Family cruisesup to -21%

Where do family cruises go from Australia?

The most popular family cruise destinations from Australian ports are Australia itself, the South Pacific, New Zealand, and South East Asia — in that order. Sailings range from 4 nights to over 90, with a median of 12 nights, so there is something workable whether you have a week of school holidays or a full summer break. Many itineraries are round trips, so you leave from and return to the same port. A share are one-way voyages, where the ship finishes in a different city — a short domestic flight connects the two, and we can add that flight and any hotels to your booking.

Family cruise destinations: close to home and further afield

Australia, the South Pacific and New Zealand

The bulk of family sailings from Australian ports head to destinations your family can reach without a long-haul flight. Australian coastal itineraries are a natural starting point — you might board in Sydney or Brisbane and see other Australian ports without touching an airport at all. If you live near the embarkation port, it is a cruise with no flight involved; from another state, it is a short domestic hop rather than anything more involved. Explore more on our dedicated cruise around Australia page, or dive straight into cruises from Sydney to New Zealand if a Tasman crossing is on the list.

The South Pacific is a perennial favourite for families — island itineraries where the ship itself is part of the adventure. New Zealand sailings suit families who want dramatic scenery alongside port days in interesting cities; Auckland is a common embarkation or disembarkation point on these routes.

South East Asia, Japan and beyond

South East Asia is well represented, with sailings calling at ports including Singapore and Benoa, Bali. These itineraries tend to work best as fly-cruise combinations — we book the flights, hotels either side and all transfers as part of a DreamAway Package, so nothing is left for you to piece together separately.

For families who want to go further, Japan sailings call at ports including Yokohama (Tokyo) and Hong Kong. Transpacific voyages connect Australia to the Americas — ports such as Los Angeles feature among disembarkation points. These longer sailings are genuinely grand adventures for families who have the time, and our cruise experts can talk you through what to expect at each end. The Mediterranean and the British Isles round out the long-haul options for families combining a cruise with a wider holiday in Europe.

Which cruise lines are popular for families?

Royal Caribbean is a strong choice for families who want the widest range of on-board activities — the line is known for large ships packed with things to do across every age group. Princess Cruises brings a more relaxed, resort-style feel, with the MedallionNet® technology making it easy to stay connected and keep track of family members on board. MSC Cruises carries a large volume of family-friendly sailings and tends to offer competitive fares. Norwegian Cruise Line is well known for its flexible freestyle dining, which suits families who do not want to stick to fixed dinner sittings. Holland America Line suits families who prefer a quieter, more considered atmosphere at sea. Viking Ocean Cruises is worth considering for adult family groups looking for destination-focused, inclusive voyages.

Our cruise experts can walk you through which line suits the ages and interests in your group — the right ship makes a real difference to how much everyone enjoys the holiday.

Great family prices — and what to look for in a fare

A large share of family sailings come with fares that include more than just the cabin. Here is a guide to the main fare structures across the cruise lines most popular for families.

Princess Cruises fare tiers

Princess Standard is the base fare — it covers the cruise itself. Princess Plus upgrades your holiday significantly: it includes 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. That is a meaningful package for a family, particularly the Wi-Fi and dining credits. The Princess Cruises Australia 2026/2027 season launch page has more detail on current sailings and the Princess 2027/2028 season is also open to book.

Royal Caribbean fare types

Royal Caribbean offers fare types such as Last-Minute fares and third and fourth guest offers — check with our cruise experts for what applies to your sailing dates and family size, as the available promotions vary by departure. An Early Booking Bonus fare provides onboard credit on qualifying sailings, which can offset extras once you are on board.

Norwegian Cruise Line fare tiers

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a base cruise fare (Just Cruise) as well as its Free at Sea packages. The Free at Sea package adds a speciality dining package, Wi-Fi, a premium beverage package and shore excursion credits — useful for families who want a largely pre-paid holiday. Free at Sea Plus extends this further. Our cruise experts can confirm which tier applies to your chosen sailing.

Ships worth knowing about for family cruises

Five ships appear regularly in family cruise searches, and each has something genuinely distinct to offer.

Sun Princess — Princess Cruises

Sun Princess sails under Princess Cruises and suits families who want a modern, resort-scale ship with the familiar Princess experience. For cabin options, the Sun Princess cabins and deck plans page gives a full breakdown of grades and layouts.

Queen Elizabeth — Cunard

Queen Elizabeth carries Art Deco interiors from the chandeliers down to the promenade deck — it is a ship that gives older children and teens a genuine sense of occasion. The Royal Court Theatre puts on productions you would expect on a West End stage, and the Queens Room ballroom hosts evening dancing. Cunard’s White Star Service means dining in the Britannia restaurant is a properly set, properly served event every night. Cabin choices on Queen Elizabeth range from a practical inside option through to expansive suites — the Queen Elizabeth cabins and deck plans page covers every grade in detail.

• Britannia Inside Deluxe (GB) — 19.2 m², sleeps 2, around 5 m² more space than a standard inside cabin
• Britannia Ocean-view (EB) — 18.3 m², sleeps 2, with a cabin window for natural daylight and sea views
• Britannia Club Balcony (A1) — 24.0 m², sleeps 2, your own private balcony
• Queens Grill Grand Suite (Q1) — 127.7 m², sleeps 2, with a private balcony of approximately 90 m²

Azura — P&O Cruises

Azura was renewed inside and out in 2025, with fresh restaurants, bars and cabins throughout. The 800-seat Playhouse delivers West End-quality aerial acrobatics, and the SeaScreen lets the family watch films under the stars on deck. The Glass House wine bar — curated by TV wine expert Olly Smith — is there for the adults once the kids are settled. See the Azura cabins and deck plans for the full range of grades.

• Larger Inside Cabin (OB) — 15 m², sleeps 2, located exclusively on Riviera Deck
• Sea View Cabin (LB) — 15 m², sleeps 2, with natural light and an unobstructed sea view
• Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin (DA) — 29 m², sleeps 2, private balcony
• Penthouse Suite (A1) — 69 m², sleeps 2, the largest suite on board with a separate lounge area

Nieuw Statendam — Holland America Line

Nieuw Statendam is a beautifully designed ship — interiors by Adam Tihany and Bjørn Storbraaten give every lounge and corridor a considered, unhurried feel. The two-storey Wine Tower is the centrepiece of the atrium, and Tamarind’s seven-seat sushi bar is a highlight for families who like to eat adventurously. The Music Walk runs blues, pop and chamber classics in different venues every evening. Check the Nieuw Statendam cabins and deck plans page for layouts.

Rotterdam — Holland America Line

Rotterdam carries the name of six legendary ships before her — there is real history behind the sailing. The Music Walk brings Billboard, Rolling Stone and BB King Blues Club together at sea, and Tamarind’s Southeast Asian menu covers everything from Vietnamese pho to Japanese-inspired dishes. See the Rotterdam cabins and deck plans for cabin grades and deck layouts.

What family cruise deals are available?

A significant share of family sailings carry a reduced fare compared with their earlier listed price. The depth of reduction varies considerably from one departure to the next — some sailings are reduced only modestly, while individual departures can carry a more substantial discount on the cabin’s previous listed price. The most reliable way to find the best available fare for your dates is to search by destination and travel period, then ask our cruise experts to compare fare tiers before you book.

Fare types such as last-minute offers, early booking bonuses and third and fourth guest promotions appear regularly across cruise lines — the right one for your family depends on when you book and which line you choose. Our cruise experts know which fares stack with which, and can make sure you are not leaving money on the table.

CruiseAway’s Best Price Guarantee applies across every sailing — if you find the same cruise cheaper elsewhere, we’ll match it.

How do we book the whole holiday for you?

Most family cruise itineraries from Australia require a flight to the embarkation port — whether that is somewhere in Asia, Europe or the Americas. We handle that as part of the booking. Through a DreamAway Package, our team can add flights, hotels the night before departure, transfers between the airport and the port, tours and shore excursions, and travel insurance — all on one booking, with one point of contact if anything changes.

For sailings that depart from Australian ports, if you are local to the port it is a cruise with no flight at all. If you are coming from another state, a short domestic hop is all it takes — and we can add that too. For one-way itineraries that finish in a different city, a domestic flight connects the two ends, and we sort that as part of the package rather than leaving it as something to organise separately.

Whatever the itinerary, our cruise experts help you choose the cabin grade and the fare inclusions that suit your family — the number of beds, the deck, the extras that are worth paying for and the ones that are not. That is the difference between booking through a specialist and booking direct.

Shore excursions and what to do in port

Port days are often the highlight of a family cruise — and how much you get out of them depends on choosing the right excursion for the ages in your group. Some ports suit a half-day tour; others are worth a full day ashore. Our team can add shore excursions to your booking, so you arrive in each port knowing exactly what you are doing rather than making it up as you go. It is one of the things a cruise specialist does that a booking engine cannot.

For families sailing around Australia, coastal port days can include wildlife experiences, beach stops and city tours that children genuinely remember. On South Pacific itineraries, island port days tend to be more about the outdoors — beaches, snorkelling and village visits. In Japan and South East Asia, the port days are a genuine cultural education, and having a guided tour organised in advance makes the most of the time ashore.

Planning your family cruise from Melbourne or Sydney

Sydney and Brisbane are the most active embarkation ports for Australian family cruises. If you are departing from Sydney, you can board directly from the city — no domestic flight required. Melbourne is another common starting point for families in Victoria, with sailings heading to Australian coastal ports, the Pacific and New Zealand. For last-minute decisions, our last-minute cruises from Sydney page is kept up to date, and Christmas cruises from Sydney in 2026 are worth looking at early if the school holidays are your window.

Families of 5 or more — or those wanting two connecting cabins — are well served across several ships and lines. Our cruise experts can identify the layouts that work for larger groups, including cabins that sleep 4 or link to an adjoining room. Speak to the team before booking if cabin configuration matters to you.

Other ways to cruise as a family

If an ocean cruise is more than you need, a short 28-day cruise around Australia gives a flavour of the longer ocean experience without committing to weeks at sea. For families who want a taster trip, shorter 4- to 7-night sailings in Australian waters are a practical option. Browse the full range of Australian cruises or explore value cruise options if the budget is the first question to answer.