Cruises from Melbourne 2028

Where do Melbourne cruises go in 2028?

The great majority of Melbourne’s 2028 sailings explore Australia itself — coastal voyages that take in the country’s iconic ports without a long-haul flight in sight. A smaller number head across the Tasman to New Zealand, offering a genuine change of scenery on a two-week itinerary. One sailing ends in Singapore, making it a natural springboard for a longer trip through Asia. It is worth knowing that most of these voyages are one-way rather than round trips, so you arrive in a different city from where you boarded — a domestic flight connects the two ends, and our team can book that leg along with any hotels you need either side.

Australian coastal voyages

The bulk of the 2028 programme is built around Australia’s own coastline. Sailings end in Sydney or Adelaide, meaning you can piece together a genuine road-trip-by-sea — boarding in Melbourne and finishing somewhere else entirely. Voyage lengths run from a quick 2-night coastal taster to a 26-night extended passage, with a median of around 14 nights. That middle ground suits travellers who want enough time to settle into a rhythm on board without committing to a month at sea. If you’re interested in the wider cruise-around-Australia picture for 2028, we have a dedicated page covering all departures.

New Zealand sailings

A pair of sailings cross the Tasman and end in Auckland. These tend to run longer, giving you time to properly experience both countries on one voyage. If New Zealand cruising from Melbourne is your focus, you’ll also find earlier options on our Melbourne to New Zealand cruises page, and the 2027 season is covered on our Melbourne to New Zealand 2027 page if you’re weighing up years.

Which cruise lines sail from Melbourne in 2028?

Five cruise lines cover the Melbourne 2028 programme, ranging from lively contemporary ships to all-inclusive luxury. Here is the spread, and what each line brings:

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises — all-inclusive ultra-luxury, with every fare covering dining, drinks, excursions and gratuities.
• Silversea Cruises — butler-serviced suites and unlimited wines and spirits included as standard, even on the entry fare.
• Princess Cruises — a familiar mid-to-premium line with flexible fare tiers, from a base Standard fare to the feature-rich Princess Plus package.
• Azamara — a boutique line known for overnight port stays and cultural evenings ashore included in the fare.
• Carnival Cruise Line — the liveliest option on the list, built around on-deck thrills, family programmes and a festive atmosphere.

If you’re planning around a specific line, our Princess Cruises 2028 and Regent Cruises 2028 pages give a full view of each fleet’s 2028 sailings across all departure ports. For Carnival’s 2028 programme specifically, see Carnival Luminosa cruises 2028.

Which ships are sailing from Melbourne in 2028?

Five ships cover the Melbourne 2028 departures. Each one sits in a different part of the market, so the right choice depends as much on what you want on board as on where you’re going.

Carnival Adventure

Carnival Adventure accounts for the largest share of Melbourne 2028 departures and is firmly built for Australian guests. Fresh local produce features throughout the dining options, the service is warm and laid-back, and there is genuinely something going on for every age group. Thrill-seekers have the zip-line and deck climbing to look forward to, while anyone wanting a quieter afternoon can settle in for an open-air film screening under the stars. Families in particular will appreciate the Camp Ocean programme for children, which means the adults can claim a sun lounger at the Serenity Retreat — the ship’s adults-only deck space — without anyone feeling short-changed.

Cabin grades on Carnival Adventure run from compact inside rooms through to a flagship suite:

• Inside cabin 4A — 15 m², sleeps 4, with a walk-in wardrobe and generous storage that works well on longer voyages.
• Ocean-view cabin with Porthole PT — 15 m², sleeps 4; 2 round portholes bring natural light into the cabin on the ship’s quieter lower decks.
• Balcony cabin 8A — 16 m², sleeps 4; glass bifold doors open onto your own private outdoor space.
• Byron Beach Club Presidential Suite SB — 58 m², sleeps 4; an expansive balcony, dressing area and deluxe bathroom more than twice the size of a standard balcony cabin.

Silver Moon

Silver Moon is the newest and most luxurious ship in the Silversea fleet, and every cabin comes with a personal butler as standard — not as an upgrade. Silversea’s all-inclusive fares cover butler-serviced suites, unlimited wines and spirits, onboard gratuities, Wi-Fi and exceptional dining from day one. Step up to the All Inclusive Plus fare and you also receive a shore excursion credit based on voyage length, plus a fully refundable deposit for added peace of mind. The Grand Suite G2 with two bedrooms is the standout option: at 174 m², it offers a separate sleeping area, a living space and a working area — the kind of room where a two-week voyage genuinely feels like living rather than staying.

Grand Princess

Grand Princess brings Princess Cruises’ signature Movies Under the Stars screen to Australian coastal routes, so you can curl up on deck under the southern sky on the way to port. The Princess app lets you order food and drinks anywhere on the ship — poolside, in your cabin, wherever you happen to be — without joining a queue. For anyone who wants a quieter space, The Sanctuary is a top-deck adults-only retreat with sun loungers, light meals and open ocean views.

Princess offers two main fare levels on these sailings. The Standard fare covers the cruise itself; the Princess Plus package adds 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. It is worth comparing both against what you’d spend on board — the Plus package often works out ahead for anyone who drinks, uses Wi-Fi regularly or plans to eat at the casual venues.

Cabin grades on Grand Princess:

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m², sleeps 4; positioned on middle decks for minimal motion and easy access to lifts and facilities.
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m², sleeps 4; floor-to-ceiling panoramic window with an unobstructed sea view.
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m², sleeps 4; floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors create an open-plan feel.
• Grand Suite S1 with private hot tub — 67.8 m², sleeps 4; the largest suite on board with considerably more space than any other suite category.

The Princess 2027–2028 season launch and the Princess Australia 2028 summer season pages are useful if you want to see the full Princess programme beyond Melbourne.

Azamara Pursuit

With just 777 guests on board, Azamara Pursuit is the smallest ship on the Melbourne 2028 roster — and that is very much the point. The crew knows your name by day two, and the ship’s size means genuine access at every port rather than the logistical shuffle that larger vessels require. What really sets Azamara Pursuit apart is the time it spends in port: overnight and late-night stays are a regular feature, giving you an evening ashore rather than a rushed afternoon. The fare includes a private cultural evening — think vineyard dinners or exclusive concerts — for guests only. See the full Azamara Pursuit cabin and deck plans if you are comparing grades.

Seven Seas Splendor

Seven Seas Splendor sails for Regent Seven Seas Cruises and represents the most inclusive option on the Melbourne 2028 list. Regent’s fares are built around the idea that everything worth having is already covered — dining, drinks, excursions, gratuities and more — so you can step aboard and stop counting. The ship’s generous space ratios mean there is room to spread out, and the focus is on immersive port experiences as much as life on board. Cabin and suite details are on the Seven Seas Splendor deck plans page. Regent’s full 2028 programme is on our Regent Cruises 2028 page.

Are there any deals on Melbourne 2028 cruises?

A selection of Melbourne 2028 sailings carry reduced fares — the maximum saving on any single departure reaches 32% off that cabin grade’s previous price, though that level applies to 1 sailing. Most discounted departures sit closer to 14% off, which is still a meaningful reduction on a multi-night cruise fare. Our cruise deals from Melbourne page collects the most current offers if you want to browse by saving. Fare types such as early-saver, last-minute and package-inclusive deals appear across the different lines, so it is worth asking our cruise experts which structure works best for your dates. The all-inclusive cruises 2028 page is also worth a look — 7 of the Melbourne sailings carry an all-inclusive fare.

How do I get to Melbourne to board?

If you are based in Melbourne or Victoria, boarding is straightforward — drive in, park nearby, or take public transport to the terminal and you are on your way without a flight involved. If you are travelling from another state, the domestic network connects every capital to Melbourne quickly; it is a short hop by Australian standards, and it is still far simpler than reaching most international embarkation ports.

Because most of these voyages are one-way, you will finish in a different city — Sydney, Adelaide, Auckland or Singapore, depending on the sailing. A domestic (or international) flight then connects that end point back to wherever you need to be, or extends the trip if you want to stay on. Our team can book that return flight, any hotels you need the night before boarding or after disembarking, and transfers at both ends — all on one booking. For the one sailing ending in Singapore, we can arrange the full package through our DreamAway Packages, covering the cruise, the flight home and everything in between.

Short break options also exist if you want to dip into cruising without a long commitment. Our short cruises from Melbourne and 3-day cruises from Melbourne pages cover the briefer departures, some of which make a practical long weekend.

What’s included in the fare — and what costs extra?

The answer varies significantly depending on which cruise line you choose, and getting this right at booking stage saves surprises on board.

Silversea is all-inclusive from the base fare: butler service, unlimited wines and spirits, Wi-Fi, dining in all venues and gratuities are covered. The Plus fare adds a shore excursion credit and a refundable deposit. There is very little left to spend on board unless you choose optional excursions or land experiences.

Regent Seven Seas follows a similar philosophy — the fare is designed to cover the full experience, including excursions, so you arrive knowing the cost is settled.

Princess Cruises offers a Standard fare (cruise only) and the Princess Plus package, which adds casual dining, beverages, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, photography and theatre seating. If you plan to drink, eat at the casual restaurants and use the internet regularly, the Plus package is usually worth pricing out plus extras.

Azamara includes a cultural evening ashore and overnight port stays in the base price. Carnival operates on a more traditional model where dining in the main restaurant is included but specialty dining, drinks packages and shore excursions are available to add on.

Our cruise experts can walk you through exactly what each fare tier covers on your chosen sailing, so you are comparing like for like rather than headline prices.

Looking at other years or routes?

If 2028 is not quite the right window, or you want to compare a broader set of Australian departures, these pages cover the ground:

• All Melbourne cruises — the full year-round picture from this port.
• Cruise around Australia 2027 — the neighbouring year, with a strong programme already on sale.
• Princess Australia 2026/2027 season — useful if you are planning ahead or comparing years for Princess specifically.
• Princess Australia 2027/2028 season launch — covers the full two-year Princess Australia programme.
• Australia cruises in April 2028 — if a specific month within 2028 suits you better.
• Singapore to Australia cruises 2028 — for a repositioning voyage in the other direction.
• Repositioning cruises 2028 — one-way voyages connecting Australia to ports further afield.
• All cruises in 2028 — the broadest view across every departure port and region for the year.
• Browse all cruises — no year or port filter, useful if your plans are still open.
• Melbourne to Sydney cruises — the most popular one-way coastal pairing from this port.
• Melbourne to New Zealand cruises — Tasman crossings across all years.
• Princess Cruises from Sydney 2028 — if Sydney works better as a starting point.
• Princess Cruises around Australia 2028 — Princess sailings for the full Australian coastal circuit in 2028.

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.