Singapore to Australia luxury cruise & Queensland adventure

With your guide, explore the popular districts of Singapore, from the heritage buildings of the Civic District, to the street vendors and temples of Chinatown and the lively entertainment of the River, ending at Gardens by the Bay. Return to the hotel in the afternoon with the rest of your day at leisure.

The morning is yours to soak up some more of Singapore before boarding your cruise. You might like to wander around Chinatown, visiting temples like Ma Co Po, which is dedicated (appropriately enough) to the Goddess of the Sea — look up to see candy-bright ornamentations on the ceiling beams. Then, make your way to the dock to board your Celebrity cruise ship, where you have the afternoon to settle into your stateroom before you officially cast off at around 6pm.

Your cruise begins with a couple of days on the open ocean en route to Bali, allowing you to ease into life on board and explore all the activities on offer. For example, your ship has its own neatly trimmed grass lawn where you can play croquet or boules. Come evening, you have a choice of dining venues, and meals at most restaurants are included in your voyage, as are a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Today is another day at sea to spend as you wish. You might like to try out the ship’s panoramic jogging track, before lounging in The Solarium, an adults-only pool and hot tub area. In the evening, you could hit the tables at the ship’s Fortune Casino, sip a cocktail in the Martini Bar, or visit Quasar, the retro-themed nightclub for post-dinner dancing.

Dock in Benoa, a beach and fishing village that’s your launchpad for Bali. Your ship offers several tours that let you explore the island more widely: we recommend visiting Pura Luhur Batukaru, a serene garden temple of mossy walkways, pools, and multi-tiered, teetering Meru towers. Or, take a 4x4 trip into the mountains to the emerald rice terraces of Jatiluwih, where you’ll be served lunch and drinks to the gentle melodies of a Balinese rindik (bamboo xylophone).

Today you might like to visit Cellar Masters, where you can taste wines and have masterclasses with on-board sommeliers. Or, you could try a Hot Glass Class, where you can watch professional glassblowers at work and have a go at this art form yourself. For something more sedate, the ship has a peaceful library with lots of secluded reading nooks.

Your ship has a state-of-the-art gym along with a variety of fitness classes — you could take one today, or use the services of the ship’s personal trainer. Follow it up with a treatment in The Spa, which also has the Persian Garden, an enclave with floor-to-ceiling windows and heated loungers.

With World War II history, Aboriginal art galleries and a pleasant waterfront, you might like to spend the day simply wandering around Darwin under your own steam. Or, take one of your ship’s tours and get out into the bush and national parks of the Northern Territory. Litchfield National Park can be visited in a day, and you’ll discover waterfalls and giant termite mounds among the raw, sandstone escarpments. There’s even the option to observe it all on a helicopter tour.

Today is another chance to kick back on board as your ship makes its way south to Queensland’s coastline. Sometimes, on sea days, afternoon tea will be served in one of the ship’s lounges. You might also be interested in taking a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship with a crew member. In the evening, you could watch live entertainment in the theatre, or a film in either the on-board cinema or your stateroom.

One delight of leisurely days at sea is the chance to order breakfast to be delivered to your stateroom. Dining on your balcony is usually a white-tablecloth affair — and we find it makes for a particularly soothing start to the day. Later, you could attend one of the ship’s trivia sessions or quizzes, a mixology class, or a dance class.

You’re docked in Queensland, and we suggest making the most of your time in this lush, tropical region by taking the ship’s guided tour to Mossman Gorge, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Daintree Rainforest. You hike along the gorge on a boardwalk, culminating with a view over a waterfall. This is also the first of three opportunities on this cruise to experience the Great Barrier Reef — today, you could visit Agincourt Reef by catamaran to snorkel or swim.

The Great Barrier Reef beckons again today, and there’s another chance to snorkel or even explore the reef in a glass-bottomed boat. Alternatively, you could head inland to ride the Kuranda Scenic Railway, with drinks delivered to your seat in a club-class carriage. You’ll disembark to browse the craft shops of the mountain village of Kuranda before gliding serenely back down through the canopy via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.

Docking at Airlie Beach, you’re once again able to explore the Great Barrier Reef by catamaran or take a fixed-wing flight over the white sands and bright turquoise waters of the Whitsunday Islands. You could explore harder-to-reach, untamed parts of the Whitsundays in a high-speed inflatable raft, stopping to swim and looking out for local bird and marine life with your guide. Wildlife lovers also have the chance to take a small-boat safari cruise down the Proserpine River to observe saltwater crocodiles in the wild.

The past few days in port are likely to have been action-packed, so you might like to use your final two days at sea to unwind before the next chapter of your trip begins once you dock in Sydney. You could relax and swim on the Pool Deck, have a coffee in the Sky Observation Lounge, and perhaps visit the Art Gallery.

Your ship offers whisky and bourbon tastings along with food and wine pairings, so this could make an enjoyable activity for your last day if you haven’t already tried it. Otherwise, return to your preferred lounge or drinks spot on the ship, and revisit the hot tub in The Solarium or the pool deck for a final dip with a view.

Set your alarm clock — your ship arrives into Sydney Harbour in the early morning, docking around 6.30am. You can witness its entry, which is something of an iconic moment in the world of cruising, from your balcony or on deck. Once you’ve disembarked, the day is yours to design. We suggest taking a stroll around the Botanic Gardens or pottering around The Rocks district for views of the harbour and Sydney Opera House.

You have a free day today to explore Sydney at your own pace. We recommend climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or going further from the city and experiencing a bush-walking trip in the Blue Mountains. You can take the train there or hire a car for the day.

After breakfast, make your way to the waterfront where you’ll meet your skipper and board a luxury sports cruiser. Relax on board as you weave around Port Jackson Harbour, taking in views of the Rocks, Darling Harbour, and the well-known Sydney Opera House. You'll have lunch at Sydney's most prestigious yacht club before docking and having the rest of the day to spend in the city.

Leave the hustle and bustle behind this morning as you take a taxi to the airport in time for your flight to Brisbane. From here you'll be met by your driver and taken to your accommodation in Noosa by private transfer. Spend the rest of the day unwinding at your accommodation.

Experience a cruise along the Cooloola coastline today that travels from Lake Cootharaba to the start of the Noosa Everglades. Hidden behind the sandbanks is a vast array of mangroves, mud islands and swamps, where a myriad of migratory seabirds, turtles, and dugongs reside. You'll then stop at Fig Tree Point where you'll paddle upstream in a classic Canadian-style canoe. You'll finish the tour and have the rest of the day to unwind in Noosa.

After an adventurous day yesterday, we recommend slowing things down today. You could head to the beach and spend the day reading, or continue the adventure if you've got the energy, and walk along the Noosa Heads coastal track.

After checking out of your accommodation, your driver will collect you and transfer you in a private vehicle to your accommodation in Brisbane — a city boasting more than 300 sunny days each year. After you've checked in you'll have the rest of the day to relax or explore. We suggest following the self-guided walk in the Botanic Gardens or joining a walking tour with one of the volunteer guides. Alternatively, you might like to visit the Queensland Art Gallery.

On your last day in Australia, you have the option to relax in the city or venture a little further to Mount Coot-Tha Summit, where you can take in sweeping views across the city skyline.