March cruisesup to -47%

March 2027 brings a wide spread of ocean itineraries — from short getaways of 4 nights to extended voyages stretching beyond 60 nights. The month’s sailings concentrate most heavily on the Caribbean, Japan and South East Asia, with strong options closer to home across Australia and the South Pacific as well. The majority of sailings this month involve a flight to the embarkation port — CruiseAway can bundle that flight, your hotel and transfers into a single holiday so nothing slips between the cracks.

Where do March cruises go?

The breadth of destinations available in March is one of the month’s defining qualities. Here is how the sailing options break down, starting with the regions that dominate the month.

Close to home — Australia, the South Pacific and South East Asia

South East Asia draws a strong share of March departures. Ships sailing from ports including Singapore and Shanghai thread through some of the region’s most visited coastal cities, making this a natural choice if you want a fly-cruise that packs in a lot of variety. CruiseAway can book the whole trip — flights from any Australian capital, hotels at either end, and transfers — so the planning stays in one place.

Sailings around Australia itself are a real option in March. Sydney and Brisbane both appear as embarkation ports, which means if you live nearby you can board without stepping on a plane — and if you’re travelling from another state, a short domestic hop is all it takes. One-way Australian itineraries finish in a different city from where they began, so a domestic connection at the far end links you back home easily. For those planning cruises from Sydney in March 2027 or cruises from Brisbane in March 2027, there are dedicated pages with the full sailing lists.

The South Pacific and New Zealand round out the close-to-home options. These itineraries tend to suit travellers who want island-hopping scenery without a long-haul flight to a foreign continent, and March sits in an excellent position for South Pacific and New Zealand sailings before the summer crowds shift focus.

Is March a good time for South Pacific and New Zealand cruises?

March is a genuinely popular month for South Pacific and New Zealand cruises, and the sailings available reflect that. These itineraries attract families making the most of the school-holiday period as well as couples looking for a relaxed island voyage. Because many run from Australian home ports, they are among the most accessible cruises on the calendar for Australians — no international flight required if you’re close to the departure city, and a quick domestic connection if you’re not. See the 28-day cruise around Australia page if you’re considering a longer loop of the continent.

The long haul — Caribbean, Japan, transatlantic and beyond

The Caribbean leads all regions in March, with the highest concentration of sailings of any destination. Embarkations centre on Florida — Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) are about half an hour apart, so a Florida trip can sail from either — worth checking both for dates and prices. For Australians, this is firmly a fly-cruise, and CruiseAway’s DreamAway Packages are built precisely for trips like this: your flights, pre-cruise hotel, transfers and the cruise itself on one invoice.

Japan is the second-strongest region in March. Ships arrive and depart from Tokyo and Yokohama (Tokyo), giving you the option to spend time in the city before or after the cruise — again, something our cruise experts can pre-build into your booking. Transatlantic crossings also sail in March, attracting travellers who want to combine a long ocean passage with a European or American city stay at either end. South America rounds out the long-haul options for those seeking a less-trodden itinerary.

Which cruise lines sail in March?

Several major cruise lines operate March departures. MSC Cruises has the largest presence, followed by Viking River Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises. You’ll also find sailings from Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line and AmaWaterways, among others.

It is worth noting that a small number of March sailings are river cruises — predominantly through Viking River Cruises and AmaWaterways. The overwhelming majority are ocean sailings, but if you are specifically looking for a river itinerary, those lines are the ones to explore.

What are the ships like?

A number of well-regarded ships sail in March. Here is what makes some of the most prominent ones worth knowing about.

MSC Seaview

MSC Seaview carries more open deck space than any other ship in the MSC fleet — it is deliberately designed for guests who want the sun and the sea breeze rather than an indoor resort at sea. A glass-railed Waterfront Promenade lets you walk a full loop of the ship with the ocean never more than arm’s length away. Thrill-seekers have 5 waterslides and a 120-metre zip line to contend with — the longest onboard zip at sea. Cabin options on MSC Seaview range widely; see the MSC Seaview cabins and deck plans for the full picture. As a guide:

• Premium Inside Cabin Fantastica — 28 m², sleeps up to 5. Twice the floor area of the standard inside grade, so genuinely liveable rather than just a place to sleep.
• Deluxe Ocean View Fantastica — 17 m², sleeps up to 4. A sea-view window brings natural light and a quieter outlook.
• Balcony Aurea — 17 m², sleeps up to 4. Your own outdoor space with an unobstructed sea view, perfect for breakfast or sundowners.
• Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea — 49 m², sleeps up to 5. Two bedrooms give families or groups the space to spread out properly.
• MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite — 62 m², sleeps up to 4. A separate bedroom and living room make this genuinely more than twice the size of a standard suite.

MSC Divina

Named by Sophia Loren, MSC Divina carries that sense of Italian glamour into every detail — the Swarovski staircase, the hand-crafted piazza, the Infinity Pool at the stern that merges with the horizon. On board you will find Broadway-style shows, a casino, a 4D cinema and enough dining variety to fill a two-week cruise without repeating yourself. Cabins and deck plans for MSC Divina cover every grade, from the 16 m² Deluxe Inside Cabin Fantastica through to the 40 m² MSC Yacht Club Executive & Family Suite with its separate lounge, dining room and walk-in wardrobe.

MSC Musica

MSC Musica is built around spectacle and comfort in equal measure. The grand atrium is framed by a cascading three-tiered waterfall, and each evening the 1,200-seat theatre fills for acrobatic and musical performances that rival what you would see on shore. Dining runs from fresh sushi to a premium steakhouse, all without leaving the ship. Check the MSC Musica cabins and deck plans before you book.

MSC Preziosa

Crystal staircases and an Italianate piazza announce MSC Preziosa’s ambition from the moment you board. Sea days offer a 120-metre waterslide, a 4D cinema, a Formula 1 simulator and Broadway-style entertainment. For those who want a step up in exclusivity, the Yacht Club section brings a private butler, a dedicated pool and gourmet dining. See the MSC Preziosa cabins and deck plans for cabin specifics.

Royal Princess

Royal Princess is best known for the SeaWalk — a glass-bottomed walkway that extends 40 metres above the ocean with nothing beneath your feet but blue water. The adults-only Sanctuary retreat offers a quieter pace with attentive stewards, while Movies Under the Stars and duelling pianos at Crooners give evenings real variety. Explore the Royal Princess cabins and deck plans to find the grade that suits your group.

Azura

Azura completed a comprehensive renewal in 2025, emerging with fresh restaurants, bars and cabins throughout. The 800-seat Playhouse hosts West End-quality aerial acrobatics, and the SeaScreen on deck brings open-air cinema to sea. Wine lovers will appreciate the Glass House, where pairings are curated by TV wine expert Olly Smith. Cabin options for Azura run from the 15 m² Larger Inside Cabin on Riviera Deck to the 69 m² Penthouse Suite A1 — the largest on board, with a full separate lounge. Full details on the Azura cabins and deck plans page.

What do the fares include?

What your fare covers varies by cruise line and the tier you book, so it pays to compare before you choose. Our cruise experts can walk you through the differences, but here is a summary for 3 of the major lines sailing in March.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean offers several fare tiers for March 2027 sailings. The BOGO promotion gives the second guest up to 60% off. A Savings Fare focuses on balcony upgrades on selected sailings. A Last-Minute Fare provides discounted pricing on specific sailings. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional across all tiers. Our team can tell you which tiers apply to the sailing you have in mind.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers a Standard fare — the base cruise fare with no inclusions — and the Princess Plus package, which adds 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (up to 15 per day), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs with 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating. The Princess Plus package represents solid value if you plan to use the dining and drinks on board.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a base fare (cruise only) alongside its Free at Sea package — beverages, a speciality dining package, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credits per port — and a Free at Sea Plus tier that extends those inclusions further, covering all guests on the reservation.

Are March cruises good for families?

March can work well for families, and the cruise lines sailing this month cater for a wide age range. Ships like MSC Seaview — with its 5 waterslides and 120-metre zip line — and MSC Preziosa with its 4D cinema and Formula 1 simulator give children and teenagers plenty to keep them busy at sea. Royal Princess’s SeaWalk and Movies Under the Stars are crowd-pleasers across generations. Azura’s 800-seat Playhouse and open-air SeaScreen are similarly family-friendly in the evenings.

In practical terms, families travelling from Australia will generally need a flight to reach the embarkation port — the Caribbean and Japan sailings in particular are fly-cruise trips. CruiseAway can bundle family flights, hotel stays and transfers alongside the cruise so the whole trip is arranged in one go, without separate bookings to keep track of. If you’re looking for a shorter, no-fly option, Carnival Cruise Lines Australia sailings from home ports are worth exploring, as are the 7-day cruises from Sydney for a manageable first family cruise.

What does a March cruise cost?

March sailings start from A$253 pp* — a price point that puts a genuine ocean voyage within reach without a large outlay. The median voyage is 9 nights, which gives a sense of the typical trip length, though options run from 4 nights up to 67 nights. All-inclusive sailings are available across the range, covering drinks, dining and gratuities in one fare, which makes budgeting considerably easier. Our cruise experts can compare all-inclusive and standard fares side by side so you can see exactly what each option costs in total.

For those who want to explore cheap cruises more broadly, or browse the full range of Australian cruise deals, those pages carry the wider picture beyond March.

Other cruise months worth exploring

If your dates are flexible, March sits at the beginning of the autumn cruising period. Autumn cruises cover a broader window that extends well beyond the month, often with strong availability. If you’re open to sailing a little later, April cruises follow on directly and share many of the same regions and ships. You might also find what you need on the dedicated Australia cruises in April 2026 page, or the cruises from Brisbane in April 2026 page if Brisbane is your preferred departure point.

For March specifically, the most-searched departure points have their own focused pages: cruises from Sydney in March 2027 and cruises from Brisbane in March 2027 both list sailings with detailed itinerary information. If you are comparing years, cruises from Sydney in March 2026 and cruises from Brisbane in March 2026 are also available.

How do I book a March cruise with CruiseAway?

CruiseAway is a cruise specialist — every booking is either a cruise or a cruise-inclusive package. Our cruise experts know these ships, these fares and these itineraries, and they can steer you towards the cabin grade and fare tier that actually suit your plans rather than leaving you to work it out from a brochure. The Best Price Guarantee backs every booking. If you want flights, hotels, tours, transfers or travel insurance arranged alongside the cruise, we can build that into a single DreamAway Package — one booking, one point of contact, no loose ends.

*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.