Cruises to China departing from Australiaup to -41%

Where do cruises to China sail from Australia?

Almost all of these voyages depart from Sydney, with a smaller number leaving from Brisbane. If you live close to either port, you can drive or take the train and board without a flight at all. If you are travelling from another state, a short domestic hop gets you to the ship — far less demanding than a long-haul flight, and our team can add that connection, along with a pre-cruise hotel night and transfers, to your booking so everything is in one place.

Most sailings are one-way voyages. The itinerary finishes at a port elsewhere in the region — Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama (Tokyo), Tokyo or another hub — and a domestic or international flight connects you home. We can book that return leg, along with any hotels you need at the far end, as part of the same package.

Which regions do these China cruises cover?

South East Asia — where most of the sailings go

South East Asia is where the greatest concentration of these voyages is found. These are long, port-rich itineraries that weave through the region’s busiest and most varied waterways, with China as a key destination along the route. They suit travellers who want time — enough days in each place to go beyond a quick look around — and the lines, particularly Azamara, are chosen specifically for that kind of depth.

Transpacific — for the crossing itself

A handful of sailings take the long way around, crossing the Pacific and calling at ports across multiple countries before reaching China. Transpacific cruises like these suit travellers who want the journey to be as much a part of the trip as the destination. Ports such as Vancouver and San Diego appear at the other end of these crossings — a useful detail if you are planning time in North America before or after the voyage.

Australia and Japan — shorter extensions

Some itineraries loop through Australian waters on their way to or from China, while a smaller number focus on Japan. These sailings tend to be tighter geographically and suit travellers who want a single-region focus rather than a grand sweep. Voyages range from 17 nights to 96 nights, with a median around 51 nights — so there is genuine variety in scope and ambition.

Which cruise lines sail to China from Australia?

The lines span a wide range of styles, from classic ocean liner tradition to boutique expedition-style luxury. Here is what each brings:

• Cunard leads by volume. Queen Anne — Cunard’s newest ship, launched in 2024 — brings Art Deco elegance and a freshly conceived programme of dining and entertainment. Sip cocktails in the Carinthia Lounge, then spend an evening in the Queens Room ballroom, or pull up a stool at The Golden Lion pub with a menu inspired by Michelin-starred chef Michael Roux. Queen Victoria is Cunard’s most intimate ship: the Royal Court Theatre delivers West End-calibre productions night after night, and the white-gloved Afternoon Tea ritual in the Queens Room is as close as cruising gets to a ritual. See Cunard’s 2027–2028 world cruise season for the full programme.
• Azamara Cruises is the line to choose if you want to stay longer in the places that matter. Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward are boutique ships — Pursuit carries 777 guests, Onward 692 — which means access to smaller ports and a crew that knows your name by day two. Overnight and late-night port stays are built into the itinerary, and your fare includes an AzAmazing Evening: a private cultural experience ashore, exclusive to guests on board.
• Princess Cruises sails Grand Princess on these routes. Order anything on deck with a tap on the Princess app, escape to The Sanctuary’s adults-only top-deck retreat, or settle in for an open-air film screening under the stars on a Great Barrier Reef voyage.
• Oceania Cruises brings Riviera, a 1,250-guest ship built around food. Jacques Pépin-inspired menus across 6 restaurants are included in your fare, and Riviera’s on-board cooking school — one of a kind at sea — lets you turn the ports you visit into a culinary education.
• Silversea offers butler-serviced suites, unlimited wines and spirits, exceptional dining, Wi-Fi and gratuities, all included in the fare. For travellers who want everything settled before they board, Silversea’s all-inclusive model removes every decision from the voyage itself. See Silversea cruises from Australia for more.

CruiseAway also offers DreamAway Packages — cruise-inclusive bundles that wrap flights, hotels and transfers into a single booking, built by our team around these itineraries.

What are the cabin options on these ships?

Grand Princess — Princess Cruises

• Inside cabin IA — 14.9 m², sleeps up to 4. Positioned on middle decks for minimal motion and easy access to lifts and facilities. See Grand Princess cabins and deck plans.
• Premium sea view O3 — 19.1 m², sleeps up to 4. Floor-to-ceiling panoramic window with an unobstructed sea view and natural light throughout the day.
• Premium Balcony cabin B2 — 25.5 m², sleeps up to 4. Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors give an open-plan feel and more natural light than a standard balcony.
• Grand Suite S1 with private hot tub — 67.8 m², sleeps up to 4. The largest suite on board, offering considerably more space than any other suite category.

Queen Anne — Cunard

• Britannia Inside cabin IA — 13.7 m², sleeps 2. A personal cabin steward available 24/7, with daily turndown service included. See Queen Anne cabins and deck plans.
• Britannia Deluxe Ocean-view cabin EA — 21.9 m², sleeps 2. Around 3 m² larger than a standard ocean-view cabin, with a separate seating area.
• Britannia Club Balcony cabin A1 — 21.9 m², sleeps 2. Exclusive access to the Britannia Club Restaurant with a reserved table — a more intimate dining experience than the main restaurant.
• Queens Grill Grand Suite Q1 — 133.8 m², sleeps 2. The largest suite category on board, more than twice the size of the Master Suite.

Azamara Pursuit — Azamara Cruises

• Inside cabin 09 — 14.7 m², sleeps 2. A quiet, dark retreat between port days — no window, constant darkness for sleep. See Azamara Pursuit cabins and deck plans.
• Ocean-view cabin 04 — 13.3 m², sleeps up to 3. Large window with a sea view and natural daylight throughout.
• Veranda Plus Ocean-view cabin P1 — 16.3 m², sleeps up to 3. Your own private balcony, with direct access to fresh sea air and open views.
• Club World Owner’s Suite CW — 52 m², sleeps up to 3. The largest cabin on board, more than 3 times the size of a standard veranda cabin.

What do the fares include?

Fare inclusions vary by line, and choosing the right tier before you book can save you a significant amount on board.

Cunard fares such as the Cunard Fare offer flexibility: you choose your stateroom number, receive priority for upgrades, pay a low 15% deposit and can amend your booking up to the balance due date. Complimentary shuttle buses at ports are included. A Saver fare offers the lowest price in exchange for a pre-allocated stateroom and full payment at booking — a strong option if you are flexible about your cabin location.

Princess Cruises offers a Standard fare as its base, with the Princess Plus package available to add on. Princess Plus includes 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (with a daily limit), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating.

Silversea takes a fully all-inclusive approach: butler-serviced suites, exceptional dining, unlimited wines and spirits, gratuities and Wi-Fi are all included in every fare. The Plus fare adds a Shore Excursion Credit based on voyage length, and includes a fully refundable deposit.

Are there any discounts on China cruises?

A small number of sailings carry reductions from their previously listed cabin price. Discounts reach up to 29% on a single departure, though that is the maximum on one sailing; most reduced sailings are closer to 17% off. The reduction applies to that cabin grade’s previously listed price on that specific sailing, not to the full fare range. Our cruise experts can tell you which departures currently carry a saving when you call.

What is the best time to visit China by cruise?

These voyages depart from late 2026 onward, with sailings running through the seasons. South East Asia itineraries — the most common shape here — tend to work well across a long travel window, and the port mix on each voyage means you experience contrasting climates in a single trip. The Cunard world voyage season and Azamara’s overnight-stay programme both run across different months, so the right departure depends as much on the ship and itinerary as on the calendar. Our cruise experts can walk you through the options and match a sailing to when you want to travel.

Make it a complete 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. If your sailing ends in Singapore, Hong Kong or Yokohama (Tokyo), we arrange the return flight and any nights you want either side — nothing is left for you to figure out alone. All of it sits on one booking, backed by our Best Price Guarantee.

Browse all cruises departing from Australia to China, explore cruises around Australia in 2027, or take a look at cruises from Sydney to New Zealand if you are weighing up neighbouring itineraries. You can also find Australian cruise deals across the full range of lines and regions.

If timing is everything, check last-minute cruises from Sydney, Christmas cruises from Sydney in 2026, Christmas cruises from Brisbane, or cruises from Brisbane in January 2027.

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.