Royal ships for 2024/25 season.

[colourbird]

15 hours ago, rkmw said:

Princess is having one cruise to PNG in 2 years time but p&o go there quite a bit Brisbane and it would be nice if Royal can mix up the cruises a bit and go different ports instead of the same ones, South Pacific or Cairns 

 

Why can't we have cruises to PNG from Sydney for something a bit different? Not sure why they always start in Brisbane.

[colourbird]

2 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

P&O always have their newest ships here.

 

Yes we went on Adventure when she was pretty much brand new in 2022! 

[icat2000]

I'm holding a booking on the Princess PNG cruise in 2026 I think it is on the Grand. Cause their last offering was last week prior to Xmas. No way was Pete getting time off the. 

 

I did look at going to PNG with PO this year but I too slow and I think it sold out.

 

Ive only ever cruise RCL once on the Rasphody of Seas. I avoid mainly cause of the US dollar factor but I might try some out this year depending on the cruise price and the itinerary.

Edited April 8 by icat2000

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, colourbird said:

 

Why can't we have cruises to PNG from Sydney for something a bit different? Not sure why they always start in Brisbane.

They have tried them. They didn't sell very well. There is something about 4 sea days up and 4 sea days back that deters the majority of cruisers.

 

The best ones started in Cairns. The last two of these departs next month, of which one also includes Honiara.

 

PS: P&O is still doing short seasons from Cairns in late 2024 + 2025

Edited April 8 by arxcards

[arxcards]

7 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

I'm holding a booking on the Princess PNG cruise in 2026 I think it is on the Grand. Cause their last offering was last week prior to Xmas. No way was Pete getting time off the. 

 

I did look at going to PNG with PO this year but I too slow and I think it sold out.

 

Ive only ever cruise RCL once on the Rasphody of Seas. I avoid mainly cause of the US dollar factor but I might try some out this year depending on the cruise price and the itinerary.

Nice itinerary, as it has 2 stops at Conflict Islands

https://www.carnival.com.au/itinerary/11-day-papua-new-guinea-cruise/brisbane/luminosa/11-days/jg2/?itinportcode=bne

[icat2000]

2 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Nice itinerary, as it has 2 stops at Conflict Islands

https://www.carnival.com.au/itinerary/11-day-papua-new-guinea-cruise/brisbane/luminosa/11-days/jg2/?itinportcode=bne

We already booked on one of the last Princess cruises out of Melbourne in October now 🙂 But thanks for heads up. I do like Carnival over PO.

[arxcards]

Not much of the WOW being talked-up. Maybe tomorrow when the itineraries come out. For now:

Anthem, based on Sydney port entries

31st October 2025 (3 nights)

3rd November (7 nights)

10th November (10 nights)

20th November (8 nights)

28th November (3 nights)

1st December (10 nights)

11th December (8 nights)

19th December (9 nights)

28th December (10 nights)

8th January 2026 (9 nights)

17th January (2 nights) 

19th January (8 nights)

27th January (10 nights)

6th February (7 nights)

13th February (2 nights)

15th February (12 nights)

27th February (9 nights)

8th March (5 nights)

13th March (9 nights)

22nd March (12 nights)

3rd April (8 nights)

11th April (3 nights)

14th April (relocation)

 

Voyager, based on Brisbane Terminal schedule.

13th December 2025 (3 nights)

16th December (4 nights)

20th December (8 nights)

28th December (9 nights)

6th January 2026 (7 nights)

13th January (6 nights)

19th January (4 nights)

23rd January (7 nights)

30th January (7 nights)

6th February (6 nights)

12th February (3 nights)

15th February (4 nights)

19th February (8 nights)

27th February (7 nights)

6th March (3 nights)

9th March (4 nights)

13th March (3 nights)

16th March (5 nights)

21st March (7 nights)

28th March (9 nights)

6th April (relocation)

 

[colourbird]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Nice itinerary, as it has 2 stops at Conflict Islands

https://www.carnival.com.au/itinerary/11-day-papua-new-guinea-cruise/brisbane/luminosa/11-days/jg2/?itinportcode=bne

 

I wouldn't mind this one, but i'm not back in time from my Icon of the Seas cruises. I need a cruise for the 2nd half of 2026 so this is a possibility if it repeated.

[colourbird]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

They have tried them. They didn't sell very well. There is something about 4 sea days up and 4 sea days back that deters the majority of cruisers.

 

The best ones started in Cairns. The last two of these departs next month, of which one also includes Honiara.

 

PS: P&O is still doing short seasons from Cairns in late 2024 + 2025

 

I don't mind sea days, but there's nothing stopping them adding ports up the Aussie coast. We're stopping in Brisbane and Newcastle on the way back down the coast next year.

[arxcards]

1 minute ago, colourbird said:

 

I don't mind sea days, but there's nothing stopping them adding ports up the Aussie coast. We're stopping in Brisbane and Newcastle on the way back down the coast next year.

That is 2 separate cruises being sold together as a 7 night Bris-Bris Qld Coastal and a 4 night slow relocation back to Sydney via Newcastle. As a standalone Brisbane to Sydney 11 nighter, it would be a hard sell for Princess. The longer the cruise, the less passengers that can do them.

 

The above is only practical as part of an end of season relocation. A Sydney to PNG cruise with stops in QLD on the way up and back starts to look like a 16 or 17 night cruise. Awesome cruise, but they wouldn't fill it.

[arxcards]

24 minutes ago, colourbird said:

 

I wouldn't mind this one, but i'm not back in time from my Icon of the Seas cruises. I need a cruise for the 2nd half of 2026 so this is a possibility if it repeated.

That is the standard Carnival PNG itinerary for Brisbane. They have had it in 2023 and have it available in 2024 & 2025. Hopefully it repeats for the years beyond.

[colourbird]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

That is 2 separate cruises being sold together as a 7 night Bris-Bris Qld Coastal and a 4 night slow relocation back to Sydney via Newcastle. As a standalone Brisbane to Sydney 11 nighter, it would be a hard sell for Princess. The longer the cruise, the less passengers that can do them.

 

The above is only practical as part of an end of season relocation. A Sydney to PNG cruise with stops in QLD on the way up and back starts to look like a 16 or 17 night cruise. Awesome cruise, but they wouldn't fill it.

 

I'm on that 11 night Diamond Princess cruise from Brisbane to Sydney. A friend has also booked on this cruise. We haven't been allocated cabins yet. Hope they are near each other. He's been on Diamond before and really liked her. This will be my first time aboard.

[marquisite]

Itineraries originally shared by @Jumping Cruiser in the 2025-2026 RCI deployment discussion:

 

Voyager from Brisbane: https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Australia/VY_2025-2026_Australia_Deployment

 

Anthem from Sydney: https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Australia/AN_2025-2026_Australia_Deployment

 

 

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, colourbird said:

 

I'm on that 11 night Diamond Princess cruise from Brisbane to Sydney. A friend has also booked on this cruise. We haven't been allocated cabins yet. Hope they are near each other. He's been on Diamond before and really liked her. This will be my first time aboard.

Yep, us too. Diamond is awesome.

[marquisite]

By the way, should the title of this discussion be 2025/26 season?

[MicCanberra]

30 minutes ago, marquisite said:

By the way, should the title of this discussion be 2025/26 season?

Possibly

[Chiliburn]

14 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Possibly

princess medallion and a few discussions about monkeys 

[MicCanberra]

15 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

princess medallion and a few discussions about monkeys 

And of course, the OP has total control over what gets posted in a thread they start.

[arxcards]

13 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

princess medallion and a few discussions about monkeys 

Ahh, when there is a void ....

If Royal announced a different ship, year-round from Brisbane, the launch of Perfect Day at Lelepa, this would be tracking on topic. Instead, it is the lament of all cruise lines are doing the same cruises as last year. It might also stay on track if the new release stuff is posted here.

[Chiliburn]

25-26 is now on sale but make sure you are sitting down with a defibrillator near by

[woodscruise]

From todays Cruise Weekly:

 

Two RCI ships in Australia in 2025-26

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) has announced its 2025- 2026 deployment in Australia, with two new ships, Anthem of the Seas (pictured) and Voyager of the Seas, set to cruise Down Under (CW breaking news). Anthem, which will make her Australian debut, most recently cruised in Singapore. She will join Voyager Down Under in Nov 2025, which had also been based in Asia. The new Australian ship will cruise “shorter and bolder” getaways from Sydney, while Voyager will make her longawaited return to her new home of Brisbane. The two ships will sail a line-up of 45 cruises to the New Zealand and the South Pacific between Nov 2025 and Apr 2026, and are now open for booking. They will replace Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas in Australia. “Between the excitement of Anthem of the Seas making its Australian debut, Voyager’s return Down Under, and more weekend getaways than ever before, the 2025-2026 summer season is one for the books,” Vice President & Managing Director Gavin Smith said. “Every kind of holidaymaker can make memories in more ways than one with a varied line-up, from short getaways to a longer sailing from Asia, and new experiences like the show-stopping ‘We Will Rock You’ musical production, iceskating shows and six exclusive family adventures created by Royal Caribbean and the Wiggly Friends,” he said. MS

 

 

[arxcards]

Wiggly Friends?

[woodscruise]

13 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Wiggly Friends?

Yes, apparently there is some sort of agreement with the Wiggles.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN TEAMS UP WITH THE WIGGLES TO LAUNCH THE ULTIMATE WIGGLY ADVENTURE  | Royal Caribbean Press Center

Edited April 10 by woodscruise
added link

[rkmw]

Just had a look at the itineraries of the Voyager and Anthem and not really impressed with the pricing and they’ve even put the deposit up to $250 per person over 6 nights 

[arxcards]

56 minutes ago, woodscruise said:

Yes, apparently there is some sort of agreement with the Wiggles.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN TEAMS UP WITH THE WIGGLES TO LAUNCH THE ULTIMATE WIGGLY ADVENTURE  | Royal Caribbean Press Center

Toot, Toot, Chugga, Chugga, Big White Ship