It’s one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your loved ones, and you don’t have to wrap it: Time. Me time, downtime, quality time, the best time! And where’s the ideal place to find it? Out on the ocean blue, on a cruise.
As The Australian Women’s Weekly’s travel editor, I’m always curious to hear cruising novices’ feedback on their first ever holiday at sea. The typical reaction? “I loved it!” Invariably cynical cruising sceptics – those who swear they’ll never go on a cruise – turn into exuberant enthusiasts.
Why is this? The best explanation I’ve heard was from a fellow writer and mother of two young boys who’d just done her first travel assignment at sea, a week-long trans-Tasman cruise. She was in raptures about it, eager to do more. When I asked what exactly it was that made it so appealing, she gave it considered thought … “Because,” she said, “it forced me to wind down and relax and allow myself to be pampered.”
It was like an epiphany: The modern world is so hectic, and we get too caught up in it. Every now and then, we need a decent break from it for our own health and sanity. So take this as your sign to treat yourself; wind down, relax and be pampered.
The wow factor
The secret to happy cruising is finding the right cruise for you, and now’s a great time to sample what the best in the business has to offer. Prime vessels from the world’s major cruise lines are zooming in on Australia for the 2025-26 southern hemisphere cruising season, and some ships have arrived already. Seize the moment!
The pleasure of cruising is not just confined to what’s on board, either. Of all the forms of travel available to us, ships take the most scenic route. Look at Norwegian Spirit approaching New Zealand’s Bay of Islands, for example; no airport, no bus station, no railway terminal or motorway can offer that same memorable first impression upon entry to a destination.
Why not put yourself in that picture? Norwegian Spirit arrives in Fremantle on December 9 from Singapore and will be in prime Southern Hemisphere cruising territory until late April 2026, offering 11 itineraries ranging from 11 to 19 days between Sydney and Auckland. Alongside the Bay of Islands, “wow factor” destinations en route include Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Wellington, Port Chalmers/Dunedin, Napier, Eden and Kangaroo Island. The average port stay is a generous 10 hours across the season.
Idyllic islands
The awe-inspiring itineraries don’t stop there. Norwegian Spirit will reposition to the South Pacific and Hawai‘i for a series of 14 island sailings ranging from 11 to 13 days departing from Sydney, Lautoka (Fiji), Papeete (Tahiti) and Honolulu, taking in gorgeous spots in the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and American Samoa along the way.
Need to know
Norwegian Cruise Line has a strong focus on refinement, and Norwegian Spirit is its most adult-friendly ship. Extensively refurbished in 2022 to offer a premium, more intimate experience for adults, it now boasts upgraded staterooms, an award-winning spa, nine distinctive bars and lounges, and world-class cuisine across 14 venues.
See Norwegian Spirit’s full range of 2025-27 local cruises on its website.
This feature originally appeared in the Christmas 2025 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. Subscribe so you never miss an issue.
