Spend the season on the seas with these top sailing deals.
Christmas cruises afford you that idyllic end-of-year pamper, complete with accommodation, transport, excursions and drinks, depending on the package you purchase.
From Australia, numerous cruises set sail from the main ports of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne over the silly season. If you time your cruise right to be onboard on 25 December, there may even be a special yuletide party and seasonal entertainment on the day just for you.
With so many ships calling Australia home over this year's cruising season, you won't be short on festive cruises to hop onto – even if you book last minute.
We’ve pulled up the best deals on Christmastime cruises around Australia, the South Pacific and beyond to help you celebrate in style.
Not sure where to start? Scroll down for our first-rate cruises available to book this coming December.
Our top Christmas cruise picks
A mesmerizing Pacific Islands cruise from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Ten-day sail on Carnival Spirit departing Sydney 19 December 2018
- Round-trip Sydney cruise calling in Isle of Pines, Maré and Lifou
- Spend Christmas Day at sea sailing between New Caledonia and Australia
Pacific bonanza from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 11-day sail on Carnival Legend departing Sydney 17 December 2018
- Calls in at Nouméa, Mystery Island, Lifou and Maré
- Spend Christmas Day at sea on your way home from New Caledonia
Royal Caribbean New Zealand cruise from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 13-night sail on the Ovation of the Seas departing 22 December 2018
- Round-trip Sydney cruise calling in at Dunedin, Picton, Tauranga and Auckland and Bay of Islands
- Spend Christmas Day sailing through Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound
New Caledonia and Vanuatu exhibition from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 11-night sail on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas departing 18 December 2018
- Round-trip Sydney cruise calling in at Nouméa, Mystery Island, Maré and Isle of Pines
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Maré and Isle of Pines
Round trip from Sydney to New Caledonia and Vanuatu on Royal Caribbean from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 13-day sail on the Radiance of the Seas departing 21 December 2018
- Calls in at Nouméa, Port Vila, Mystery Island, Maré, Isle of Pines and Lifou
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Nouméa and Port Vila
Experience New Zealand from Melbourne from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 13-night sail on Princess Cruises’ Golden Princess departing 22 December 2018
- Calls in at Fiordland National Park, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga and Auckland
- Spend Christmas Day sailing through Fiordland National Park
New Caledonia Christmas cruise Brisbane return from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Eight-night sail on P&O Cruises’ Pacific Aria departing 20 December 2018
- Calls in at Nouméa, Isle of Pines and Lifou
- Spend Christmas Day in Lifou
Christmas cruise Brisbane round trip from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Nine-night sail on P&O Cruises’ Pacific Dawn departing 18 December 2018
- Calls in at Isle of Pines, Nouméa, Mystery Island and Port Vila
- Spend Christmas Day sailing from Port Vila to Brisbane
Christmas cruise Sydney return from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Ten-night sail on the P&O Cruises’ Pacific Explorer departing 18 December 2018
- Calls in at Nouméa, Lifou, Port Vila and Mystery Island
- Spend Christmas Day at sea en route to Sydney
Tasmanian Christmas cruise Melbourne return from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Eight-night sail on P&O Cruises Pacific Jewel departing 19 December 2018
- Calls in at Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Hobart, Port Arthur and Burnie
- Spend Christmas Day in Port Arthur
Christmas cruise Sydney round trip with P&O Cruises from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Ten-night sail on the Pacific Eden departing 17 December 2018
- Calls in at Isle of Pines, Lifou, Port Vila and Espiritu Santo
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Espiritu Santo
Beautiful sunsets across Tasman Sea from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 16-night sail on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel departing 20 December 2018
- Round trip from Sydney calling in at Eden, Burnie, Melbourne, Port Chalmers, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga and Auckland
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Melbourne and New Zealand
Memorable expedition from Sydney with Celebrity Cruises from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 12-night sail on the Celebrity Solstice departing 23 December 2018
- Calls in at Picton, Wellington, Christchurch and Melbourne
- Spend Christmas Day cruising en route to Picton
Pacific treasures holiday Sydney return from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 13-night sail on Holland America Line’s MS Noordam departing 22 December 2018
- Calls in at Maré, Lifou, Luganville, Port Vila, Mystery Island, Nouméa and Isle of Pines
- Spend Christmas Day en route to Maré
An idyllic round trip via Perth from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 11-night sail on Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ Astor departing 17 December 2018
- Calls in overnight at Benoa, Bali
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Bali and Perth
Discover Australia and Indonesia from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 16-night sail on Silversea’s Silver Muse departing 21 December 2018
- One-way voyage from Bali to Sydney calling in at Lembar, Komodo, Tenau, Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Whitsunday Islands and Brisbane
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Tenau and Darwin
16-day cruise with Azamara Club Cruises to Melbourne from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- Cruise on the Azamara Quest departing 22 December 2018
- One-way sail from Perth to Melbourne calling in at Albany, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Sydney and Hobart
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Albany and Adelaide
A journey from Sydney to Auckland from CruiseAway
Highlights:
- 16-night sail on the Seabourn Encore departing 21 December 2018
- Calls in at Phillip Island, Melbourne, Fiordland National Park, Oban, Port Chalmers, Christchurch, Kaikoura, Wellington, Picton and Tauranga
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Melbourne and Milford Sound
Australia and New Zealand Cruise with Princess Cruises from Flight Centre - Cruises
Highlights:
- 12-night sail on the Majestic Princess departing 18 December 2018
- One-way voyage from Auckland to Sydney calling in at Tauranga, Akaroa, Dunedin, Fiordland National Park, Hobart and Melbourne
- Spend Christmas Day sailing between Fiordland National Park and Hobart
Papua New Guinea cruise from Flight Centre - Cruises
Highlights:
- 11 nights on Princess Cruises’ Sea Princess departing 21 December 2018
- Round-trip sail from Brisbane calling in at Alotau, Kitava Island, Rabaul, Kiriwina and Kaile’una of the Trobriands
- Spend Christmas Day at sea en route to Brisbane
