Queensland Cruise

Day 1 - Brisbane

Arrive: Mon 23 November 2026 / Depart: Mon 23 November 2026 at 17:00

Once considered the "country cousin" among Australian cities, Brisbane is today the nation's third-largest metropolis - and one of the most desirable places to live in the country. Lying on the banks of the meandering Brisbane River, this cosmopolitan city boasts elegant 19th-century sandstone buildings, a lively cultural scene and superb parklands. Brisbane is also your gateway to uniquely Australian adventures, be it the theme parks of the Gold Coast or Queensland's dazzling beaches. The beaches south of Brisbane form Queensland's Gold Coast. Travel tip: Brisbane is pronounced "Bris-bin."

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Sydney

Arrive: Wed 25 November 2026 at 16:00 / Depart: Wed 25 November 2026

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - At Sea

Day 6 - Airlie Beach

Arrive: Sat 28 November 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 28 November 2026 at 18:00

Airlie Beach is your gateway to the Whitsunday Archipelago. These 74 islands feature pristine fringing reefs, calm, lagoon-like waters, and superb beaches. The archipelago is one of Australia's premier playgrounds. The Whitsundays were once mountains. Rising seas at the end of the Ice Age formed the Whitsunday Passage between the islands and the mainland.

Day 7 - Yorkeys Knob

Arrive: Sun 29 November 2026 at 09:00 / Depart: Sun 29 November 2026 at 19:00

The picturesque town of Yorkeys Knob, dominated by its dramatic headland, is your gateway to Cairns - one of Australia's hottest vacation destinations. Cairns boasts three of Australia's great natural wonders. Just offshore, immense bastions of living coral form the Great Barrier Reef. Sixteen miles of superb beaches stretch to the north of the city - the famed Marlin Coast. Inland lays the ancient rainforest of Daintree National Park. Cairns' graceful, tree-lined esplanade was once the gateway to the gold fields of North Queensland. A travel tip - Cairns is pronounced "cans."

Day 8 - Port Douglas

Arrive: Mon 30 November 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 30 November 2026 at 18:00

In 1877, the aptly named James Venture Mulligan struck pay dirt on Hodgkinson River, igniting the fabled North Queensland Gold Rush. At the height of the boom, Port Douglas boasted 12,000 residents and 27 hotels. Bust inevitably followed boom, and Port Douglas slid into decades of obscurity. Then came a second gold rush in the 1980s as tourists flocked to the North Queensland Coast. Located between the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and the Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas provides a perfect gateway to hardy adventurers en route to rainforest and reef. In addition to its nearby scenic wonders, Port Douglas boasts several resorts ranging from the Sheraton Mirage to the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa in the heart of the rainforest.

Day 9 - Willis Island, Australia

Arrive: Tue 01 December 2026 at 10:00 / Depart: Tue 01 December 2026 at 23:00

This tiny island measures in at just 1,600 feet long by 490 feet wide, though it is the only permanently inhabited island in the Coral Sea Islands Territory. You won't find any neighborhoods, schools or homes here, however. The only structures on Willis Island comprise a weather monitoring station hosted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, where just a handful of weather observers reside at any given time. Willis Island is one of several tropical islands sitting beyond the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea Islands Territory, and is surrounded by thriving reefs where many creatures make their homes. Numbering into the thousands, Willis Island itself caters to many species of seabirds, including Masked, Brown and Red-footed Boobies that cry out nearly 24 hours a day. It is also an important nesting ground for turtles.

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - Brisbane

Arrive: Thu 03 December 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 03 December 2026

Once considered the "country cousin" among Australian cities, Brisbane is today the nation's third-largest metropolis - and one of the most desirable places to live in the country. Lying on the banks of the meandering Brisbane River, this cosmopolitan city boasts elegant 19th-century sandstone buildings, a lively cultural scene and superb parklands. Brisbane is also your gateway to uniquely Australian adventures, be it the theme parks of the Gold Coast or Queensland's dazzling beaches. The beaches south of Brisbane form Queensland's Gold Coast. Travel tip: Brisbane is pronounced "Bris-bin."