Cruise from Melbourne

From Melbourne you can take a short cruise to Sydney or Brisbane, or sail around Tasmania calling at ports like Hobart, Port Arthur and Burnie. Cruises sail from Melbourne along the southern coast of Australia, visiting Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island. International voyages depart from Melbourne as well, so you can sail to the South Pacific, New Zealand and parts of Asia.

Absolutely! Some of the most family-friendly ships on the water regularly sail from Melbourne. That includes P&O’s Pacific Explorer which is bursting with fun stuff, like waterslides, an interactive waterpark, barefoot bowls green and a video game arcade. There’s also the P&O Edge Adventure Park, which has rock climbing, flying fox and the thrilling Walk the Plank. Carnival Splendour is a frequent visitor and offers pools, waterslides, a waterpark, mini golf, dive in movies and a basketball court. Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder will also sail from Melbourne in 2024 and promises plenty of fun encounters with your favourite characters. All these ships also have kids’ clubs for all ages from toddlers to teens.

Five-star cruisers can definitely hop on a suitable ship from Melbourne. A handful of international luxury lines sail from this port, offering larger suites, fine dining, world-class wines, indulgent spas and even butler service. Look for stylish ships from Silversea, Cunard, Virgin Voyages and Azamara.

Check in times for your cruise will be staggered to cut down on wait times for passengers. The process varies across different cruise lines, but you will be allocated a check in time based on your cabin or given the option to choose a check in slot when you book or through the lines’ app. At a minimum you will need to be at the cruise terminal at least one hour before the ship is scheduled to depart – remember, they won’t wait for you!

That depends! There is only one cruise terminal in Melbourne, Station Pier, so round trip cruises will return to the same port. One-way cruises will finish at a different destination.

There’s a huge range of cruises departing from Melbourne, starting with two- or three-day itineraries that may visit one port up to week-long journeys along the southern coastline of Australia and two- or three-week cruises visiting New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Modern cruise ships sailing from Melbourne are jam packed with things to make your vacation at sea more enjoyable. That includes swimming pools, waterslides and waterparks, sports courts, luxurious spas, libraries and games rooms, and fitness centres. There will also be lots of places to eat, ranging from the casual buffet to fine dining restaurants, and bars for that sundowner cocktail. Expect onboard entertainment, live music, workshops and classes, and fun parties.

Are you a fan of Aussie music? Love to laugh at some comedy? Some cruise lines offer short, themed cruises departing from Melbourne that are tailored to your favourite hobbies like music, art, comedy and more. There are also themed cruises for sporting events and important vacations, like New Year’s Eve. Longer cruises can be themed around topics like food and wine, wildlife or history.

There is no public parking at Station Pier itself and only very limited short stay parking around the port area. Ace Parking operates three car parks within a short walk or tram journey of the terminal offering short and long term stays for cruise passengers. You can’t prebook and the car parks run on a first come, first serve basis, so it’s a good idea to arrive early. 

Melbourne’s peak cruise season runs from October to April, taking in the warmer months and the glorious Australian summer. You’ll find ships departing almost every day during this period, sailing around Australia and beyond.