With inflation hovering around four per cent, mortgage repayments climbing and petrol prices spiking, plenty of Australians are trimming their travel plans. New research from the Tourism and Transport Forum suggests 16 per cent of us are opting for shorter holidays, while 15 per cent are staying closer to home. Enter the short cruise: a two-to-five-night sailing that costs less than a decent weekend away on land.
This season there are 22 short cruises still available departing from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, and the entry prices are genuinely low. The cheapest option overall is a three-day one-way sailing from Sydney to Brisbane on Grand Princess, from $366 per person, departing December 9, 2026. Carnival's two-night cruises to nowhere out of Sydney start at $391 per person, with three-night versions from $495, sailing on Carnival Splendor and Carnival Adventure across multiple dates.
Not every budget sailing skips the ports. From Sydney, Carnival runs four-night trips to Tangalooma on Moreton Island from $581 per person, a Phillip Island roundtrip from $708 departing November 30, 2026, and a four-night Hobart and Port Arthur sailing from $1,131 on December 8, 2026. Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas offers cruises to nowhere from $949 and Hobart itineraries from $1,349. Further up the price scale, Princess has a Sapphire Coast roundtrip visiting Eden from $906, plus five-day New Zealand sailings to Tauranga and the Bay of Islands, while Celebrity Edge and Norwegian Spirit both run Hobart roundtrips from Sydney.
Brisbane is a sweet spot for value. Carnival's two-night cruises to nowhere start at $499 per person on Carnival Encounter or Carnival Luminosa, with four-night Airlie Beach sailings from $669. Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas does cruises to nowhere from $699 and a four-night Whitsundays getaway calling at Airlie Beach from $899. Princess rounds it out with a sailing to nowhere from $506 and a Hunter Coast cruise visiting Newcastle from $965 in March 2027.
Melbourne travellers aren't left out. A one-way Carnival sailing from Melbourne to Sydney starts at $412 on April 7, 2027, and a four-day Kangaroo Island roundtrip costs from $1,071 per person, departing April 3, 2027 on Carnival Adventure. There's also a four-night New Year's Eve cruise to nowhere on Carnival Splendor from $1,310, for anyone who wants fireworks at sea.
The appeal is obvious: the fare covers your accommodation, food and entertainment, there's no flights or luggage limits to worry about, and you can be back at work on Monday. These sailings suit time-poor couples, families testing the cruising waters for the first time, and groups after a cheap weekend with drinks and shows included. If you're watching your spending but still want a proper break, a night or two at sea might be the best value in Australian travel right now.
