A Unique Long Weekend Cruise Trip - Australian Traveller

Tiana Templeman recently stepped aboard Quantum of the Seas with her husband for a short cruise from Brisbane to Airlie Beach and inadvertently discovered the perfect long weekend away.

I’d never thought of cruising as something you could do on a weekend, but our recent cruise on Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas proved a Sampler Cruise isn’t just short, it’s also sweet. There was no need to take leave either, as the ship departed on a Friday afternoon, and had us back in time for work on Monday morning. I strolled off the ship and was back at my desk by 8.30am.

It was relaxing too as the biggest decision we had to make while we were at sea was where to eat dinner each night. And whether we wanted to hit new heights on the North Star, go skydiving at sea, or just sit on our balcony and watch the sunlight dancing across the ocean.

Here are seven reasons to pack your bag and spend a long weekend at sea like we did.

Budgeting is easy

If you’re like us and your love of weekend getaways is larger than your budget, a cruise could be just what you’re looking for. There’s a cabin to suit every budget, especially if you book early, and most dining and entertainment options are included in the cost of your fare. Top tip: Downloading the (free) onboard app will help you make the most of all those free restaurants, shows and activities.

a Surfing Flow Rider onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — Ride through a simulated Surfing Flow Rider. (Image: Tiana Templeman)

Travelling as a family is child’s play

Keeping everyone happy can be hard work if you’re travelling with kids, but a mega-ship has enough facilities to ensure you all have fun. Adventurous activities like the iFly skydiving simulator , FlowRider surf simulator and bumper cars are a hit with kids (and adults) of all ages. There are also age-appropriate hang-out spaces and activities for children aged up to 17 if you feel like a break.

bumper cars onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — Enjoy kid-friendly activities on Quantum of the Seas. (Image: Tiana Templeman)

The more, the merrier

If you’re planning a group getaway, it can be easier, cheaper and a lot more fun to go on a cruise instead of travelling to someone’s house. Whether you’re organising a hen’s or buck’s celebration or just want to get away with your besties, a weekend cruise can be a fun and affordable way to catch up. If you’re travelling with family, a cruise offers the perfect mix of time spent together and apart.

cruising The Whitsundays onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — For a fuss-free weekend away, it is time you consider a cruise. (Image: Trevor Templeman)

You’re a first-timer

If you’ve never been on a cruise before and aren’t sure whether this type of holiday is for you, a short weekend getaway can be a great way to test the waters before you book a longer trip. Regular cruisers tend to be a friendly bunch and love sharing their expertise, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. And if you love it? Booking another cruise while you’re onboard often comes with extra discounts and perks!

roller skating onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — The rollerskating rink has your name on it. (Image: Trevor Templeman)

It’s party time

Everyone is onboard for a good time, not a long time, on a weekend cruise. This means the mood is fun, the vibe is high, and the nights are long with people on the dance floor until the early hours of the morning. Whether you’re travelling as a group, with your partner or sailing solo, finding someone to party with is never a problem. And if you prefer to relax? That’s just as easy to do.

people enjoying onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — Party all day and night onboard Quantum of the Seas. (Image: Tiana Templeman)

No planning, no stress

On a shorter weekend cruise, there are no ports to tempt you to give up your much-needed downtime organising everyone to go ashore and planning (and paying for) activities. Sampler Cruise itineraries typically include sea days only, with plenty of fun and relaxation available onboard and no need to leave the ship. If you do want to explore ashore, opt for a slightly longer four-night sailing that includes a port day like the one we enjoyed at Airlie Beach.

Airlie Beach on a sunny day — Soak up the sun on Airlie Beach if you opt for a slightly longer cruise and make it a 4-night sailing.

Cruising is inclusive

Enjoying a weekend away with friends or family members with special needs can require additional planning, but cruise lines make this easy. From sensory-friendly toys for families living with autism to accessible bathrooms on every floor and swimming pools with a lift, there’s plenty of assistance available on board and on shore if you fill out the cruise lines’ Guest Special Needs Form.

passengers enjoying the sunset on a paid North Star experience on a sea day — Capture incredible sunset views. (Image: Tiana Templeman)

It’s the ultimate holiday add-on

If you’re heading to Brisbane, Perth or Sydney on holiday, a weekend cruise from these popular capital city ports is a great way to wind down if you’ve been racing around sightseeing. Step onboard, find a sunlounger and enjoy a relaxing holiday from your holiday before you head back to work.

sunloungers by the pool onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — Relax on a sun lounger.

Getting there is a breeze

As I discovered on our recent long weekend cruise from Brisbane, it was much quicker and easier getting to our local cruise port than battling the Friday afternoon traffic on the M1. Instead of arriving at our accommodation feeling stressed out, we were onboard the ship and sipping a cocktail 90 minutes after we left home. It’s hard to think of a more perfect start to a long weekend away!

a restaurant onboard RCI Quantum of the Seas — Dine and sip cocktails onboard. (Image: Jamies F)

For more cruising tips, reviews and inspiration, read our cruising travel guide.

Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place.

Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat.

After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.

The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

Setting sail from Mildura

Murray River birds — Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.

My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.

Stop one: Echuca

19th-century paddlesteamers — A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star , is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.

The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.

Stop two: Barmah National Park

Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.

The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.

Stop three: Cobram

Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange.

The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.

Stop four: Albury-Wodonga

First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk — First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town.

Playing there

BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura — Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists.

Eating there

Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.

A unique long weekend trip you’ve probably never thought of