It’s still the most popular cruise destination for Aussies – the warm waters, pristine beaches and friendly hospitality of the South Pacific make it one of the most family-friendly destinations to visit. Here are some of the best South Pacific cruises that mum and dad will love.
Carnival Cruise Line
The family cruise line heads to popular destinations in the South Pacific like Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, but the cruise line also calls at more remote destinations like Bora Bora, Papeete and Moorea on its longer cruises. The destinations are fabulous for the entire clan – shore excursions include a lagoon cruise with shark ray feedings in Bora Bora and parasailing over Moorea’s crystal clear blue waters.
Carnival.com.au
Royal Caribbean
The line has Australia’s largest ship, Ovation of the Seas, as well as other ships like Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas, regularly sailing to the South Pacific. Aside from the high-tech on-board activities for kids, Royal Caribbean also has shore excursions like grotto and cave diving in Lifou and an underwater ocean walk in Vanuatu, perfect for the little ones.
Royalcaribbean.com.au
P&O Cruises Australia
You might think Australia’s favourite cruise line only sails to the more well-known destinations in the South Pacific, but P&O also regularly cruises to Papua New Guinea. It’s an amazing destination for the family – rich in culture and history, and with plenty of active shore excursions such as the Alotau Cultural Festival and the Rabaul Volcanic tour. Onboard, there are plenty of activities in the kids club, from arts and crafts to sports, for when mum and dad want some downtime.
Pocruises.com.au
Aranui
This is a real adventure! The half-cargo, half passenger ship is a different kind of cruising, well-suited for family holidays. Aranui sails around Tahiti, particularly around the Marquesas Islands. It’s a wonderful holiday for the family – the cruise line will take its passengers to visit remote villages in the region and the kids will enjoy activities like hiking, swimming, snorkelling and 4WD touring. While the cruise might not be appropriate for toddlers, older children and teens will have a blast.
Aranui.com
Captain Cook Cruises Fiji
This family-friendly cruise line around the Yasawa Islands in Fiji is perfect for active tribes. As well as snorkelling and glass-bottomed boat tours off the boat for everyone, the staff organises events to keep children occupied onboard while mum and dad go scuba diving or hiking. Captain Cook can cater for kids of all different ages, from toddlers to teens. The line also has cabins with four bunk beds or adjoining staterooms.
Captaincookcruisesfiji.com
Paul Gauguin Cruises
The luxury small ship cruise line might not be an obvious pick for family cruise around the South Pacific but the line has a fantastic program for kids. Sailing around Tahiti, the Society Islands, Fiji, Tonga, The Cook Islands and the Marquesas Islands, there are a number of itineraries to choose from. The line has partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society to provide an exciting program for children and teens aged seven to 17, which takes kids on dolphin watching expeditions, swimming with sharks and rays, racing hermit crabs and more.
Pgcruises.com
