Opinion

With endless cruise options today, getting an unbiased opinion can be invaluable when planning your next cruise adventure. This site offers Australian cruisers an inside look at the best and worst of life at sea, from candid reviews of cruise lines and ships to the must-do excursions on land. Find straightforward feedback from cruisers enthusiasts on major cruise lines like P&O, Princess, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney, Royal Caribbean etc. Discover which lines offer the best value, service, food and activities for the price point. In addition, cruisers will learn the distinctions between mass market and luxury cruising. Moreover, this site also features ship-by-ship ratings on cleanliness, staff, and onboard facilities from customers who’ve sailed them. Get the scoop on the most popular cruise destinations as well as exotic emerging locales from our destination guides. Find out which shore excursions and tour packages are worth the cost or if you’re better off exploring independently. Read reviews of the top-rated activities and “can’t miss” attractions at each port. From “what to pack” checklists to avoiding hidden cruise fees, our articles offer tips and hacks to make the most of your cruise. See candid photos of cruise ship cabins and onboard venues. This site also provides suggestions for the best restaurants, entertainment, and nightlife on ships. Or get advice on booking cruise deals, group travel, and shore excursions. With millions of options today, a cruise is defined by the unique experiences cruisers have. This site offers real opinions from cruisers to help people determine which cruise line, ship, itinerary and activities will exceed their expectations. Let our reviews and opinions guide you to the best cruising experiences down under!

News

NSW Premier backs cruise return as our readers overwhelmingly support an urgent restart

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has come out in support of restarting local cruising  after an exclusive Cruise Passenger readers poll showed huge support for the ships to return to Australia. Mr Perrottet told a news […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Oct 15 2021
Opinion

Is it time we laid the Ruby Princess saga to rest?

Ruby Princess and what happened in March last year when she docked in Sydney simply won’t go away. There has already been a special commission of inquiry led by Brett Walker QC; and a health […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Aug 26 2021
Opinion

“Everyone makes mistakes” – the conclusions of the Ruby Princess inquiry into 28 deaths

Cruise Passenger analysis There are hundreds of passengers milling around at Circular Quay. They are waiting for cabs, buses or relatives.  It’s a familiar early morning sight when cruise ships arrive in Sydney. In this […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Aug 14 2020
News

The ultimate dilemma: should you book a cruise now? Here’s our advice.

Here at Cruise Passenger, we field a lot of questions about the current pandemic and the plethora of changing “pause” dates put out by the world’s cruise lines. Our readers are mostly seasoned cruise passengers. […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . May 14 2020
Opinion

Exclusive survey shows passengers want queue-beating perks halted

So you queued with your kids for the ship’s blockbuster ride and, just as you reach the front of the line, a group swoops past and takes your place. You’ve just met a new class […]

WORDS BY Cruise Passenger . Jan 16 2020
Opinion

White Island – should tour groups have been there?

I’ve signed a lot of release forms for shore excursions in my time.  From accepting risk for a coach tour to a Black Forrest cake factory (probably something to do with the cream and cherries) […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Dec 12 2019
Opinion

Chloe’s death: let’s not turn this tragedy into a reason to ruin the cruise experience

It was the holiday of a lifetime for the Wiegand family – kids, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers were on what they thought was a relaxing family trip. But before the ship even departed […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Jul 25 2019
Opinion

What you should do about overtourism

Go to any dinner party a decade ago, and at least half the table would loudly vow they would never take a cruise holiday. All that changed when cruise lines created ships with amazing food, […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Jun 13 2019
Opinion

We’re here to find you extraordinary experiences

Hello First, a big thank you for continuing to read Cruise Passenger’s stories. As Australia’s oldest and widest-read independent cruise publication, we truly treasure the time you spend with us. Today, we present the inaugural […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Apr 16 2019
Opinion

Norovirus – is the crew to blame?

It’s one of the enduring mysteries of cruise – how do sanatised ships still become contaminated by norovirus? A new US study, published in Royal Society Open Science, underscored what we already know: not much can […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Mar 8 2018
Opinion

The 2018 cruise trends

This year will be one of the biggest for cruise holidays with some new advancements, ships and more people taking to the sea. So what are the cool new cruise trends for 2018? We talk […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Jan 24 2018