Princess Cruises Announces 2025-26 Australia & New Zealand Season Featuring the Debut of Discovery Princess
The Longest World Cruise Ever to Sail from Down Under
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (November 22, 2023) – Princess Cruises, a recognized destination-leader in the cruise industry, has unveiled details of its much-anticipated 2025-26 Australia and New Zealand program, featuring the Down Under debut of the impressive flagship Discovery Princess, as well as the longest-ever World Cruise to sail roundtrip from Australia - a record-breaking, 114-night voyage onboard Crown Princess.
All told, the 2025-26 Australia/New Zealand season will encompass three ships – Discovery Princess, Crown Princess and Grand Princess – visiting 78 destinations in 18 countries on 120 departures featuring 75 unique itineraries. The 3,660-guest, 145,000-ton Discovery Princess will be the biggest Princess Cruises ship to ever sail in Australia waters and offer 22 itineraries during her four-month deployment, which will include 11 departures from Sydney.
Plus, the longest-ever World Cruise to sail from Australia offers roundtrip departures from Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland onboard Crown Princess’ epic 2026 global odyssey, scheduled to visit 48 destinations in 31 countries, across six continents and cover an impressive 35,000 nautical miles.
“Australia remains one of our most popular and fast-growing markets with access to a seemingly endless array of fascinatingly beautiful and interesting attractions and landmarks, along with several home ports to choose from,” said Terry Thornton, Princess Cruises Chief Commercial Officer. “Our 2025-26 season was crafted to deliver an impressive and robust Australia-based program that appeals to every cruiser from first-timers, to families, to those who seek longer adventures to explore the world.”
Highlights of the upcoming 2025-26 Australia & New Zealand season include:
Two- to 37-day departures from seven Australia and New Zealand homeports, including Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Melbourne, Perth (Fremantle), Adelaide and Hobart (Tasmania).
Access to over 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef system from either Yorkeys Knob or Port Douglas, and the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia from Exmouth, home to one of the world’s most important nesting grounds for green and loggerhead sea turtles.
Late-night stays in eight ports, including Auckland, Melbourne, and Darwin with opportunities for evening exploration where guests can roam Darwin’s Waterfront for local food and drinks or stay overnight in electrifying Hong Kong on a Southeast Asia & Japan sailing between Tokyo (Yokohama) and Sydney.
Holiday sailings that include 14-day Fiji Holiday on Crown Princess and a 14-day New Zealand Holiday on Discovery Princess, both roundtrip from Sydney.
A wide range of cruise durations and itineraries on Discovery Princess and Crown Princess sailing out of Sydney, joined by Grand Princess sailing out of Brisbane:
Explore New Zealand with five- to 15-day departures from Sydney, Brisbane, or Auckland, including many roundtrip options, or circumnavigate the continent on 27- to 29-day Round Australia voyages with include scenic cruising of the spectacular Kimberley Coast region with voyages roundtrip from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle (Perth) or Adelaide.
Visit Tasmania – one of the southernmost islands in the world and home to a variety of unique wildlife including the Tasmanian Devil and the Orange-Bellied Parrot – on five- to 12-day roundtrip voyages from Sydney or Brisbane.
Experience the South Pacific with eight- to 37-day voyages with calls to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Tahiti and Fiji, roundtrip from Sydney, Brisbane, and Hobart.
Enjoy immersive experiences in Southeast Asia’s most iconic destinations like Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur), Bali (Benoa) and Singapore on voyages that sail between Australia and Asia, along with epic Pacific adventures of up to 32 days sailing between popular North American homeports (Los Angeles, Vancouver, Honolulu, Seattle) and Australia & New Zealand.
Complementing these sailings are two unique cruisetours, Australian Outback and Ultimate Australia, where guests can learn more about Aboriginal culture and visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru National Park with its iconic Ayers Rock, as well as sites such as Darwin and Cairns.
Longest Ever Australia World Cruise:
In 2026, 3,080-guest Crown Princess will sail the longest World Cruise ever to depart from Australia – a 114-day cruise calling at 48 destinations in 31 countries across six continents. Notable features:
This global voyage departs in May 2026, sailing to Southeast Asia, across the Indian Ocean, through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. From there, explore the Baltic Sea and then journey to Iceland before making way across the Atlantic to the St. Lawrence River on the way to an overnight in Quebec, Canada. Following a Panama Canal transit that includes the new Agua Clara and Cocoli locks, cross the South Pacific back to Australia, sailing by Pitcairn Island, known as the refuge of the HMS Bounty mutineers.
In addition to stopping briefly by Easter Island for a scenic cruise of Rapa Nui, home to the iconic 800-year-old monolithic statues, Crown Princess’ itinerary will give access to 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including two newly designated sites: The Viking-Age Ring Fortresses in Treeleborg and Bogring were constructed in the 10thcentury and are accessible from Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Funeral and Memory sites of the First World War on the Western Front from Zeebrugge, Belgium.
Two maiden stops for Australian World Cruises -- Alexandria (for Cairo & Giza) once home to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and Patmos, Greece, home to the Monastery of St. John and the Cave of the Apocalypse.
Overnight visits to New York, Lima and Quebec and late-night stays in a range of exotic destinations including Reykjavik in Iceland and Papeete in Tahiti.
These sailings are available to travel advisors in North America beginning Nov. 21, and go on sale to the public at the end of the month.
All three ships based Down Under feature the exclusive Princess Medallion that extends Princess’ leadership position in delivering exceptional personalized experience typical of small ships, while enjoying only the best large-ship amenities. Convenient and effortless features include expedited embarkation; keyless stateroom entry; muster anywhere; friends and family locator; and ordering food, drinks, retail items or requesting service from their smart device or a crew member and having their order delivered directly to them…even if they move.
For guests who desire more inclusive options onboard, Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages offer several amenities at tremendous values, including express boarding; alcoholic beverages, mocktails, specialty coffees and smoothies; unlimited MedallionNet Wi-Fi (the fastest at sea); casual and specialty dining; boutique fitness classes; complimentary room service and more.
Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-Princess (1-800-774-6237) or by visiting www.princess.com.
Our review of Discovery Princess
