Princess Cruises unveils its 2028/29 season in Australia and New Zealand

Princess Cruises unveiled its 2028-29 season for Australia and New Zealand, which will go on sale on November 10, 2026. The program includes more than 90 departures, although sources differ on the exact number of itineraries: Cruise Industry News and PRNewswire cite 'more than 70' itineraries, while Cruise Critic specifies 72. Three ships will operate in the region: Grand Princess, Royal Princess and Emerald Princess, the latter returning to Sydney for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

As part of the season, Princess will launch the Grand World Odyssey 2029, described as the longest round-trip world cruise ever offered from Australia. The voyage, aboard Grand Princess, will last 129 nights, cover approximately 37,300 nautical miles, and call at 61 destinations in 31 countries across five continents. Passengers will be able to embark in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, with an additional departure from Dover bound for London; Cruise Critic adds that there will also be embarkation options from Perth (Fremantle) and Adelaide.

The Grand World Odyssey itinerary will include two full transits of the new locks of the Panama Canal, scenic cruising near Easter Island and Pitcairn Island, and crossing the Equator and the International Date Line on two occasions. Destinations include New York, Miami, Reykjavik, Lisbon, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Tahiti and Auckland. Regarding UNESCO World Heritage sites, Cruise Industry News and PRNewswire mention 51 sites accessible during the voyage, while Cruise Critic notes 50, and also includes an overnight stay in Lima (Callao), Peru.

Within the regional program, voyages will range from two to 46 nights, with departures from Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth (Fremantle) and Sydney, spanning 42 destinations in six countries. There are also differences between sources regarding the voyages that circumnavigate Australia: Cruise Industry News and PRNewswire cite 17 Round Australia Voyages, while Cruise Critic mentions three circumnavigation voyages with 14 departure options. The season also expands offerings in New Zealand, with calls at Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, Napier, Christchurch and Dunedin, as well as scenic cruising through Fiordland National Park.

Jim Berra, Chief Commercial Officer of Princess Cruises, stated that the 2028-29 season takes that spirit of discovery to new heights, offering everything from the longest world cruise to an unprecedented variety of voyages through Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Matthew Rutherford, the line's Vice President for Asia Pacific, highlighted the return of Emerald Princess to Sydney and the breadth of experiences in the program. From November 10, 2026 through February 16, 2027, an early booking bonus will be in effect, including up to $500 in instant savings, onboard credit and reduced deposits for voyages to Australia and New Zealand, and up to $3,000 in onboard credit for the Grand World Odyssey.