re arriving internationally or domestically, it’s hard to deny that sailing in and out of Sydney Harbour is a bucket-list experience for many cruisers.

Sydney has Carnival Splendor and Carnival Adventure sailing year-round, but between October and March is when the majority of cruises arrive. 

Nearly all of the world’s premier cruise lines will pay a visit to Sydney this season, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Holland America Line and more. 

Quick tips on Sydney’s Cruise Terminal 

• The first tip to note is that Sydney actually has two cruise ship terminals. The Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay, as well as White Bay Cruise Terminal in Roselle. The vast majority of sailings visit the OPT, but make sure you double check where your cruise is leaving from.
• OPT is just a short walk from Circular Quay train station, which has its own great view over Sydney Harbour. This is only a couple of minutes on the train from Central Station. The train can often be quicker than driving due to traffic in the CBD.
• It’s a big terminal and while your cruise line will give you instructions, the general advice is to arrive at least two hours before your cruise departs.
• There are coles and IGA supermarkets nearby if you need to stock up on anything last-minute before your cruise.
• There is no long-term parking option at OPT, however, there are options nearby. Nearly all long-term parking options nearby are extremely expensive so it’s advisable to avoid driving if you can.
• There are some wi-fi hotspots in the terminal, but they don’t always work and they don’t cover the entire terminal. So, if you’re coming internationally or don’t have phone data for any reason, make sure you have your travel documents downloaded and/or screenshotted.
• Once you’re onboard, find yourself a scenic spot to enjoy Sydney Harbour and the cruise out of Sydney Heads!

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Family cruise deals

Carnival Cruise Line – Nine-day Vanuatu and New Caledonia Christmas cruise – Sydney roundtrip – departs December 17, 2027 – from $1949 

The best thing about this cruise is that it’s a Christmas sailing, which are generally highly sought after and are priced higher than other cruises. However, while some Christmas cruises for this year with Carnival are already starting from more than $300 a night, this cruise still starts at only just over $200 a night.

Carnival Cruise Line – 14-day Southeast Asia cruise – Sydney to Singapore – Carnival Adventure – departs January 27, 2027 – from $1683 

This cruise offers an enticing price and new destinations, taking advantage of Carnival Adventure’s upcoming renovations to head out to Singapore. Guests will get to visit Airlie Beach, Darwin, Benoa and Lombok before ending up in Singapore, where you can explore more of Asia, or easily head fly home.

Carnival Cruise Line – 10- day New Zealand sailing – Sydney roundtrip – multiple departure dates – Carnival Splendor – from $1672

As other cruise lines see their prices for New Zealand continue to rise, Carnival has by far the best value New Zealand cruise going. Guests will enjoy Wellington, Lyttelton, Port Chalmers and Fiordland National Park.

Royal Caribbean – four-day Hobart cruise – Sydney roundtrip – Anthem of the Seas – from $1198 – multiple departure dates

For a chance to enjoy Tassie while Royal Caribbean is still sailing there, before focusing on Lelepa, this quick escape is the one for you. You’ll get a few days at sea to enjoy all that can be found on Anthem of the Seas, as well as a great day out in Hobart. 1

Royal Caribbean 10-day New Zealand Cruise – Sydney Roundtrip – multiple departure dates – Anthem of the Seas – from $2699

In future seasons Royal Caribbean will look more towards Lelepa, so the time to check out NZ with Royal Caribbean is this season, on sailings like this one. Enjoy ports like Picton, Christchurch, Dunedin, Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound.

Royal Caribbean – nine-day South Pacific cruise – Sydney roundtrip – multiple departure dates – Anthem of the Seas – from $1649 

This cruise offers some of the best value you’ll find with Royal Caribbean, with prices well under $200 per day. Guests can expect a classic South Pacific sailing that swings by Port Vila, Mystery Island and Noumea.

Norwegian Cruise Line – 11-day Australia cruise – Sydney roundtrip – Norwegian Spirit – leaves December 12, 2026 – from $1487

This NCL sailing offers incredible value for an exploration of Australia, clocking in at just over $100 a night, an especially great price for NCL. The cruise will show you some of Australia’s best ports like Hobart, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Melbourne.

Norwegian Cruise Line – 14-day Australia and New Zealand – Sydney roundtrip – Norwegian Spirit – leaves December 23, 2026 – from $3152

This NCL sailings offers the chance for a Christmas at sea, as well as a great New Zealand sailing over an immersive two-weeks. Guests will visit Eden, Melbourne, Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Timaru and Tauranga. 

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Premium cruise deals

Princess Cruises – 13-day Fiji cruise – Sydney roundtrip – Grand Princess – departs March 20, 2027 – from $2593 

This Fiji sailing offers a different take on the South Pacific, with the cruise visiting Lautoka, Suva and Dravuni Island in Fiji, before adding Mystery Island and Noumea as well. Prices are still starting from less than $200 per person per night making it the perfect to cruise to quickly snap up.

Princess Cruises – 8-day Tasmania cruise – Sydney roundtrip – Royal Princess – departs January 30, 2027 – from $2244

Apart from a reasonable price for what’s a very popular sailing with Princess, the key draw of this sailing is the chance to visit some fun and different Aussie ports. The cruise will stop at Melbourne and Hobart, but also in Eden and Port Arthur, meaning you’ll get to see both larger cities and smaller coastal towns on your journey of just over a week.

Princess Cruises – 17-day Northern Explorer – Sydney to Perth – Grand Princess – leaves April 30, 2027 – from $4848

If you’re going to sail Princess, why not go all out and enjoy their far-ranging itineraries that they offer around Australia. This epic cruise takes you from Sydney to Perth, visiting Queensland, Darwin, Yampi Sound, Broome and more on the way.

Celebrity Cruises – 10-day Wine cruise – Sydney roundtrip – Celebrity Solstice – departs October 31, 2026 – from $3281 

While this isn’t necessarily the most price-friendly Celebrity cruise, this cruise is a great deal because it’s a chance to sail on the renovated Celebrity Solstice on a great domestic itinerary, and with the sailing in October, it’s a genuine last minute option. The cruise will visit Hobart, Kangaroo Island, Adelaide, Melbourne and Eden, with a special emphasis on food and wine experiences.

Celebrity Cruises – 11-day Great Barrier Reef cruise – Sydney roundtrip – Celebrity Edge – departments December 1, 2026 – from $2243

This Celebrity cruise takes you to The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia’s premier cruise destinations, and can still be snapped up for just over $200 per person per night. The cruise will visit Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas and Willis Island through 11-nights of sailing.

Celebrity Cruises 15-day Fiji & Vanuatu – Sydney round trip – Celebrity Edge – leaves March 24, 2027 – from $3180 

Sail one of Australia’s favourite ships to see a different side of the South Pacific with two Fiji ports on this trip, Lautoka and Suva. You’ll also make other classic South Pacific stops like Noumea, Mystery Island, Lifou and more.

Holland America Line – 14-day Australia and New Zealand – Sydney to Auckland – multiple departure dates – Westerdam – from $2800 

As mentioned, Holland America has its specialty in one-way New Zealand sailings between Sydney and Auckland. It’s where the line shines and offers a longer and more immersive experience than most other lines.

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Luxury cruise deals

Viking Cruises – 15-day Australia and New Zealand – multiple departure dates – Viking Orion – from $12,995

This classic Aussie Viking sailing is a reliable option year-in year-out, and it’s hard to find a line you can count on more than Viking. Guests will swing through Melbourne, Tasmania, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and more, with plenty of scenic cruising spliced in as well.

Viking Cruises – 32-day Australia cruise – Sydney roundtrip – departs December 11, 2026 – Viking Orion – from $23,595

This epic Viking cruise still has some cabins available, even though it sails in just over three months. The cruise offers some serious exploration with stops all around the Australian coast and Bali, including lesser-visited ports like Komodo, Busselton, Albany, Burnie and more. 

Oceania Cruises – 12-day Australian cruise – Sydney roundtrip – departs December 3, 2026 – Oceania Riviera – from $3920 

This Oceania Cruises deal has a great price, with a current offer for up to 50 per cent off. It visits fairly standard ports for a smaller-ship, but offers the chance to experience the luxury cruising lifestyle in a well-priced sailing, visiting Brisbane, the Whitsundays, Townsville and Cairns.

Regent Seven Seas – 12-days Sydney to Darwin – departments January 28, 2027 – Seven Seas Explorer – from $11,099

To cruise with arguably the most luxurious cruise line of all of those that visit city, opt for this sailing with Regent Seven Seas. Throughout just under two-weeks of living in luxury, guests will visit Mooloolaba, Gladstone, Airlie Beach, Townsville, Cairns, Cooktown and more.

Silversea cruises – 18-days Sydney to Singapore – departs February 14, 2027 – Silver Moon – from $13,328

This cruise offers the small-ship luxury experience as well as the perfect Valentines Day gift, departing on February 14. The route tackles the Australian Coast visiting Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin, before visiting Komodo and Benoa on the way to Singapore.