The 9 Best Luxury Cruises in Australia

1.Ocean Freedom Great Barrier Reef Luxury Snorkel and Dive Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,895 reviews · from $181Our pick

From Cairns, ride the 65-foot Ocean Freedom catamaran to Upolu Cay and Wonder Wall. You get six hours at two reef sites, guided snorkeling, a glass-bottom boat tour, gear, lunch, and help from marine guides. Certified and introductory scuba options cost extra. The group is capped at 75 people.

“Great tour! Experienced instructors, well managed snorkeling & diving, and safety being maintained all the way. Plus the food is good : )”

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2.From Fremantle: 2-Hour Luxury Whale-Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 455 reviews · 2 hours · from $67

Cruise from Sardine Jetty aboard Steep Point, a three-level catamaran with five viewing decks, heated lounge seating, and live commentary from marine mammal experts. Look for humpback whales resting near Perth during their southern migration. Mothers and calves are often seen from October, and a free return trip is offered if no whales appear.

“We managed to see a lot of whales and learned more about them”

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3.Port Douglas: Sunset Sailing Cruise on Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 342 reviews · 1h 30m · from $66

Meet at Sailaway’s office at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina at 4:30pm for a 90-minute sunset sail. You’ll cruise the Coral Sea beside the Daintree coastline, enjoy hot and cold canapés, and receive one beer, wine, champagne, or soft drink. The catamaran is limited to small numbers, with English-speaking crew and extra drinks available by Eftpos.

“Laid back smooth sailing during sunset. Crew was professional and friendly. Wonderful end to an amazing day”

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4.From Port Douglas: Outer Reef Cruise by Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 182 reviews · 9 hours · from $240

Sail from Port Douglas to Mackay Cay on a luxury catamaran, with morning tea, reef talks, guided snorkeling, a glass-bottom boat ride, and a tropical buffet. Guides such as Zara help you spot turtles, giant clams, and reef fish. You get two reef visits, time on a sandy cay, and a quieter day than many larger reef boats.

“Perfect event! Great catamaran, crew, spots for snorkeling, food and drinks! One of the best trips we ever had! A lot of space on the boat, only about 25 guests! The small sandy island is very nice. We saw turtles and a shark chasing some stingrays!”

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5.Port Douglas: Reef & Low Isles Cruise on Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 96 reviews · 8 hours · from $240

Sail 15 kilometres from Port Douglas to Low Isles aboard Sailaway’s luxury catamaran. You’ll have 4.5 hours for a marine-guided snorkel, heritage walk, glass-bottom boat ride, and beach time, with lunch and tea included. The small-group setup means plenty of personal help, including from crew such as Guy, George, Kira, Zara, and Chris.

“Had a fantastic trip out to the reef and low isles, my wife and I were on honeymoon and had a smashing time! The crew were fabulous, and it was nice that we only had a small group at the time.”

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6.Port Douglas: Low Isles Afternoon Cruise on Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 96 reviews · 5h 30m · from $240

Sail from Port Douglas to Low Isles aboard a luxury catamaran for three hours in a sheltered lagoon. You can snorkel with a marine guide, view coral from a glass-bottom boat, walk the heritage island, and finish with scones, canapés, drinks, and a sunset over the Daintree mountains.

“What an enjoyable day! Our skipper and guide were super friendly and easygoing. They were very knowledgable about the reef we visited but didn't overdo the talking like some guides do. The boat was great and we highly recommend taking this midday timeslot as you get both the opportunity to snorkel when its less busy but also can catch the sunset on the cruise home. The small number of passengers was great for us too as it felt more like a one on one experience.”

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7.Private Luxury Sydney Harbour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 77 reviews · from $559

Meet your captain at Campbell’s Cove and cruise Sydney Harbour aboard a private 52-foot motor cruiser. Choose a two-hour morning tea trip, a four-hour daytime cruise with barbecue lunch, or a sunset sailing with dinner. Your captain may tailor the route for views of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Fort Denison, and Shark Island.

“Nobody ever showed up for us and we had no way to contact anybody!!! We had 12 family members very excited to do this and extremely disappointed that nobody ever showed up!! Not how we wanted to spend Christmas!!!”

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8.Great Barrier Reef Cruise – Gold Class VIP Lounge Package

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews

Cruise from Cairns to Norman and Hastings reefs aboard Evolution, a 35-meter catamaran with a private Gold Class lounge for up to eight people. Your concierge handles the day, while you enjoy guided snorkeling, a semi-submersible tour, BBQ lunch, snacks, and wine on the return trip. Scuba and helicopter flights cost extra.

“Absolutely wonderful day at the barrier reef, VIP upgrade definitely worth the extra, great crew, great boat.”

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9.Luxury Catamaran Lunch Cruise with Deluxe Buffet

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 12 reviews · 1h 30m · from $63Best value

Set out from King Street Wharf 2 for a 90-minute lunch cruise aboard a climate-controlled luxury catamaran. Enjoy reserved seating, waiter service, hot and cold buffet dishes, dessert, harbour commentary, and views of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay, Fort Denison, Taronga Zoo, and Luna Park. Drinks cost extra.

“Had a great time with out of state visitors, about to book more visitors for the trip”

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