April/May 2024 cruises

[Peter57]

Hello. We are travelling to Melbourne in April next year for about six weeks and were thinking about taking a cruise whilst there. We usually travel with Princess but I cannot find any cruises online with them, or indeed any other company. Do they sail from this port in April & May?  TIA Peter

[Relaxing Robbies]

There are no cruise departures from Melbourne in our cruising “off season”. The last departure is late March and cruising does not restart from Melbourne until October. The winter weather here can be very rough in Bass Strait, which is south of Melbourne when you exit Port Philip Bay. 

 

In our off season Princess only has 1 ship based in Australia (currently Coral Princess), but it normally does a few round trip Hawaii cruises and a world cruise during the winter period.  Carnival do have Carnival Splendor sailing from Sydney, and P &O Australia have Pacific Adventure sailing from Sydney, Pacific Encounter from Brisbane, and Pacific Explorer from various other ports during winter.

[arxcards]

Melbourne's main cruising destination is across the Tasman to New Zealand, and April/May is not favourable weather for any ship to be doing those itineraries - the only possible ship to be doing out-of-season cruising from Melbourne is P&O's Pacific Explorer, and she will be based in Fremantle (for Asia) and Cairns during that period. 

 

As mentioned, Carnival or P&O from Sydney, P&O from Brisbane -- or, cruise home to Dover from Sydney for a half world cruise on Coral Princess.

[Peter57]

Thankyou both. That confirms my suspicions. May do a little more research for other Oz ports. We just wanted to have a "holiday within a holiday". Trying to convince myself The Ghan is worth the money. It already seems very booked up for our potential dates!

[arxcards]

8 hours ago, Peter57 said:

Thankyou both. That confirms my suspicions. May do a little more research for other Oz ports. We just wanted to have a "holiday within a holiday". Trying to convince myself The Ghan is worth the money. It already seems very booked up for our potential dates!

Sorry, I also presumed Bristol UK in my answer. 

[MMDown Under]

11 hours ago, Peter57 said:

Thankyou both. That confirms my suspicions. May do a little more research for other Oz ports. We just wanted to have a "holiday within a holiday". Trying to convince myself The Ghan is worth the money. It already seems very booked up for our potential dates!

My friends didn't think the Ghan was worth the money.  They are well travelled and have done the Perth to Brisbane cruise.  When they built that railway, builders told me the priority was for freight!  I loved the Indian Pacific from Perth to Sydney.  Apart from the unique scenery, it carries a mixture of interesting international passengers.  Never bored for a moment.  

[possum52]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

My friends didn't think the Ghan was worth the money.  They are well travelled and have done the Perth to Brisbane cruise.  When they built that railway, builders told me the priority was for freight!  I loved the Indian Pacific from Perth to Sydney.  Apart from the unique scenery, it carries a mixture of interesting international passengers.  Never bored for a moment.  

Whereas I have two lots of cousins who have travelled on the Ghan since it resumed after Covid and absolutely loved it and would certainly do the trip again. Both lots did from Adelaide to Darwin.

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, possum52 said:

Whereas I have two lots of cousins who have travelled on the Ghan since it resumed after Covid and absolutely loved it and would certainly do the trip again. Both lots did from Adelaide to Darwin.

I had assumed I’d enjoy the Ghan as I loved the Indian Pacific. I think they thought the Ghan wasn’t good value compared to the cruise.

 

 

 

 

[Aussieflyer]

21 hours ago, Peter57 said:

Thankyou both. That confirms my suspicions. May do a little more research for other Oz ports. We just wanted to have a "holiday within a holiday". Trying to convince myself The Ghan is worth the money. It already seems very booked up for our potential dates!

The Ghan books up quite quickly so if you are considering doing the trip you would be advised to book sooner rather than later.

Sometimes it is easier to get onto the Indian Pacific - Sydney (or Adelaide) to Perth. 

Kimberley and other small cruises in WA could be something different if you want to cruise though as expedition cruises they are at a higher cost per person. 

[sanne]

Peter57….

Twice we have done this itinerary in your time frame with 2 different couples from overseas….everyone loved it.

 

-2 nights in Broome

- Broome to Darwin on Coral Adventurer ( expeditionary cruise in the Kimberley) 

- 2 nights in Darwin

- Darwin to Adelaide on the Ghan. 
 

As stated above, the Ghan books out very quickly whereas  there will be availability on the cruise to fit into that plan.