Natural wonders, must-see destinations, and the most picturesque landscapes are what will encompass your journey along the East Coast of Australia. With such a huge landmass these travel destinations can be both challenging and time-consuming to reach. This is when cruising holidays combined with touring and destination stays make journeying our spectacular coastlines simple.
Coral Princess
From the moment you step aboard the Coral Princess, you will be welcomed and feel right at home. From the attentive service and friendly staff, you’ll find your cruise aboard the Coral Princess truly a home away from home. Coral Princess blends the exotic and the familiar aspects of the ideal holiday, with its elegant Italian restaurant, celebrity style spa treatments, and popular poolside bar, the ship is a vacation destination that offers a pleasing amount of glitz. Originally designed to navigate the Panama Canal, the smaller ship size will offer a more intimate cruising experience than the larger ocean liners. As you cruise along the East Coast you will be visiting ports such as Cairns, Brisbane & scenic cruising of Willis Island with plenty of fun offered on board to keep you entertained while travelling at sea.
DARWIN
With the Northern Territory famed for its natural splendor, it makes the perfect place to explore the region’s unique flora and fauna, waterfalls, and wildlife. Darwin itself is overflowing with vibrant cultures resulting in a variety of mouth-watering authentic eateries, bustling local markets and high-quality art galleries, while the city’s extensive history means there are plenty of significant city locations and tourist hotspots to explore.
CAIRNS
Temperate weather year-round, pristine white-sand beaches fringed by towering palm trees, an inviting turquoise ocean with vibrant coral reefs, ancient Indigenous culture, unspoiled tropical island escapes dotted along the coastline and a lush landscape steeped in history. This is standard Far North Queensland. Add two World Heritage-listed sites, a bustling food and wine scene, vibrant weekend markets and an abundance of attractions and you have the goods for a perfect holiday. Cairns is one of Australia’s hottest holiday destinations, featured on many East Coast itineraries. Inland lays the World Heritage Listed Daintree National Park where the rainforest meets the reef unlike anywhere else on the planet.
WILLIS ISLAND
Located 450 kilometres east of Cairns, Willis Island is the only permanently inhabited island in the Coral Sea Islands Territory, which is an external territory of Australia, located beyond the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea. As you cruise through the sparkling turquoise waters on a scenic cruise of the island, you may be able to spot tropical birds, fish, and hammerhead sharks. This tiny island measures in at just 487 meters long and 150 meters wide. You won't find any neighbourhoods, schools, or homes here, however. The only structures on Willis Island comprises of a weather monitoring station hosted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, where just a handful of weather observers reside at any given time. Willis Island is one of several tropical islands sitting beyond the Great Barrier Reef and is surrounded by thriving reefs where many creatures make their homes.
BRISBANE
Set on the sparkling Brisbane River, metropolitan Brisbane is the capital of the sunshine state of Queensland. Full of wonderful architecture, a thriving and eclectic arts scene, boutique shopping and superb alfresco dining thanks to the year-round temperate weather. On the outskirts of the city, you have the scenic Brisbane coastline and access to nearby island sanctuaries such as Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island. With a perfect blend of city, beach, and nature plus the typical laid-back Queensland atmosphere there is something for everyone. Brisbane is the ideal destination that caters for all interests and tastes. Embracing the outdoors, this city and beautiful surrounds is brimming with fine food, history, culture, and diverse natural wonders.
SYDNEY
One of the most iconic harbours in the world, framed by two equally iconic landmarks (Sydney Harbour Bridge & Sydney Opera House) Sydney Harbour is home to one of the most frequently utilised cruise docks in the world. When cruising the East Coast, Sydney Harbour will be your start port or your end port Whilst visiting the world-renowned Opera House or climbing the Harbour Bridge are a must-do experience, be sure not to miss out on exploring the rest of Sydney’s magical Harbour. From the buzz and energy of Circular Quay at the foot of the city’s business district, you can take your pick from several ferry services to reach many of the harbourside suburbs. You can also take a water taxi, enjoy a harbour lunch or dinner cruise, or even take a walking tour around the historic Rocks area. From there you can also walk to the Royal Botanic Gardens, stopping at several chic cafes and award-winning restaurants on the way, featuring some of the city’s best views. Ask our consultants about extending your holiday with a pre-cruise or post-cruise stay in this must-see destination to get the most out of Sydney’s wonderful delights.
RAIL EXTENSION
Combine your package with rail to give you two all-inclusive journeys in the one holiday. The Ghan, one of the most popular rail journeys in the world, gives you an additional relaxing journey between Adelaide and Darwin or vice versa. Onboard, experience the never-ending beauty of the iconic Australian outback as you travel through the heart of Australia. The journey either way includes stops in unique locations paired with off-train excursions like a remote breakfast with the sunrise in Marla or an outback bonfire in Manguri, the Alice Springs Desert Park or Simpsons Gap Discovery Walk in Alice Springs and a Nitmiluk Gorge Cruise in Katherine.
Exploring the East Coast of Australia ticks off so many bucket-list experiences, and with our varied, seamless package options to suit your style there isn’t much more to contemplate other than what to pack.
To view our East Coast & Top End cruise holidays, click here. Alternatively call our team on 1300 854 897 or email holidays@holidaysofaustralia.com.au
Images courtesy of Princess Cruises, Journey Beyond Rail, Destination NSW, Tourism & Events Queensland, Tourism NT & Unspalsh.
