By 
Many Aussies initially have a cruise on their “Wish List” but aren’t sure it’s for them. Many have heard stories of bad weather, dizziness and diarrhea. These are really events that occur less frequently than the media would have us believe.
The best way to start is to select a short cruise at a time when the weather is likely to be good. Here in Australia, the best time is in the second half of the year. The best cruise to start with, in my opinion, is not the three- or four-day sampler cruises, but a seven-day cruise along the Queensland coast from Brisbane or Sydney to Airlie Beach, Cairns, and Port Douglas. (The cruise from Sydney will be a couple of days longer, but you’ll visit Brisbane along the way.)
If you’re concerned about expense, select an inside stateroom. If you book late, you may even be able to lower costs even further to as low as $100 a day. You don’t need to spend money on or off the ship, as all of your onboard dining and entertainment is part of your fare. Gratuities are included in the price of cruises from Australia.
In each of the ports you visit, there are cheap shuttle buses that will take you to Airlie Beach and Cairns. In Port Douglas, once you board the boat at the marina, it’s only a short walk into town.
There are some great tours from the boat, but most include many sights and animals that the average Aussie has probably seen. The Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands are mostly new experiences for many Australians. You can see these areas with organized shore tours through the cruise line.
If you’re trying a cruise for the first time, leaving and arriving in Brisbane is a delight with the sun setting over the hills beyond the city, passing under the massive Gateway Bridge and arriving. At dawn as the city wakes up.
At Airlie Beach, you can browse the beachfront market, gaze at the sand sculptures on the beach, or grab a cup of coffee and watch the world go by.
In Cairns, you can take the Yorky’s Knob shuttle to the Cairns city area, have lunch on the waterfront, and wander among the hundreds of backpackers sunbathing in the waterfront parks and pools.
In Port Douglas, you can visit a charming little historic church with windows behind the altar that overlook the mouth of the creek and the open sea and then walk into town for some shopping, maybe one or two groceries plus a coffee.
On board, there are many activities, from bingo to art lectures, contests, entertainment in the atrium, bar and musical productions in the theater. There are pools, spas, outdoor spaces, and a fitness center, to name just a few activities. Of course, you could just sit and read in many places on board.
One last point I would make. Not all cruise lines cater to the full range of passengers. Princess Cruises cater very well to more mature passengers, while P and O Cruises cater very well to younger passengers, including children. There are many other cruise lines that come to Australia. I take note of these two cruise lines because they service this particular cruise ship regularly every year.