Royal Caribbean Announces Two Ships for Australia in 2025-26

Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas will make her debut in Australia in 2025-26, while Voyager of the Seas returns to the destination. The two ships will sail a series of 45 seasonal voyages of varying lengths Down Under and to ports farther afield in the South Pacific.

Two Ships to Sail From Sydney, Brisbane

Royal Caribbean’s 4,180-guest Anthem of the Seas and 3,600-guest Voyager of the Seas will be based in Australia from November 2025 to April 2026, sailing from Sydney and Brisbane, respectively.

Anthem of the Seas will offer 24 cruises during the season, including 3- to 18-night featuring Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Also, the ship will sail five coastal getaway cruises, from 2 to 4 nights, as well as a 5-night cruise calling at Hobart.  

Several 9- to 12-night voyages will feature New Zealand, and two holiday sailings, of 9 and 11 nights, will include Christmas and New Year’s.

The 11-night New Year’s cruise, departing December 28, 2025, will call at Picton, Napier, Tauranga, and Auckland, before returning to Sydney, for instance.

Sailing from Brisbane, Voyager of the Seas will offer guests a choice of 20 cruises, some of which include a new destination for the line, Luganville, Vanuatu’s second-largest city known for its white sand beaches and Pacific Island culture.

The ship will sail 7- to 9-night cruises to destinations such as Noumea, New Caledonia, and Port Vila, Luganville, and Mystery Island, Vanuatu. The series includes two holiday sailings, of 8 and 9 nights.

Guests looking for longer at-sea vacations aboard Voyager of the Seas can choose the ship’s 12-night repositioning itinerary from Singapore to December, while those seeking short getaways can select from 10 itineraries. The getaways feature 3-, 4-, 6-, and 7-night sailings that explore Australia’s coastal destinations, such as Airlie Beach and Cairns.

A 3-night “Sampler Cruise” is an at-sea sailing departing December 13, 2025, with no port calls, while the 8-night Christmas cruise departs on December 20, 2025 and calls at Luganville, Port Vila, and Mystery Island, Vanuatu.

“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,” said Gavin Smith, vice president and managing director of Australia and New Zealand for Royal Caribbean. 

“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, ice-skating shows and six exclusive family adventures created by Royal Caribbean and the Wiggly Friends,” added Smith.

In March 2024, the cruise line revealed a collaboration with The Wiggles, the popular children’s entertainment group formed in Sydney, Australia. The pact will offer family activities such as character events, live concerts, and exclusive merchandise.

Both Ships Offer Exciting Onboard Activities

While the Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific itineraries feature popular and exotic port calls, life onboard the two Royal Caribbean ships will provide guests with plenty of thrilling activities.

On the Quantum-class Anthem of the Seas, which debuted in 2015, cruisers will find the industry-pioneering thrill ride RipCord by iFly, a skydiving experience. The ship also offers SeaPlex, a huge indoor activity area, and lively eateries and bars such as Boleros, with its Latin theme, and the popular Italian restaurant called Jamie’s Italian.

Read Also: Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas – Overview and What to Do

The Voyager-class Voyager of the Seas is an older ship that launched in 1999. Onboard experiences include The Perfect Storm, with its three-story high-speed water slides, an ice skating rink, and a laser tag game called Battle for Planet Z. Entertainment on the ship features the popular show “Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme.”

Royal Caribbean has a 28-ship fleet, with a new-build, Utopia of the Seas, set to debut in July 2024.