Best cruise excursions in Australia

On board your cruise ship, the restaurant buffets let you feast to your heart’s content. On shore, cruise lines also offer ample choices to get a taste of the Australian destinations their ships are visiting.

If I’ve learned one thing from buffets, it’s to avoid gluttony. The same principle should apply to shore excursions. Choosing only the most appealing options will leave you more satisfied – and, luckily, there are some incredible ways to explore Australia

In Cairns, it’s all about the rainforest and reef. Carnival leads passengers up into the lush hinterland, gliding above the canopy on the Skyrail to the charming village of Kuranda.

Down on the coast, an excursion to Green Island presents a tropical Great Barrier Reef paradise surrounded by vibrant corals.

In the Whitsundays, Cunard offers a day on a yacht, sailing between islands with snorkelling, swimming and a gourmet lunch onboard.

Silversea includes a catamaran trip to Whitehaven Beach, with its pristine bright sand lined with tropical vegetation.

Meanwhile Scenic’s epic Australian debut 2024 journey includes an exclusive decadent barbeque right on Whitehaven.

Climbing up the Harbour Bridge is a Sydney highlight offered by most cruises, but some excursions offer a deeper immersion.

Viking has a cultural sailing around the harbour led by Indigenous guides who share stories of the region before colonisation.

Seabourn’s luxury option will see you fly on a seaplane to the Hawkesbury River for a long lunch at the exclusive Cottage Point Inn.

For P&O cruises stopping in Newcastle, a full-day trip to the Hunter Valley visits some of Australia’s oldest wineries, with additional tastings of cheese, chocolate and liqueurs.

On the South Coast, Norwegian guests spend time with an oyster farmer, sampling the shellfish fresh from the water.

Melbourne always showcases its laneways, street art and coffee, but Oceania Cruises also offers an opportunity to see the city’s multicultural side with an African rhythmic drumming class or a food tour of “Little Italy”.

From Melbourne, Regent Seven Seas has a mineral-bathing excursion to Daylesford, where a spa coach will help you select the best treatment for a soak in the mineral-rich waters; or you can join a nature guide at the You Yangs Regional Park to see wild koalas, before sunset drinks surrounded by eastern grey kangaroos.

For a luxurious taste of the Great Ocean Road, Azamara has a chopper flight along the dramatic cliffs to the Twelve Apostles, where guests land for a premium three-course meal.

Hobart is a wonderful base to explore the region.

P&O taking guests past orchards and wild rivers into the depths of the Huon Valley’s wilderness at the Tahune AirWalk.

Celebrity heads to beautiful Bruny Island for a luxurious tasting of locally produced food and wine, from fresh oysters and fish to decadent local cheeses and truffles.

While most cruises will offer shore excursions to the World Heritage Site of Port Arthur from Hobart, Oceania can arrange for you to visit at night, guided only by lantern light as you hear spine-chilling tales and wait for paranormal phenomena.

Princess makes the most of Kangaroo Island’s 150-kilometre length, offering a range of trips from the classic sights, such as Admirals Arch and Seal Bay, to a food trail tasting local products such honey and lavender, and even a 4WD expedition off the typical tourist roads.

At Coffin Bay at the tip of the Eyre Peninsula, APT takes its passengers on a purpose-built boat to glide through the oyster leases (with a tasting, of course), before reaching Almonta Beach’s rolling sand dunes.

And from Adelaide, Celebrity offers an excursion to the Barossa Valley for lunch at Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop with an interactive cooking demonstration served as a meal with matching wine.

In Western Australia’s premier wine region of Margaret River, APT’s guests start at a chocolatier before travelling through woodlands to taste the chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon at some of the local best wineries.

And while these whites and reds are impressive, it’s the dramatic oranges and turquoises of the Kimberley coast that are a highlight for cruisers.

Silversea offers a scenic flight over Purnululu National Park to see the iconic orange and black domes of the Bungle Bungles. Ponant  has a flight over Kuri Bay on board a Paspaley Grumman Mallard seaplane

Meanwhile, Coral Expeditions pulls its 120-guest ship into one of the Kimberley’s deserted beaches for a sunset barbecue.

The towering rock escarpments and dramatic waterfalls of Litchfield National Park are easy to reach by road from Darwin, but Celebrity’s helicopter flight over the park isn’t just a time-saver – it also presents a different perspective on the cascades and outcrops.

Meanwhile, the lavish Captain’s Choice cruise across the Top End takes passengers on a short flight into Arnhem Land to see incredible Indigenous rock art, including the famous image of the Rainbow Serpent.

And, for those looking for something special, Coral Expeditions flies from Darwin to Uluṟu for a tour of the main sights, sunset drinks at Kata Tjuṯa and dinner under the desert sky.

Cruising the coast of Australia doesn’t mean you can’t also discover the heart of the country.