South Australia Discovery

Departure date: 02 January 2024

Take in Australia’s unique natural wonders on a roundtrip cruise from Sydney. Enjoy overnights in stunning Hobart and Adelaide, stop into Kangaroo Island and Phillip Island.

The very small town of Port Arthur offers a fascinating introduction into the history and culture of Tasmania—indeed, of Australia as a whole. About a 100-kilometer (62-mile) drive southeast of Hobart, Tasmania's capital, Port Arthur is best known for its past as a penal colony. The Port Arthur convict settlement, which spreads over 40 hectares (100 acres), operated from the 1830s until 1877. Today its stone buildings make up one of several UNESCO-designated Australian Convict Sites on Tasmania.

Tasmania, once the butt of many jokes, is finally cool. The little Australian island is home to stunning landscapes, old-growth forests and exceptional local produce. Lording over all this goodness is Hobart, the island’s creative capital. Although its remoteness might once have made it feel provincial, the city has truly come into its own in recent years. It’s got one of the world’s best museums of contemporary art, vibrant markets, a cosmopolitan dining scene and eclectic music festivals. It’s also achingly beautiful, with a natural harbor setting and rugged Mount Wellington looming in the background.

The Australian continent’s third-largest island—Kangaroo—enchants visitors with its mellow rhythms, which seem to be coming from a quieter and much simpler time. Even Penneshaw, its main ferry port, has a population of less than 300 people . . . and farmers sometimes still advertise for spouses on bulletin boards.

Just 87 miles south-southeast of Melbourne, lies Phillip Island, ancestral home of the Bunurong people, among the first indigenous people to encounter Europeans. Wildlife is abundant here, including little penguins, fairy penguins and Pacific gulls; as well as wallabies and kangaroos.

Sydney, Port Arthur, Hobart, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Phillip Island, Sydney

Your ship: Noordam

Named for the Northern compass point, Noordam features museum-quality art — from 19th-century oils to contemporary photographs of music greats Dizzy Gillespie and B.B. King.

Guests onboard can enjoy regional cooking demonstrations and food and wine tastings with EXC Port to Table programming.

Explore the world’s wonders through BBC Earth Experiences. Take yoga or Pilates in our Fitness Center. Savor the sounds of Music Walk™ and the delights of our specialty restaurants.

Sydney, Port Arthur, Hobart, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Phillip Island, Sydney

All fares are displayed in Australian Dollars and pricing is per person based on twin share occupancy unless stated otherwise. Although all due care is taken to keep information as up-to-date as possible, pricing and availability are subject to change without notice: due to varying timing schedules of supplier automated update processes; currency fluctuations; fuel surcharges or government tax & fee changes and may not be guaranteed until paid in full. Gratuities may be an additional onboard charge depending on particular cruise line selected. Please ask your cruise consultant for any clarification of Terms & Conditions.