| Cruise Line |
Viking Ocean Cruises |
| Ship |
Viking Orion |
| Destination |
Australia |
| Nights |
16 |
| Departure Date |
07 Mar 2022 |
| Description |
16 Night Cruise sailing from Sydney to Bali aboard Viking Orion.
Passage to Down Under
Discover cultural splendors and cerulean beauty on the Indonesian archipelago and Australia’s legendary coast. Viking brings you face to face with the region’s diverse residents, from the Komodo dragon to modern-day Aborigines to good-natured Aussies. Witness colorful traditions on Lombok Island. Explore Komodo National Park with a trained naturalist. Experience the charms of Darwin with a local. And uncover the cosmopolitan culture of Brisbane with a welcoming guide.
Day 1 Sydney, Australia
Arrive in Sydney and embark your ship. The capital of Australian New South Wales is celebrated for its magnificent natural harbor, the world’s largest. Nestled at the foot of the Blue Mountains on the edge of the blue Pacific, Sydney is blessed with a natural setting few cities in the world can rival. Settle in to your veranda stateroom, and explore this culture-rich and much-loved city.
Day 2 Newcastle, Australia
Visit Newcastle today, situated at the mouth of the Hunter River. This modern city was built on coal and remains a major exporter today. You will enjoy a scenic coastal drive, passing the old Fort Scratchley, the Newcastle and Merewether ocean baths, several picturesque parks and beaches, Queens Wharf and more. Alternately, experience the viniculture of Hunter Valley, stopping to sample some recent vintages. Or follow the Newcastle Memorial Walk to honor the memory of those lost during World War I.
Day 3 Cruise the Australian Coast
Trace Australia’s renowned Gold Coast, lined with resorts and picturesque beaches. As you cruise today, mingle with newfound friends in The Living Room, browse the Scandinavian-inspired artwork throughout your ship and attend a talk about your final upcoming ports.
Day 4 Brisbane, Australia
Call on the capital of Queensland, Australia, today, situated on the Brisbane River and spread over hills rising from Moreton Bay. This picturesque city is known for its Queenslander architecture, a distinct style characterized by terraces and raised living spaces. A panoramic tour introduces you to its main sights, with ample opportunity to step out and take photos. See the historic Parliament House and Brisbane City Hall. Pass the botanical gardens and famed Wheel of Brisbane. And view the Cathedral of St. Stephen.
Day 5 Cruise the Australian Coast
Continue following the east coast of Australia today, often called the “Sunshine Coast.†Linger on the Sun Deck or on your veranda for vistas of azure and turquoise as you sail through some of the world’s most beautiful waters. Perhaps you’ll take a dip in the Infinity Pool or stroll the Promenade Deck.
Day 6 Whitsunday Island (Cid Harbor), Australia
This morning, anchor in Cid Harbor off Whitsunday Island, part of a magnificent archipelago of the same name off the Great Barrier Reef. This dazzling canvas of turquoise waters, emerald hills and pure-white shores is home to countless inviting beaches. Disembark today to wade in the soothing waters and relax on soft sands amid this paradisiacal setting. Or join a sailing expedition among the dazzling Whitsundays on a catamaran or Naiad vessel.
Day 7 Townsville, Australia
Call in Townsville, the unofficial capital of North Queensland. A city tour introduces you to the beloved old architecture of this seldom visited coastal city. You will also see the Strand, pride of the locals, a long stretch of tropical beach lined with gardens. And visit the Museum of Tropical Queensland, featuring relics from the HMS Pandora, the sunken British warship. If you prefer, you can venture into the bush to pay a visit to the Nywaigi Aboriginal people at a cattle station.
Day 8 Cairns, Australia
Call on Cairns today, built on the shoulders of gold prospectors. Today, it is a major sugarcane and fishing port, and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Take in the major sights of Cairns on a city tour, featuring a stop at its historic Royal Australian Navy base, Cairns Botanic Gardens and Palm Cove, a quaint, beach-loving community. Or perhaps board a catamaran for an exciting sail to the magnificent reef, the largest continuous system of its kind on Earth, or join an excursion to the lush Daintree Rainforest.
Day 9 Cruise the Coral Sea
Sail the waters of the Coral Sea today, home to the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef. With crystal clear waters lapping at atolls and a vast diversity of marine life, this pristine body of water is a paradise for divers and pure pleasure to cruise.
Day 10 Thursday Island, Australia
Explore Thursday Island today, just off the northernmost tip of Australia’s Cape York Peninsula in the Torres Strait. This picturesque island is home to a thriving artistic community. It once hosted an international pearl-diving industry, with divers coming from Japan, Malaysia and India. You will have time to explore on your own today, and perhaps discover the history of the island’s defense during a visit to Green Hill Fort.
Day 11 Cruise the Arafura Sea
Sail the shallow tropical waters of the Arafura Sea. Millennia ago, the floor of these waters formed a land bridge linking Australia and New Guinea, making migration easy between the two land masses. As you cruise today, enjoy coffee or a drink in the Explorers’ Lounge or stroll the wraparound Promenade Deck.
Day 12 Darwin, Australia
Arrive for an overnight onboard stay in Darwin, Australia, the cultural hub of the “Top End†of the continent, so called for its northernmost location. A panoramic city tour reveals the highlights of the largest city in the thinly populated Northern Territory state. You will pass Christ Church Cathedral, the seven-gabled Government House and the Old Admiralty House. A stop at the East Point lookout reveals the coastal beauty of the Top End. If you’d like, you can set out along the Adelaide River to view the area’s famed jumping crocodiles.
Day 13 Darwin, Australia
Enjoy another day among the charms of Darwin. Perhaps you’ll visit the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, or MAGNT, to view an excellent collection of art and artifacts reflecting the region and its indigenous people. Or stop by the Lyons Cottage on the Esplanade, one of the city’s oldest buildings. Built in 1925, this restored stone house, also known as the British Australian Telegraph Residence Museum, provides a glimpse at life here in the early 20th century.
Day 14 Cruise the Timor Sea
As you sail the Timor Sea today, you might enjoy some yoga on the Sports Deck and indulge in a soak in the Thermal Pool of The Spa. It is thought that the early inhabitants of Australia “island hopped†to the continent across these shallow waters. In more modern days, in the late 1980s, skilled sportsmen and -women raced 1,000 miles by junkung, or outrigger canoe, across the Timor from Bali, Indonesia to Darwin, Australia.
Day 15 Komodo, Indonesia
Anchor among the stunning vistas of Indonesia’s Komodo Island. You will go ashore to visit Komodo National Park and the Tamarind Woods, a magnificent menagerie of wildlife including the legendary Komodo dragon, the largest lizard in the world. These breathtaking creatures can grow up to ten feet long and weigh as much as 150 pounds. You might also see the island’s Timor deer, wild horses and boars and giant fruit bats. If you wish, don a snorkel and mask and explore the vibrant underwater world at Pink Beach, so called for the rose-hued coral washed ashore and crushed to a fine powder by crashing waves.
Day 16 Lombok, Indonesia
Call on the port of Lembar on the Indonesian island of Lombok. Journey to the foot of Mt. Rinjani, the nation’s second tallest volcano, to the town of Senggigi. Here, you can spend the day relaxing on the island’s best beach, stretching several miles along a green and lush coast. This resort town is quite young, making your leisurely visit an uncrowded affair. Alternately, you can tour the island’s capital of Mataram, renowned for its pearl shops and excellent artisans. Or explore two of the island’s craft villages, where wood-carvers and potters keep rich traditions alive.
Day 17 Bali (Benoa), Indonesia
Disembark in Bali today, Indonesia’s deeply spiritual island. |
|
| Itinerary |
Cruise Itinerary
| Day | Date | Activity | Arrive | Depart |
|---|
| 1 |
07/03 |
Sydney, NSW, Australia |
|
|
| 2 |
08/03 |
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
|
|
| 3 |
09/03 |
At sea |
|
|
| 4 |
10/03 |
Brisbane, QLD, Australia |
|
|
| 5 |
11/03 |
At sea |
|
|
| 6 |
12/03 |
Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia |
|
|
| 7 |
13/03 |
Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
|
|
| 8 |
14/03 |
Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
|
|
| 9 |
15/03 |
At sea |
|
|
| 10 |
16/03 |
Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia |
|
|
| 11 |
17/03 |
At sea |
|
|
| 12 |
18/03 |
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
|
|
| 13 |
19/03 |
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
|
|
| 14 |
20/03 |
At sea |
|
|
| 15 |
21/03 |
Komodo Island, Indonesia |
|
|
| 16 |
22/03 |
Lombok, Indonesia |
|
|
| 17 |
23/03 |
Benoa, Bali, Indonesia |
|
|
|
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.
|