Cheap cruise lines sailing from Australia

Set sail from as low as $92/night with these cheap cruise lines.

Usually travelling overseas (very literally here) from Australia isn’t cheap, but these cheap cruise lines offering departures from Australia can have you sailing off to tropical islands for less than $100 per night.

Considering you’re getting food, accommodation and entertainment, cruises can be an excellent way to have a budget-friendly holiday. As long as you know which ones to book.

💡Cheaptrips tip: Looking for a super cheap cruise right now? Check out the Black Friday and Cyber Monday cruise deals.

Carnival

How cheap is Carnival? We’re able to find sailings for as low as $92 per night. Considering that’s including accommodation, meals and entertainment, we think that’s an absolute steal. (Try having a night out in Sydney for that!)

Have we cruised with Carnival? Yes. While it was years ago, we cruised aboard the Carnival Valor in the Caribbean.

CruiseCritic rating: 3.8/5 (At time of publish)

Where does Carnival cruise from Australia? Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Fiji, Asia, Alaska (repositioning)

Our thoughts: Sailing with Carnival definitely has an American feel to it with a festive almost party-like atmosphere. So if you’re looking for a lively cruise line, this is it.

There’s two ships based our of Australia, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa, which offer sailings from only Sydney and Brisbane. (Unlike P&O which offers departures from six Aussie ports)

Would we choose to cruise with Carnival? Yes, if the price is right. Having cruised with Carnival before (albeit in the Caribbean and not from Australia), we know what to expect and if it’s a good deal, it’s a great cheap cruise line option.

P&O

How cheap is P&O? During a sale, cruises start as low as $110 per night. Considering that’s including accommodation, meals and entertainment, we think that’s an absolute steal. (Try having a night out in Sydney for that!)

Have we cruised with P&O? No, but we have done a ship tour while one was docked in Sydney. All the information here is based on research.

Cruise Critic rating: 3.1/5 (At time of publish)

Where does P&O cruise from Australia? Australia, Asia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Our thoughts: The only Australian cruise line, P&O has three ships that offer short, weekend getaways at sea, fortnight-long island escapes and everything in between. The destinations it visits are long-time Aussie favourites, including islands like Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Bali, along with coastal sailings of Australia and tours around New Zealand.

What we love about P&O is the accessibility for Australians looking to cruise from their home city. While itineraries differ from port to port, you can book cruises departing Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Fremantle, Melbourne or Sydney.

Would we choose to cruise with P&O? Yes! We’ve seen the ships and they do look like a fun time. They aren’t the Las-Vegas style cruise ship that most people think of and offer itineraries that Australians would appreciate.

Princess Cruises

How cheap is Princess? During a sale, like Black Friday or Boxing Day, you can find sailings for about $100 per night.

Have we cruised with Princess? Yes, aboard the Caribbean Princess in the Caribbean.

CruiseCritic rating: 3.8/5 (At time of publish)

Where does Princess cruise from Australia? Asia, Australia, New Zealand the South Pacific and world cruises, which sail across the Pacific to South America, up to the Middle East or to all the way to Europe.

Our thoughts: If you’re looking for a more-style cruise with a bit of a regal feel, then Princess Cruises is it. There’s less of a party atmosphere, but still plenty of things to do on board, exciting excursions to take in ports and delicious food and drink served on board.

While it’s not known as being quite as cheap as P&O or Carnival, Princess Cruises offer a slightly more upscale holiday without actually having to spend more. For example, we found some sailings with nightly costs that are less than P&O.

Would we choose to cruise with Princess? Yes, especially if we’re after a quieter holiday with fewer families or small children on board.

When is the best time to book a cheap cruise?

While most cruise line sales happen randomly throughout the year, there are a few key sale events to keep an eye on for cruises:

• End of financial year (June/July)
• Black Friday (November)
• Boxing Day (December)

What other cruise lines sail from Australia?

While there aren’t a ton of low-priced cruise lines sailing from Australia, there are quite a few lines that offer itineraries that start or finish at domestic ports. These include: