Kimberley cruise season 2026 underway as one line signals a ship reshuffle

• Seabourn has revealed that next year will be its last sailing the remote Kimberley, the centrepiece of Australia’s adventure cruise offerings.
• The move comes just two years after the cruise line launched in the region with purpose-built expedition ship Seabourn Pursuit in 2024.
• The 2026 Kimberley cruise season is now underway, which will see up to 10,000 passengers explore the largely untouched, spectacular coastline..

As the Kimberley cruise season gets underway for 2026, Seabourn has announced it’s leaving Australia’s centrepiece of adventure cruising, for cooler climes.

The cruise line, which only began sailing the Kimberley in 2024 with the purpose-built expedition ship Seabourn Pursuit, says rising demand for polar exploration has driven the change in its fleet deployment.

So after just four seasons in the Kimberley, Seabourn Pursuit will begin voyages in Europe and the Arctic region.

“Seabourn is seeing strong and sustained guest demand for Arctic expedition voyages, driven by interest in polar exploration, wildlife, and immersive experiences in remote destinations,” a spokesperson told Cruise Passenger.

“Our 2028 expedition program reflects this demand. 

The spokesperson denied that Seabourn’s venture into the Kimberly was because Seabourn’s program was unsuccessful and reiterated the deployment “related specifically to the growing demand for polar exploration”.

“Seabourn’s Kimberley program is highly regarded by guests and delivered meaningful cultural and destination-led experiences,” she said.

The all-too-brief Kimberley cruise season for 2026 is now underway, seeing a fleet of small luxury ships sail between Broome and Darwin from now until late September. Up to 10,000 passengers are expected to explore the largely untouched, spectacular coastline.

Whether it’s witnessing the dramatic tide drop at Montgomery Reef, the Horizontal Falls in Talbot Bay, or just soaking up the scenery as the red cliffs hit the turquoise waters below, cruising the Kimberley is finding its way on to the bucket list of a growing number of travellers.

And it’s easy to see why. In cruising terms, the Kimberley is the equivalent of Australia’s Antarctica but without the ice. Its reputation of a land filled with rock art dating back billions of years, crocadiles, turtles and ancient indigenous culture extends beyond Australia’s shores and is now global. According to Western Australia Tourism, 
the Port of Broome hosted 68 cruise calls in 2024-25 with cruise tourism worth $385 million to the state.

With a such a short cruise window – when waterfalls are at their peak, gorges are full, and the wildlife is thriving – there is high demand from around the world with the mix of international lines and local operators exploring the ancient region.

Expedition and luxury lines have responded in recent years, bringing in bigger vessels and developing themed cruises and itineraries that focus on subjects like photography, wildlife viewing and indigenous culture.

The result is a diverse market that’s finding increasing popularity among Australians looking for shorter itineraries and variety away from major ports like Sydney, and international luxury travellers discovering the remote region. Four of the top expedition operators – APT, Seabourn, Ponant and Silversea – are sailing the coast this year as well as local lines Coral Expedition and True North.

Here’s a summary of what each is offering and what guests can expect.

Ponant

French line Ponant is offering 16 voyages for the 2026 Kimberley season, which is down from 18 in 2025. The voyages, covering the northern Kimberley, southern Kimberley and Rowley Shoals, are led by the sleek small ships Le Jacques Cartier and Le Soleal. These are designed for intimate exploration, with a strong emphasis on fine French food and comfort.

Vessels: Le Jacques Cartier and Le Soleal
Capacity: Le Jacques Cartier (184) and Le Soleal (264)
Why book: Think French finery: champagne, panoramic restaurants and 35 years of Kimberley expeditions.
Cost: From approximately $12,460
Website: au.ponant.com

APT Touring

Australian-owned APT draws on its local knowledge and touring heritage to take cruisers on carefully curated itineraries with a strong emphasis on exploring more deeply the region’s local history, culture and traditions. For the second year, it is chartering Seabourn Pursuit, which had a strong debut in 2025, but as mentioned above will be redeployed from 2028. This may see demand for Seabourn Pursuit surge as people seek a last chance booking.

Vessels: Seabourn Pursuit
Capacity: 264 guests
Why book: They have a long relationship with the traditional owners, including the Wunambal Gaambera people who are also the godparents to Seabourn Pursuit. APT also offers an overland leg down the Gibb river Road and through El Questro for those looking for a land and sea experience.
Cost: The signature 10-day Kimberley Coastal Expedition between Broome and Darwin, sailing in either direction, starts from $16,895 per person.
Website: www.apttouring.com

Silversea

Silversea Cruises is offering 10 new itineraries in the Kimberley region for the 2026/2027 season. . With its serious expedition credentials, that includes conversational lectures and daily briefings from onboard experts, and purpose-built ships, including Silver Cloud, the cruises offer all-suite accommodation, butler services and one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the region.

Vessels: Silver Cloud
Capacity: 200 for Kimberley sailings
Why book them: Silversea approaches the Kimberley with a mindset that puts luxury first while still catering to the adventurer with onboard experts and expeditions.
Cost: From $14,000 per person
Website: silversea.com

Seabourn

Seabourn sets itself apart with a more relaxed yacht-like luxury. Its expedition ship Seabourn Pursuit is purpose-built for remote regions like this and offer spacious suites, exceptional dining and personalised service. With those signature strengths, and their adventurous excursions including Zodiac landings, submarine dives, kayaking, they’ve hit on a winning formula.

Vessels: Seabourn Pursuit
Capacity: 264
Why book: Eight dining venues, cultural programming, this is Seabourn’s own branded program running alongside APT’s charter
Cost: From $16,599 per person depending on departure
Website: www.seabourn.com

Coral Expeditions

One of the pioneers of Kimberley cruising, Australian operator Coral Expeditions has decades of experience navigating the complex waterways. It’s ships Coral Adventurere, Coral Discoverer and Coral Geographer are purpose built for this area, with shallow drafts, and multiple expedition tenders.

The onbaord atmosphere is more relaxed than the more luxurious lines and their itineraries tend to focus on time off the ship.

Vessels: Coral Adventurer, Coral Geographer and Coral Discoverer
Capacity: Coral Adventurer (120), Coral Geographer (120) and Coral Discoverer (72)
Why book them: The Kimberley pioneer, they’ve been running exploratory cruises here since 1996. They offer simple Aussie expedition cruising – no spa, no pool – with specialist guides.
Cost: From $21,600 per person for the 10-night classic Kimberley
Website: www.coralexpeditions.com

True North

True North Adventure Cruises offers one of the most immersive and personalised experiences in the region. Carrying a small number of guests, True North is designed for flexibility and exploration, with tailored excursions to match individual needs.

Its defining feature is a full-time onboard helicopter and having that opens up waterfalls, fishing spots and rock art sites that are inaccessible to others.

Vessels: True North and True North II
Capacity: True North (36), True North II (20)
Why book them: Both ships have just emerged from multi-million dollar refits and are the smallest ships on the Kimberley coast. They are pitched at active travellers
Cost: Varies significantly depending on itinerary but expect to pay from $18,000 per person for the flagship 13-night itinerary.
Website: truenorth.com.au