Cruises from Brisbane in September 2027

Where do September sailings from Brisbane go?

September departures from Brisbane concentrate on 2 regions: the Australian coast and the South Pacific. Most sailings stay close to home — which means more time exploring and less time at sea getting there. Whether you want a short 2-night sampler or a more leisurely 8-night voyage, there is a departure here to suit. The median trip runs 4 nights, making these sailings a practical option when you want a proper holiday without taking two weeks off work.

Australian coastal cruising

The majority of September sailings from Brisbane explore Australian waters, and most return to Brisbane at the end of the voyage — so you can drive to the terminal, board, and be home again without setting foot in an airport. If you are coming from interstate, a short domestic hop connects you to Brisbane; it is still the quickest way to reach the ship, and we can book that flight for you as part of a DreamAway Package alongside transfers and any pre-cruise hotel you need.

For more Australian coastal departures throughout the year, browse our full collection of cruises around Australia in 2027.

South Pacific

1 sailing heads out into the South Pacific, swapping the coastline for island scenery. This departure also leaves from Brisbane. If you are interested in extending your reach from Brisbane across the Pacific, our South Pacific cruises from Brisbane in 2027 page covers a wider selection of dates.

Which ships sail from Brisbane in September 2027?

2 ships cover these September departures: Carnival Encounter carries the bulk of the programme, with Grand Princess adding a single sailing for Princess Cruises.

Carnival Encounter

Carnival Encounter was purpose-built for the Australian market and sails year-round from Brisbane, which means the whole ship — its restaurants, its pools, its daily programme — is designed with local tastes in mind. On any given day there are more than 60 activities running, ranging from laser tag and waterslides to cooking classes. There is something structured to do at every hour, or you can simply find a deck chair and ignore all of it.

Families tend to find the split particularly useful: children have Camp Ocean as their own dedicated space, while adults who want quieter surroundings head to the Serenity Retreat. Both groups get what they came for, which makes Carnival Encounter a practical choice for multigenerational groups travelling together.

Carnival Encounter also accounts for the bulk of Carnival’s 2027 Brisbane programme. If your dates are flexible, you will find additional Carnival departures from other Australian ports — including Carnival sailings from Adelaide in 2026–2027.

Carnival Encounter cabin grades

All cabin grades on Carnival Encounter sleep up to 4 guests. Browse the Carnival Encounter cabin and deck plans for full layout details, or use the summary below to pick your starting point:

• Inside cabin 4A — 15 m². A compact, well-organised interior cabin with a walk-in wardrobe — particularly useful on longer departures where storage matters.
• Ocean-view cabin with Porthole PT — 15 m². 2 round portholes bring natural light into the cabin, giving a more open feel at a budget-friendly price point.
• Balcony cabin 8A — 16 m². A private balcony with direct access to fresh sea air, so you can step outside any time without using the public decks.
• Byron Beach Club Presidential Suite SB — 57 m². The largest suite on board, positioned on Deck 15 for the highest vantage point and the widest views on the ship.

Grand Princess

Grand Princess brings Princess Cruises to this September programme with a single sailing. One of the ship’s most enjoyable features is its open-air screen on deck — you can curl up under a blanket and watch a film under the stars, whether you are sailing past the coast or above the Coral Sea. The Princess app lets you order food and drinks to wherever you happen to be sitting — poolside, on your balcony, or from your cabin — without needing to queue at a bar or a restaurant.

For guests who want to step away from the activity on the main decks, The Sanctuary is an adults-only retreat at the top of the ship, with sun loungers, light meals and uninterrupted ocean views.

Grand Princess is part of the broader Princess Cruises Australia 2026–2027 season. Princess also has a strong presence from Sydney in 2027, and their full upcoming programme is covered in the Princess Cruises 2027–2028 season launch.

Grand Princess cabin grades

All Grand Princess cabins sleep up to 4 guests. See the Grand Princess cabin and deck plans for full layout details:

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m². Positioned on the middle decks, which keeps motion to a minimum and puts you close to lifts and the ship’s central facilities.
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m². A floor-to-ceiling panoramic window fills the cabin with natural light and gives you an unobstructed view of the sea from inside the room.
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m². Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors open the cabin up to the outside, giving more natural light and a more open feel than a standard balcony.
• Grand Suite S1 with private hot tub — 67.8 m². The largest suite on the ship at approximately 67.8 m², with considerably more space than any other category on board.

What does a Princess Cruises fare include?

Princess Cruises offers 2 main fare tiers on these sailings, and what you get depends on which you choose.

Princess Standard is the base cruise fare. It covers the voyage itself, with the option to add the Princess Plus or Princess Premier packages — covering beverages, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation and casual dining — at an extra cost rather than bundled in.

Princess Plus is worth considering if you plan to eat at the casual dining venues and want drinks included. It covers 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (with a daily limit of 15 drinks), MedallionNet® Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating. For guests who like to have the main extras settled before they board, it is a practical choice.

If you are weighing up which tier suits your travel style, our cruise experts can walk you through the difference — and if your travel plans include an itinerary to Tasmania with Princess in 2027, the same fare options apply there too.

Is there a discount available on these sailings?

1 sailing carries a reduced fare — a saving of up to 13% from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing. That is a meaningful reduction on a single departure rather than a site-wide promotion, so if you see a discounted sailing that suits your dates, it is worth enquiring promptly. Our cheap cruises from Brisbane page tracks the wider range of reduced fares if you want to compare options across more departure dates.

How do I get to Brisbane to join the ship?

All September departures leave from Brisbane. If you live locally, you can travel to the terminal by car, taxi or public transport — there is no flight involved at all. If you are coming from another state, a short domestic flight is usually the most practical option, and we can include that in your booking alongside transfers to the pier and a hotel the night before if you want to arrive without rushing.

The one sailing that ends in Sydney rather than returning to Brisbane is a one-way itinerary — the voyage finishes there, and a domestic flight back to Brisbane (or onwards, wherever you are going) connects the two cities. We can book that return leg as part of the same package, so you are not left arranging it separately.

Make it a holiday

CruiseAway is a cruise specialist — every offer we sell is a cruise or a cruise-inclusive package. Our team can add flights, hotels, tours, transfers and insurance around your cruise, whether you want a simple bundle or a fully custom holiday built around your schedule. Our DreamAway Packages bring all of it together under one booking, and our cruise experts are available to help you choose the cabin grade and fare inclusions that fit your circumstances. Every booking is covered by our Best Price Guarantee.

Thinking about other months or destinations?

If September does not quite work for your calendar, Brisbane has sailings across other months in 2027. January 2027 departures from Brisbane are particularly well-subscribed, and short cruises from Brisbane in 2027 cover a range of dates if you are after a quick getaway. If you cruised from Brisbane in a previous year, September 2026 sailings from Brisbane show how the programme has evolved.

For a broader view of what is sailing in this period, the full cruises listing covers departures across all ports and regions, and our 2027 cruises overview is a good starting point if you are still deciding on the destination. Readers considering Sydney as an alternative embarkation point may want to look at cruises from Sydney in October 2027 — a neighbouring month with a wider range of ships and regions. For something further afield in 2027, Mediterranean cruises in 2027 or cruises from Singapore in 2027 are popular alternatives among travellers open to flying to join the ship.

*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. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.