The top 7 Norwegian Spirit stops on its new Aussie routes

These itineraries are built around food, wine and slow exploration.

Norwegian Spirit’s new Australian sailings mark a notable shift in the local cruise landscape. Rather than catering primarily to families with water parks and kids’ clubs, these itineraries are designed with adult travellers firmly in mind, focusing on food, wine, culture and slower, more immersive experiences.

There are practical advantages, too. More departures from Sydney reduce the need for domestic flights, while open-jaw flexibility allows travellers to start or finish in Auckland without complicated repositioning logistics. Overnight calls in cities like Melbourne and Adelaide also mean evenings are no longer spent rushing back to the ship, opening the door to theatre shows, long dinners and regional day trips that simply aren’t possible on traditional port-day schedules.

From premium wine regions to vibrant dining capitals and nature-rich islands, here are the must-visit Norwegian Spirit stops on its new Australian itineraries.

1. Adelaide, SA

Adelaide at sunset — There is so much to see and do beyond Adelaide’s CBD. (Credit: joeyjoenes)

Adelaide is one of the standout ports on Norwegian Spirit’s itineraries, largely because of what lies just beyond the city limits. With overnight calls built into the schedule, travellers have the rare opportunity to venture deeper into South Australia’s world-renowned wine regions.

The Barossa Valley is often the star attraction. Just over an hour from the port, it offers historic cellar doors, heritage estates and bold, full-bodied shiraz that has helped define Australia’s global wine reputation. Many shore excursions pair tastings with long vineyard lunches, transforming a simple day trip into a memorable culinary experience.

McLaren Vale provides a contrasting yet equally compelling option. Known for its coastal scenery and contemporary wine culture, it offers a more modern take on cellar-door hospitality, often blending Mediterranean-style cuisine with innovative boutique wineries.

Back in Adelaide itself, travellers can spend evenings exploring one of Australia’s most exciting food scenes. From fresh seafood and local produce at Adelaide Central Market to refined restaurants championing South Australian ingredients, the city rewards slow exploration rather than rushed sightseeing.

2. Kangaroo Island, SA

Couple walking on Kangaroo Island — Kangaroo Island is a real highlight. (Credit: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Kangaroo Island delivers a very different kind of highlight. Here, luxury is defined not by urban sophistication but by nature, exclusivity and sustainability.

Shore experiences often focus on small-group encounters, allowing travellers to explore remote landscapes and wildlife habitats without crowds. Kangaroos, sea lions and native birdlife are common sights, and conservation-focused tours provide insight into the island’s delicate ecosystems.

Food lovers will find plenty to enjoy as well. The island’s artisanal producers create everything from honey and gin to cheeses and gourmet condiments, many of which can be sampled during curated tasting experiences.

For those seeking indulgence, luxury lodges offer private dining and immersive culinary experiences showcasing the island’s produce. It’s a stop that perfectly balances natural beauty with refined, low-impact tourism.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

3. Melbourne, Vic

Federation Square in Melbourne at sunset — Explore Melbourne on your port stop.

Melbourne is another highlight enhanced by overnight scheduling, allowing travellers to experience the city beyond its daytime attractions.

By day, excursions often venture into the Yarra Valley, one of Australia’s premier cool-climate wine regions. Visitors can sample elegant pinot noir and chardonnay while enjoying vineyard lunches that pair regional produce with sweeping countryside views.

Within the city, Melbourne’s cultural scene offers endless possibilities. Galleries, live music venues and historic theatres provide a rich mix of experiences, while its laneway bar culture truly comes alive after dark.

The overnight stay means travellers can dine at acclaimed restaurants, sip cocktails in hidden bars or simply soak up the city’s atmosphere without watching the clock. It’s a rare luxury on a cruise itinerary and one that significantly enhances the overall experience.

4. Sydney, NSW

Norwegian Spirit sailing in Sydney Harbour — Sydney is both a key port of call and a major departure hub.

Sydney plays a dual role on Norwegian Spirit’s itineraries, serving as both a key port of call and a major departure hub.

For Australian travellers, local departures from Sydney represent a significant advantage. The ability to embark without needing additional flights simplifies travel planning and reduces overall costs and logistics.

The harbour itself provides one of the world’s most spectacular cruise backdrops, whether arriving or departing. Travellers can easily extend their journey by exploring Sydney’s coastal walks, world-class dining scene and iconic landmarks before or after their cruise.

This accessibility helps make Norwegian Spirit’s itineraries feel more relaxed and approachable from the very start.

5. Auckland, New Zealand

Norwegian Spirit sailing by Cape Kidnappers, NZ — Enjoy a broader New Zealand itinerary on *Norwegian Spirit.*

Auckland adds an extra layer of flexibility to these itineraries thanks to open-jaw sailing options. Travellers can begin or end their cruise here, making it easier to combine the voyage with a broader New Zealand itinerary .

The city itself offers a compelling mix of urban sophistication and natural beauty. Harbourfront dining precincts, vibrant markets and nearby volcanic landscapes create plenty of opportunities for exploration.

Waiheke Island, just a short ferry ride away, is a favourite extension for many travellers. Its boutique wineries, coastal views and relaxed atmosphere make it a perfect complement to the wine-focused experiences found across the Australian ports.

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6. Tasmania (select itineraries)

Sullivan's cove of Hobart harbour with historic fishing boat in front of heritage houses on city waterfront. — Some itineraries dock in Hobart. (Credit: Getty Images / zetter)

On select sailings, Tasmania adds another dimension to Norwegian Spirit’s destination lineup. Known for its pristine landscapes, cool-climate produce and thriving food scene, the island state appeals strongly to travellers seeking nature-led experiences.

Ports like Hobart provide access to renowned attractions such as historic waterfront precincts, local distilleries and farm-to-table dining experiences. Day trips into the surrounding wilderness areas offer dramatic coastal scenery and wildlife encounters.

Tasmania’s emphasis on artisanal food and wine aligns seamlessly with the broader theme of Norwegian Spirit’s itineraries.

7. Coastal wine regions and regional excursions

Norwegian Spirit sailing near Phillip Island — Enjoy immersive experiences at your port stops.

Beyond specific ports, one of the defining features of Norwegian Spirit’s new sailings is their strong connection to nearby wine regions.

From the Barossa and McLaren Vale near Adelaide to the Yarra Valley outside Melbourne, these excursions allow travellers to experience some of Australia’s most prestigious wine destinations without the need for extended inland travel.

These shore experiences are typically tailored to smaller groups and focus on curated tastings, regional cuisine and immersive storytelling, making them especially appealing to travellers interested in culinary exploration.

Why these itineraries stand out

Norwegian Spirit sailing out at sea — *Norwegian Spirit* has a quieter onboard atmosphere.

Norwegian Spirit’s Australian sailings distinguish themselves through a clear focus on adult travellers. The ship itself lacks family-centric features such as waterslides and children’s clubs, creating a quieter onboard atmosphere that mirrors the refined experiences offered onshore.

Combined with overnight port stays, flexible embarkation options and an emphasis on food, wine and cultural exploration, these itineraries offer a distinctly different approach to cruising in Australian waters.

For travellers seeking a journey centred on slow travel, gourmet experiences and meaningful destination immersion, Norwegian Spirit’s new routes provide a compelling alternative to more traditional cruise offerings.

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock , one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915 . Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore , one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

The top 7 stops on Norwegian Spirit’s new Aussie routes

These itineraries are built around food, wine and slow exploration.

1. Adelaide, SA

2. Kangaroo Island, SA

3. Melbourne, Vic

4. Sydney, NSW

5. Auckland, New Zealand

6. Tasmania (select itineraries)

7. Coastal wine regions and regional excursions

Why these itineraries stand out

Norwegian Spirit heads back to Australia with more Sydney departures than ever before

The cruise to take when you want to leave the kids at home

Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas

How to turn a summer weekend into an unforgettable cruise holiday

Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces

These itineraries are built around food, wine and slow exploration.

1. Adelaide, SA

2. Kangaroo Island, SA

AI Prompt

3. Melbourne, Vic

4. Sydney, NSW

5. Auckland, New Zealand

6. Tasmania (select itineraries)

7. Coastal wine regions and regional excursions

Why these itineraries stand out

Norwegian Spirit heads back to Australia with more Sydney departures than ever before

The cruise to take when you want to leave the kids at home

Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas

How to turn a summer weekend into an unforgettable cruise holiday

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces