From budget to luxe, here are the season's best Aussie cruises

The clever ways smart travellers are maximising their holiday budgets

With the cost of living squeezing holiday budgets, cruising can make the maths a little easier.. Onboard accommodation, entertainment, meals and some non-alcoholic drinks are bundled into one fare, so you know upfront what your trip will cost.. Over the next six months, between now and April, more ships are sailing along Australian shores compared to the handful in winter..

This wider range greatly expands your options, from short breaks on big ships to splurges on luxury voyages.. Ships to watch:. Carnival Adventure, Carnival Encounter, Carnival Luminosa, Carnival Splendor (2260-3000 passengers) Best for:.

First-timers, families and weekenders.. What your money buys:. A quick, no-frills escape on family-friendly ships with pools and waterslides..

Food, entertainment and some non-alcoholic drinks included.. The cheapest option is Carnival Cruise Line's two-night sailings from Sydney and Brisbane.. An inside cabin without a window, sleeping up to four people, costs about $250 per person..

More comfortable cabins cost about $400 per person, when shared between two, three or four people.. The catch is these weekend getaways don't stop at any ports, so it's all about having fun on the ship.. And a solo traveller, to get your own inside cabin, will need to pay more, about $600 for a two-night cruise to nowhere..

If you can stretch to $1000 per person, couples could take a four-night cruise to Moreton Island or six nights to the Great Barrier Reef.. From Melbourne, you could hop over to Kangaroo Island in April.. To save money, always choose a departure from your nearest city and consider public transport to the terminal, so you won't need to pay for taxis, flights, hotels, petrol, parking or tolls..

Ships to watch:. Crown Princess, Grand Princess, Royal Princess (2260-3560 passengers) Best for:. Couples and multigenerational families..

What your money buys:. A more traditional, relaxed experience on elegant ships.. Princess is selling out fast, so bargains are harder to find, especially from Adelaide and Perth..

The best value on the east coast is a four-night Sapphire Coast cruise, round-trip from Sydney, which calls at Eden on the NSW South Coast, priced around $800 per person twin-share in a balcony cabin.. A four-night Hunter Coast cruise from Brisbane to Sydney with one stop in Newcastle, costs about $700 per person twin-share in an outside cabin.. For a taste of the most spacious accommodation, a two-night cruise between Sydney and Brisbane (either way) on Crown Princess starts at $600 per person twin-share in a suite..

An inside cabin is half the price, as low as $300 per person twin-share.. Ships to watch:. Norwegian Spirit (1972 passengers) Best for:.

Having fewer children on board.. What your money buys:. An adult-focused, mid-size, stylish ship..

NCL is celebrating its longest-ever Australian season with fares from $115 per person per day.. Choose from a four-night Tassie Taster in January or a 12-day South Pacific cruise from Lautoka to Sydney, departing November 20, with four stops in Fiji and two stops in Vanuatu.. For an extra $59 per person per day, receive a premium drinks package, Wi-Fi and dining in specialty restaurants..

Ships to watch:. Anthem, Ovation, Quantum, Voyager of the Seas (3120-4180 passengers) Best for:. High-energy family holidays..

What your money buys:. A week with more facilities and the most tech-advanced entertainment and activities.. Royal Caribbean has plenty of more affordable itineraries..

For example, $500 each is enough for a three-night cruise from Brisbane in an inside cabin shared by four people.. But longer cruises allow time to enjoy all the whiz-bang features such as skydiving simulators, dodgem cars and roller-skating on Anthem, Quantum and Ovation, or Voyager's ice-skating rink and glow-in-the-dark laser tag.. All ships have at least three pools, waterslides and FlowRider surfing simulators..

For less than $2000 per person twin-share, choose seven-night cruises from Brisbane to the South Pacific or along the Queensland coast.. From Sydney, sail round-trip to the South Pacific (eight nights) or New Zealand (nine nights).. Ships to watch:.

Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Solstice (2850-3000 passengers) Best for:. Couples who want a sophisticated, sociable holiday.. What your money buys:.

A premium experience for two weeks.. Fresh from a refurbishment, Celebrity Solstice, and the newer Celebrity Edge are sleek ships with a focus on outdoor spaces for drinking and dining.. A rare springtime journey from Sydney to Singapore departs November 22..

This 13-night cruise calls at Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas and Darwin, priced from around $2200 per person twin-share in an oceanview cabin or $3500 in an AquaClass cabin.. Other summer voyages sail round-trip from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef, South Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.. Ships to watch:.

Regent Seven Seas Navigator (490) and Explorer (746), Viking Orion (930), Oceania Vista and Riviera (1250 passengers) Best for:. All-inclusive luxury.. What your money buys:.

Smaller ships, attentive service, calm atmosphere and no queues.. Fares cover alcohol, Wi-Fi and other perks, depending on the cruise line.. Australia welcomes the world's most luxurious ships every summer, which is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself..

Regent is the most inclusive, offering unlimited drinks, valet laundry service and a wide variety of free daily tours in each port.. A seven-night cruise from Darwin to Bali (Benoa) departs February 9 and visits four ports in Indonesia.. For solos, there is no single supplement on this itinerary..

An Aussie Celebration, 10-night roundtrip from Sydney on December 19, calls at Eden, Melbourne, Phillip Island, Geelong and Hobart.. If adults-only is your dealbreaker, Viking guarantees no kids on board and free daily excursions, but the free drinks include only wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner.. A two-week New Zealand cruise from Sydney to Auckland fits the budget..

Oceania Cruises offers more choices such as 15-nights Sydney to Bali, 14-nights Sydney to Auckland, and 12-nights Sydney round-trip to Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Townsville and Cairns..