More
than 10 major cruise lines visit Australia. You can enjoy the elegance of
Cunard Line, Regent Seven Seas or Crystal Cruises; or, the family-friendly
ambiance of Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean or Princess Cruises. Paul
Gaugin Cruises calls on northern Australia ports in combination with Fiji or
the islands of Southeast Asia. Seabourn’s intimate ships also call on ports in
eastern and northern Australia on cruises that that also visit New Zealand or
Southeast Asia.
Sydney
is the anchor of many Australian cruise itineraries, with good reason. The beautiful
harbor, the nearby beaches, the historic Rocks district and the misty Blue
Mountains in the distance are just some of the features that elevate this
sprawling city to a must-see destination.
The
size of your ship determines where you dock in Sydney, but both have easy
access to top attractions. Smaller ships dock at White Bay Cruise Terminal,
which opened last year in Darling Harbor. This terminal is close to the city
center and attractions like the Sydney Aquarium and the Maritime Museum. Larger
ships dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, adjacent to the
Rocks, Sydney’s original old city. The Overseas terminal is scheduled to get a
facelift in summer 2014 to help create better passenger flow.
Australian
cruise itineraries may also include Adelaide, a gateway to the wine region (try
the Shiraz from Barossa and the Riesling from Adelaide Hills). Melbourne is a
multicultural city with lots of great shopping, dining and cultural
attractions. Brisbane, Australia’s capital, has a wonderful riverfront – you
can reach many attractions via boat – and is near the beaches of the Gold
Coast. Cairns is the base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef or the ancient
Daintree rainforest.
Some
itineraries also visit Australia’s western capital, Perth; Hobart, capital of
the island of Tasmania; the Whitsunday Islands off Australia’s northeast coast;
and Noumea, capital of the islands of New Caledonia, a territory of France.
To
select a cruise line, ship and itinerary for your Australian cruise, talk with Anita,
your Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert.
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