A Christmas cruise out of Australia is a warm way to celebrate the holiday. Christmas is in the summer in Australia so it's an ideal time to hit the beach. Sail to ports in and around Australia. The complete list of departures is presented below.
The Australian Christmas cruises leave from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. Most are round-trip.
Holidays cruises include decorated ships, festive meals and special events such as tree lighting ceremonies or Yule Log parades.
December 15, 2026: 23-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Oceania. One-way from Sydney (Australia) to Perth (Australia). Visit Brisbane (Australia), Airlie Beach (Australia), Cairns (Australia), Cooktown (Australia), Darwin (Australia), Komodo (Indonesia), Bali (Indonesia), Lombok (Indonesia), Waingapu (Indonesia) and Kupang (Indonesia). The ship will be at Darwin on Christmas Day.
December 17, 2026: 9-night Christmas cruise on Carnival. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Lifou (New Caledonia), Mystery Island (Vanuatu) and Noumea (New Caledonia). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.
December 18, 2026: 8-night Christmas cruise on Carnival. Round-trip from Brisbane (Australia) to Mystery Island (Vanuatu), Port Vila (Vanuatu) and Santo (Vanuatu). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.
December 19, 2026: 16-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Azamara. One-way from Auckland (New Zealand) to Melbourne (Australia). Visit Tauranga (New Zealand), Napier (New Zealand), Wellington (New Zealand), Christchurch (New Zealand), Dunedin (New Zealand), Hobart (Australia) and Sydney (Australia). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day and at Sydney on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
December 19, 2026: 10-night Christmas cruise on Regent Seven Seas. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Eden (Australia), Melbourne (Australia), Phillip Island (Australia), Portland (Australia) and Hobart (Australia). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.
December 19, 2026: 9-night Christmas cruise on Royal Caribbean. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Bay of Islands (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand) and Tauranga (New Zealand). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.
December 20, 2026: 14-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Holland America. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Phillip Island (Australia), Melbourne (Australia), Burnie (Australia), Adelaide (Australia), Penneshaw (Australia), Hobart (Australia), Port Arthur (Australia) and Eden (Australia). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.
December 21, 2026: 12-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Celebrity. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Milford Sound (New Zealand), Dunedin (New Zealand), Christchurch (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand) and Bay of Islands (New Zealand). The ship will be at Milford Sound on Christmas Day.
December 22, 2026: 13-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Princess. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Bay of Islands (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand), Picton (New Zealand), Christchurch (New Zealand) and Dunedin (New Zealand). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.
December 23, 2026: 14-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Norwegian. Round-trip from Sydney (Australia) to Melbourne (Australia), Milford Sound (New Zealand), Doubtful Sound (New Zealand), Timaru (New Zealand), Wellington (New Zealand), Tauranga (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand) and Bay of Islands (New Zealand). The ship will be at Melbourne on Christmas Day.
December 23, 2026: 14-night Christmas & New Year cruise on Princess. Round-trip from Brisbane (Australia) to Bay of Islands (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand), Tauranga (New Zealand), Napier (New Zealand) and Dunedin (New Zealand). The ship will be at sea on Christmas Day.