Ocean cruising
Whether you’re after massive or modest, upmarket or mid-range, classic or expedition, there’s sure to be a ship to suit. Our experts offer the best advice on which cruise is best for you.
How to choose the perfect cruise
Whether you’re a cruise veteran or a first timer, a party animal or a culture vulture, there’s a cruise out there to suit every taste.
- by Brian Johnston
25 incredible experiences you can only have on a ship
What cruise doubters overlook is that cruising, whatever its faults (and, yes, we’re aware of them), is an altogether different experience.
- by Brian Johnston
Are you the perfect cruiser? Check our etiquette guide to find out
If it takes two to tango, it takes a whole boatload of people to sail. Do you have your cruising etiquette down pat?
- by Brian Johnston
Collection
Traveller’s ultimate guide to cruise ports
Planning a cruise, but not sure what itinerary is right for you? Here’s our expert guide to some of the major port stops around the world.
Are drinks packages worth it? 18 of cruising’s biggest questions, answered
Want to know how to score a seat at the Captain’s Table, or whether to splurge on a balcony suite or premium drinks package? We’ve got you covered.
- by Brian Johnston
The world’s 15 greatest seas and how to explore them in comfort
Dreaming of sailing the seven seas? Even better, match these 15 amazing expanses of water with the best lines for a cruise of a lifetime.
- by Brian Johnston
Avoid the ‘single supplement’: How to choose the best cruise as a solo traveller
Cruising solo can be better, cheaper and smarter – here’s how to make the most of your solo cruise.
- by Kristie Kellahan
How to choose the best cabin on a cruise ship
The location of your cabin influences cost, convenience, noise levels and movement, and also creates subtle differences in cabin space.
- by Brian Johnston
Technology is transforming the way we cruise
Shipboard life is becoming increasingly digital – slow internet on board is a thing of the past.
- by Brian Johnston
The hassle-free, lazy way to explore the Pacific
Pacific islands are glorious, but the logistics of travelling through them can be challenging, unless you’re on a cruise.
- by Brian Johnston
On board the new cruise giant that’s a ‘next-level Love Boat’
With a glass dome up top, a sphere atrium below and liquefied natural gas for propulsion, the new Sun Princess is in a class of its own.
- by Kerry van der Jagt
I can’t live like this: The cruise ship that ruined life on land for me
Returning to normal life is difficult after spending a week on board one of the world’s most luxurious ships.
- by Craig Platt
The surprising things I learnt about Mediterranean food on board a ship
As a former food-magazine editor, I wasn’t expecting to broaden my culinary knowledge on a cruise ship.
- by Trudi Jenkins
It’s one of the world’s greatest cruise experiences, but few Aussies do it
In the realm of amazing cruise experiences, a transit of the waterways and intricate locks of this engineering miracle is near the top.
- by Kristie Kellahan
I sailed on the world’s biggest cruise ship and it was bonkers
With capacity for 7000 passengers, Icon of the Seas is like an ocean-going lovechild of Looney Tunes and Las Vegas.
- by Keith Austin
Feel like you’ve seen it all? This cruise will change your mind
South America is an overlooked cruise destination, but nowhere gives you the chance to sail to more varied destinations.
- by Brian Johnston
How to travel on a luxury ship for half the price
Want to try a new cruise line or sample the high life on a luxury ship at below regular cost? A repositioning cruise might bag you a bargain-price holiday.
- by Brian Johnston
How to make the most of your time ashore during a cruise
When it comes to cruise ship shore excursions it pays to be sure of what you want to see and do when going ashore.
- by Anthony Dennis
Too much to do: On board ‘the world’s most innovative cruise ship’
Named “one of the world’s greatest places” by Time magazine, Celebrity Edge is big enough to offer variety, without being a floating city.
- by Jill Dupleix
Australian passengers have one major complaint about cruises. This ship solves it
On behalf of a nation of espresso-sipping extremists, Silversea’s Silver Muse is doing god’s work in the caffeinating department.
- by Anthony Dennis
The adults-only surprise on board Disney’s first cruise ship in Australia
Even before I set foot on board the Disney Wonder, I can tell this will be a cruise unlike any other.
- by Craig Platt
The verdict on Richard Branson’s first adults-only ship Down Under
A shave over a whisky, and the first tattoo studio at sea? Things are different on Resilient Lady, the first ship from Virgin Voyages to sail in Australia.
- by Andrew Bain
The four-in-one Australian ship that can go anywhere
Coral Geographer isn’t just a ship: it has four adventurous ways to get you into Australia’s remotest corners.
- by Brian Johnston
A new Queen takes to the seas
There’s good news and bad news for Australians who appreciate Cunard, the cruise line that operates the Queens of the sea.
- by Brian Johnston and Julietta Jameson
New ship’s unique design means you’ll never want to get off
Designed for warm weather sailing, with an open plan that doesn’t impede the spectacular views, Silver Nova is a destination in itself.
- by Lee Tulloch
On board ‘the world’s most beautiful cruise ship’
There’s eye candy everywhere you look on this floating hotel – you can tell a lot of money has been spent on it.
- by Brian Johnston
From straw mats to luxury cabins: How cruising transformed over 150 years
Between 1900 and 1920, about 12.5 million Europeans crossed the Atlantic to the US and the Holland America line carried over 1 million of them.
- by Jill Dupleix
Thinking about your first cruise? Here’s how to choose one
You wouldn’t book a budget urban hotel and expect swish resort-like amenities. Nor should you book a cruise ship that simply doesn’t suit.
- by Brian Johnston
Six incredible short walks from cruise ship ports
Need to work off your buffet breakfast? Here are six scenic walks straight off cruise ships that offer two hours of exercise – or a slower-paced day of sightseeing.
- by Brian Johnston
Buffet, bistro or fine dining? The best places to eat on cruise ships
From fish-and-chips to haute cuisine, cruise ships provide a temptation of dining choices. Here’s our food-lover’s guide to the best restaurant meals at sea.
- by Brian Johnston
Opinion
What it’s like to dine at the captain’s table on a ship
It’s often reserved for loyal customers and those in expensive suites. But I was really only interested in one thing: how dangerous is polar cruising. Really?
- by Lee Tulloch
The world’s 10 most exhilarating port towns
From big cities, small towns, fortified medieval harbours and ultra-modern ones, here are 10 ports you’ll long to see.
- by Brian Johnston
Eight myths I busted on my first cruise
As respected colleagues returned from cruises around the world, seemingly completely taken with it all, I started to wonder if I was the only person who didn't get cruising.
- by Trudi Jenkins
New luxury cruise ship requires loose-fitting clothes
Oceania’s new and indisputably glam ship has no fewer than eight restaurants, three bars/lounges and a cafe.
- by Trudi Jenkins
The world’s southernmost town becomes expedition cruise hub
Visitors return from this icy land determined to save it.
- by Catherine Marshall
★★★★★
Think cruising is not for you? This ship will change your mind
Silversea’s newest ship has an innovative, asymmetric design that makes it feel more like a luxury resort.
- by Trudi Jenkins
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/ocean-cruising-20230314-p5crxl.html