Cruises from Brisbane September 2027

September is a comfortable month to cruise from Brisbane, with sailings spanning from a quick 2-night taster to an 8-night voyage. Most departures are round trips returning to Brisbane, though 1 sailing finishes in Sydney — worth knowing if you’d like to pair the cruise with a stay in another city. Carnival Cruise Line dominates the month, joined by a Princess Cruises sailing for those after a slightly different style on board.

Where do September sailings from Brisbane go?

The sailings fall into 2 broad directions, and both feel close to home compared with a long-haul fly-cruise.

Australian coastal cruising

The majority of September 2027 departures explore Australian waters, keeping things beautifully accessible. These round trips are ideal if you want the feeling of being at sea without travelling far from home — great for a first cruise, a family break or a long weekend stretched into something more memorable. The median sailing length is 4 nights, which means you can be back at the Brisbane terminal by the end of the working week if you time it right. If you’d like to explore the wider range of cruises around Australia in 2027, there are options across every season.

South Pacific

1 sailing heads into the South Pacific — the kind of voyage that puts proper distance between you and the everyday. Warm water, island scenery and the gentle pace of a longer cruise make this the stand-out option for September if you can stretch to 8 nights. For more South Pacific cruises from Brisbane in 2027, it’s worth comparing the full season’s departures.

Which ships sail from Brisbane in September 2027?

Carnival Encounter

Purpose-built with Australian cruisers in mind and sailing year-round from Brisbane, Carnival Encounter is the ship that most Brisbanites will encounter first — and many return to. With over 60 daily activities, from waterslides and laser tag through to cooking classes, there is rarely a quiet moment unless you go looking for one. Families will find that Camp Ocean keeps children genuinely entertained, while the Serenity Retreat gives adults a calmer corner of the ship to call their own. Carnival Encounter carries 4 of the September 2027 sailings.

Cabin grades on Carnival Encounter range from compact to genuinely spacious:

• Inside cabin 4A — 15 m², sleeps 4, with a walk-in wardrobe that makes longer trips more comfortable than the size suggests
• Ocean-view cabin with Porthole PT — 15 m², sleeps 4, with 2 round portholes bringing natural light and a bit of character
• Balcony cabin 8A — 16 m², sleeps 4, with a private balcony giving you direct sea air without stepping onto a public deck
• Byron Beach Club Presidential Suite SB — 57 m², sleeps 4, on Deck 15 with the largest living space and the highest vantage point on the ship

For a full look at layouts and deck positions, the Carnival Encounter cabin and deck plans have everything you need to choose.

Grand Princess

Grand Princess brings a different pace to September 2027. The ship is perhaps best known for its Movies Under the Stars screen — watching a film on deck with a blanket and the ocean around you is one of those cruise experiences that stays with you. Off the screen, The Sanctuary offers an adults-only retreat on the top deck, with sun loungers, light meals and open sea views. Day-to-day life is made easy by the Princess app: tap to order drinks by the pool or pizza in your cabin, with no queuing involved. Grand Princess operates 1 sailing in September 2027.

Cabin choices on Grand Princess:

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m², sleeps 4, positioned on middle decks for minimal motion and easy access to the ship’s facilities
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m², sleeps 4, with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows flooding the cabin with natural light
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m², sleeps 4, with floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors for an open, airy feel
• Grand Suite S1 with private hot tub — 67.8 m², sleeps 4, the largest suite on board by a considerable margin

To compare deck positions and layouts, see the Grand Princess cabin and deck plans.

What does a Princess Cruises fare include?

Princess Cruises offers 2 main fare levels for these sailings. The base Princess Standard fare covers your cruise itself; drinks packages, MedallionNet® Wi-Fi and crew appreciation can be added separately. Step up to Princess Plus and those extras are bundled in: you get 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 pp* per drink (with a daily limit of 15), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs with 3 prints included, and reserved theatre seating. For many cruisers the Plus package simplifies budgeting considerably, since the big daily costs are settled before you step on board. For a deeper look at the full Princess Cruises range, the Princess Cruises Australia 2026/2027 season is a good starting point, and the broader Princess 2027–2028 season launch covers what’s coming next.

Is there a discount available on these sailings?

Some sailings in this window are reduced from their highest listed price — up to 13% off on selected departures. It’s worth comparing fares across cabin grades, as the saving can be meaningful on a suite or balcony booking. Prices start at A$349 pp* and vary by ship, cabin grade and sailing length.

How do I get to Brisbane to join the ship?

If you live close to the port, joining the ship requires no flight at all — you can drive or take public transport straight to the terminal. If you are travelling from interstate, a short domestic flight is the most straightforward option, and CruiseAway can add that flight to your booking along with a pre-cruise hotel, transfers and travel insurance, so the whole journey is arranged in one place. For the 1 sailing that finishes in Sydney rather than Brisbane, a domestic flight back from Sydney connects the 2 cities conveniently — again, something we can book as part of the same package.

If September works but you’d like to compare nearby months, cruises from Brisbane in January 2027 and the September 2026 departures give a sense of how the season shapes up across the year. For short breaks specifically, short cruises from Brisbane in 2027 are worth a look if 2–4 nights is the sweet spot. You can also browse the full September cruises range if you are open to other departure ports.

Make it a holiday

CruiseAway is a cruise specialist — every offer is a cruise or a cruise-inclusive package. Our team can add flights, hotels, tours, transfers and insurance around your cruise, as a bundle or a fully custom holiday. Whether you’re looking at a 2-night taster on Carnival Encounter or the full 8-night South Pacific voyage on Grand Princess, we help you choose the cabin grade and fare inclusions that suit your situation, and put everything on one booking. CruiseAway is accredited with CLIA and ATAS, giving you the assurance that comes with booking through a recognised cruise specialist.

If you’re also weighing up other 2027 options, the broader 2027 cruises page covers the full range. Alternatively, Princess Cruises from Brisbane in 2027 or Royal Caribbean from Brisbane in 2027 may offer the combination you’re after.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability.