From scenic flights to private dinners, the top cruise lines’ 2023 Australian shore excursions give you a taste – and a tasting – of the best our country has to offer.

From the red rocks of the Kimberley to the glistening white sands of the Whitsundays, the view of Australia’s coastline is one of the highlights for the cruises that traverse our waters. But there’s only so much you can see and do from the ship: as you pull into port, the destinations reveal their splendour.

Just as everything at sea has become more opulent over the years, so have the offerings available to passengers when they arrive at a destination, with the transition from onboard to onshore becoming more discreetly seamless, stepping from a luxury suite to an exclusive experience.

With wildlife encounters, yachts and special access to some of the most iconic landmarks, there are dozens of exceptional ways cruise passengers can explore the country.

New South Wales

Sydney shines bright for any cruise passenger, particularly those who dock with the Sydney Opera House or Harbour Bridge as the view from their room – although both sites are also worth seeing up close, which is why shore excursions will take passengers behind the scenes of Sydney Opera House’s concert hall or climb to the top of the bridge.

For a special Sydney experience, Seabourn can fly you on a seaplane direct from the harbour to the Hawkesbury River for stunning views of the city and Ku-ring-gai…