Emerald Princess Is Coming Back to Australia After 12 Years — and Princess Is Adding Its Longest-Ever World Cruise From Down Under

Some ships become local favorites, and then they disappear for a decade. That is the story of Emerald Princess in Australia — and this week Princess Cruises announced she is finally coming back.

The line has unveiled its 2028–29 Australia and New Zealand season, and it is a big one: more than 90 departures across over 70 itineraries, visiting 42 destinations in six countries. Three ships will sail the region — Grand Princess, Royal Princess and Emerald Princess — with voyages ranging from a quick two-night escape to a full 46-night adventure.

Emerald Princess is the headline return. She has not sailed in Australian waters since the 2016–17 season, so for many local cruisers this is a homecoming more than a debut. The season also brings renewed homeporting in Melbourne, an expanded choice of New Zealand itineraries, and no fewer than 17 Round Australia voyages — extended sailings that trace the continent's coastline rather than hopping just one stretch of it.

Choice of departure port is part of the appeal. Sailings leave from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (Fremantle) in Australia, plus Auckland in New Zealand. That matters for planning: a cruise that starts close to home can mean no domestic flight, no hotel night before embarkation, and a much simpler first and last day of vacation.

Then there is the centerpiece. Sailing aboard Grand Princess, the 2029 Grand World Odyssey will be, Princess says, the longest world cruise ever to sail roundtrip from Australia: 129 nights, roughly 37,300 nautical miles, 61 destinations and 31 countries. Guests can join from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, with an additional departure opportunity from Dover, the gateway to London.

The route reads like a greatest-hits list and a remote-island wish list at the same time. Highlights include New York City, Miami, Reykjavik, Lisbon, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Tahiti and Auckland, plus Europe and the Mediterranean, the South Pacific and the cities of the Americas along the way. The ship will make two full transits through the Panama Canal's new locks, cruise scenically past Easter Island and its famous moai statues and near Pitcairn Island — one of the world's most isolated inhabited islands — and cross both the Equator and the International Date Line twice.

You do not need four months free to take part in this season, though. That two-to-46-night range is the practical takeaway: short sailings for a first taste or a long weekend, Tasmania and Fiordland-style scenery voyages in the middle, and the big coastal and world voyages for travelers saving up for something once-in-a-lifetime.

Timing is the other thing to note. All of these voyages go on sale on November 10, 2026. Princess is pairing the launch with an Early Booking Bonus for the Australia and New Zealand sailings — up to $500 in instant savings, up to $500 in onboard credit, reduced $100 deposits, early access to dining reservations and arrival groups, a free location upgrade, and up to $300 in additional savings for Captain's Circle members. For the Grand World Odyssey, the early offer rises to up to $3,000 in onboard credit plus up to $2,000 in Captain's Circle savings. Both offers run from November 10, 2026 through February 16, 2027.

Our advice if Australia, New Zealand or a world cruise is on your list: decide your ship, port and cabin location before sale day, not after. Comeback ships, homeport sailings and one-off voyages like a record world cruise tend to draw loyal past guests back early — and the best-located cabins on the most popular dates are usually the first to go.

Source: Cruise Industry News (https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2026/10/princess-2028-29-australia-nz-90-departures-record-world-cruise/) — read the full story here.