Cruise to Tasmania: a luxurious (and oh-so-easy) way to see Tassie

Dilvin YasaBy Dilvin Yasa
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Everybody’s favourite island state plus Celebrity Eclipse® equals a bucket-list holiday you’ll never forget.

It’s a pity Tasmania goes with the name the Apple Isle when ‘Tasmania, the Pocket Rocket’ would be a much better fit. And why not? With its powder-white beaches, rocky granite peaks and lush forests, its dramatic landscape is as diverse as it is abundant with nature, wildlife and gourmet food and wine experiences.  With something for everyone, it’s the kind of place where you can pluck fresh oysters from the sea in the morning, hike snow-dusted mountains in the afternoon, and then settle in for a bounty of fresh produce under a canopy of stars.

Aerial view of Mount Wellington, Hobart, Australia
The view of Hobart and the Derwent River from Mt Wellington.

There’s no point denying it; with its roaring fireplaces in winter and its seaside camping in summer, Tasmania is charming in every season, but there’s no better time to visit than that time of year when summer bids farewell and the riot of autumn leaves light up the island in a vista of burnt oranges, vibrant reds and sunny yellows.

Waterfalls in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Tasmania’s dramatic landscape is as diverse as it is abundant with nature.

How then do you immerse yourself in a bucket-list form of Tasmania where every whim and desire is catered for in an elegant way? You book an autumnal, luxury voyage to the island with Celebrity Cruises ®, then unpack and relax. Your part is taken care of.

Line of trees with yellow leaves, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
There’s no better time to visit than that time of year autumn leaves light up the island.

Cruising Tasmania

Road trips begone; there are a million different reasons to cruise Tasmania’s coast with Celebrity Cruises, a significant portion of them pointing to its carefully curated five-star, five-day itinerary on board the sumptuous Celebrity Eclipse .

 

Setting sail from Sydney in March 2023, the 5 Nights Tasmania cruise is a celebration of culinary delights, its shore experiences in Port Arthur and Hobart offering passengers a wide range of gourmet food and wine offerings as well as lashings of local nature and wildlife experiences.

Bridge in the middle of forest, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Guests can enjoy lashings of local nature and wildlife experiences.

In Port Arthur, some of the opportunities Celebrity Eclipse guests have include an exclusive wine tasting at award-winning Bangor Vineyard, a panoramic tour of Tasmania Peninsula followed by a lavender farm tour and a sail along the picturesque coastline of Port Arthur and Eaglehawk.

 

In Hobart, which includes an action-packed overnight stay, experiences could mean a feast for all senses with a Small Group Discoveries: A Taste of Bruny Island tour, a walk around what has quickly become the country’s must-see museum with MONA Discovery, or a firm commitment to get your fill of the island state’s best wineries at the Historic Hobart, Countryside and Winery tour.

Aerial shot of Cruise ship in Sydney
The 5 Nights Tasmania cruise sets sail from Sydney.

Why Celebrity Eclipse?

Before we get into the finer details of what other cruises Celebrity Eclipse offers, the question must be posed: why Celebrity Eclipse at all?

 

There’s the bells and whistles of its forward-thinking design; its spa-inspired AquaClass with exclusive dining at Blu and its exclusive sanctuary, TheRetreat® – a spacious, timeless accommodation complete with private restaurant dining and  24/7 lounge. Then there’s the culinary excellence onboard; globally inspired cuisine in a host of distinctive restaurants and menus crafted by Michelin chefs, such as a five-course menu designed by Celebrity Cruises’ Global Culinary Brand Ambassador, Chef Daniel Boulud. And yes, we could most certainly touch on the joy of observing endless ocean views from The Lawn Club, indulgent treatments for mind, body and spirit at The Spa and should you want to take your little ones along on the adventure, fun family activities at Camp at Sea.

Persian Garden, Spa in Cruise Ship, Celebrity Cruises
Indulge in treatments for the mind, body and spirit at The Spa.

What we’re keen to touch on, however, is that difficult-to-define quality that rarely makes the headlines. In this case, it’s 30 years of unrivalled service executed in a way that isn’t stuffy or arrogant. Think of it like checking into The Ritz London, but then discovering the 24/7 butler is the equivalent of Keanu Reeves with a hotel management degree (and eons of experience to boot).

Signature Suite, Cruise Ship, Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises is known for its spacious, timeless accommodation.

Choose your own adventure

In an article about the wonder of cruising Tasmania, it would be foolish not to push home the message that you and Tasmania belong together in autumn, both this year and next. But should you feel the need to enjoy the luxurious stylings of Celebrity Eclipse elsewhere, you also have the option of the following inspired itineraries:

Autumn leaves, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
You and Tasmania belong together in autumn.

A 12-Night New Zealand adventure departing Sydney in October 2022 and again in January 2023 before crossing the Tasman Sea and taking in the ‘top hits’ of both the North and South Island. The iconic splendour of Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound kick off the highlights reel filled with the historic castles and wildlife of Dunedin, a Middle Earth (and beyond) exploration of Christchurch and endangered animals at Wellington’s Zealandia. Solid tastings of Napier wines, geothermal mud baths at Tauranga and an America’s Cup Sailing Tour in Auckland complete this once-in-a-lifetime journey.

Kangaroo in Adelaide Vineyard, Australia
See the wildlife and wineries in Adelaide.

A 9-Night Australia Wine cruise departing Sydney in February 2023 and making its way down to Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart before returning to the Emerald City. As with the 5-Night Tasmania itinerary, this is a cruise featuring shore expeditions that largely (and wholly) embrace the culinary delights each capital city has to offer. In Melbourne, guests can experience gourmet bucket list experiences such as the Small Group Discoveries: Iconic Sights and Tastes of Melbourne tour, and Gin, Wine and Chocolate in the Yarra Valley, while Adelaide offers (among others) a Taste of the Barossa tour and Adelaide Hills Winery and Historic Hahndorf. Hobart experiences are as above.

An 11-Night Great Barrier Reef itinerary departing Sydney in November 2022 and making the most of Queensland’s tropical north. Celebrity Eclipse guests can dive the waters of Port Douglas, hang out with the wildlife in Cairns, relax in Airlie Beach and discover bustling Brisbane. Shore excursions include a Daintree Rainforest and River Cruise, an overnight stay on the Great Barrier Reef, a scenic Fixed Wing Flight over Heart Reef, Reef and Rainforest Discovery by Helicopter and, in Brisbane, The Story of Indigenous Australians with Bush BBQ Lunch.

Aerial shot ot Great Barrier Reef
Shore excursions include an overnight stay on the Great Barrier Reef.

For a limited time only, you can enjoy 25 per cent off these unique holidays and up to $200 spending money while onboard. Drinks, wi-fi and service charges are Always Included. Book now at Celebrity Cruises .

Dilvin Yasa
Dilvin Yasa is a freelance journalist, author and TV presenter whose travels have taken her from the iceberg graveyards of Antarctica to the roaring rapids of Uganda. Always on the lookout for that next unforgettable meal, wildlife moment or 80s-themed nightclub, she is inexplicably drawn to polar destinations despite detesting the cold.
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New Norfolk is fast becoming the Apple Isle’s most charming small town

    Christine AldredBy Christine Aldred
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    One of Tasmania’s oldest riverside towns is marking itself on the map with award-winning dining and creative spirit without forgetting its past.

    On the banks of the Derwent, New Norfolk wears its history proudly: Georgian cottages, historic precincts and a trove of antiques hint at its early days. But this riverside town – just 30 minutes from the mad arty world of Hobart’s Mona in one direction and the bountiful nature of Mount Field National Park in the other – isn’t content with nostalgia.

    With destination dining, a new wave of distillers and brewers, and creative energy reshaping its heritage buildings, New Norfolk is emerging as one of Tasmania’s most compelling small-town stories.

    A quick history lesson

    the Derwent River from Pulpit Rock Lookout
    Views of the Derwent River and town from Pulpit Rock Lookout. (Image: Mauricio E. Mozo)

    The town was established in 1807 on Leenowwenne Lands when military leaders and settlers abandoned the far-flung penal colony at Norfolk Island for then-called Van Dieman’s Land. Along with hops, salmon and timber, the town’s history is closely bound to the Willow Court Asylum, a convict hospital established in 1827 that grew into the nation’s oldest continuously operating mental health facility, closing only in 2000. The site’s vast footprint still dominates the town – a place layered with a difficult history but also with stories of healing.

    the Willow Court, New Norfolk
    The 1827-built Willow Court Asylum is a former mental health facility that you can tour. (Image: Tourism Tasmania/Rob Burnett)

    Local guide Sharmaine Mansfield, who runs Willow Court Asylum Tours , is determined to keep that history alive. Her tours – historical by day, ghostly by night – approach the site with deep respect. “My number one priority is to be respectful of this former mental health institution and to those who lived and worked here. At night, we hold a minute’s silence to think of them.” It’s often then that guests report hearing and feeling things in the stillness of the evening.

    A delicious new chapter

    The Agrarian Kitchen from above
    The Agrarian Kitchen is one of the country’s most lauded restaurants and cooking schools. (Image: Luke Burgess)

    Within the Willow Court precinct, The Agrarian Kitchen continues to write a new chapter of history. One of Australia’s most celebrated restaurants has transformed a former hospital ward into a temple to Tasmanian produce. Since opening in 2017, the restaurant and its renowned cooking school have become a pilgrimage for food lovers, sealing the town’s place on Australia’s culinary map.

    a close-up of a dish at The Agrarian Kitchen, New Norfolk
    The produce from the garden is used in the dishes and for cooking classes. (Image: Stu Gibson)

    Just outside, a walled garden is abundant with herbs, vegetables and fruit trees and is open for guided tours; its produce heads straight to the restaurant or neighbouring kiosk.

    The Agrarian Kitchen detail, New Norfolk
    The Agrarian Kitchen is a pilgrimage for food lovers. (Image: @PuddleHub)

    A stay steeped in history

    The Woodbridge, New Norfolk
    The Woodbridge is one of the country’s grandest stays. (Image: Christine Aldred)

    For a night dripping with history, The Woodbridge – one of the country’s oldest grand homes which this year celebrated its 200th birthday – offers a rare experience. Built by convicts in 1825 as the residence of the colony’s first constable, it now operates as a luxe heritage-listed hotel.

    inside a suite at The Woodbridge, New Norfolk
    The building was restored to become a hotel.

    It feels like a gracious country estate. Behind an iron gate, a crunching gravel driveway on one side and sweeping lawns rolling to the river on the other. From my room’s terrace, I can peer beyond the tiered gardens across the Derwent to the original toll gate for passing merchant vessels or settle into inviting lounge and library spaces with a book or glass of muscat.

    the river at Woodbridge, New Norfolk
    Seek serenity by the river. (Image: Christine Aldred)

    It’s happenstance this Tasmanian grande dame is still here at all, saved by its dedicated owners who spotted it on a holiday visit. The Woodbridge was teetering on the brink of destruction when Laurelle and John Grimley bought it in 2003. After an exacting, multi-year restoration, it’s been coaxed back to life.

    a telescope at The Woodbridge, New Norfolk
    Peer beyond the tiered gardens. (Image: Christine Aldred)

    Today, modern comforts – elegant rooms, contemporary furnishings and new bathrooms – sit easily with the original blackwood floors, stone walls and Georgian-paned windows, complementing and respecting its rich history. Laurelle is well proud that the building’s future is now assured. “If we didn’t save it, who would? I feel this is my legacy,” she says.

    Sourcing antique charms

    inside the Flywheel boutique stationery store, New Norfolk
    Flywheel is a boutique stationery store in town. (Image: Tourism Tasmania/Nick Osborne)

    Known as the antiques capital of Tasmania, New Norfolk hums with history. Visitors can forage for hours at the sprawling Willow Court Antique Centre or the beautifully curated and styled Drill Hall Emporium in town.

    inside the Flywheel letterpress studio in New Norfolk
    Visit the letterpress studio in New Norfolk. (Image: Christine Aldred)

    Books and coffee pair perfectly at Black Swan Bookshop on a sunny corner while The Quilted Teapot mixes lattes and lunches with quilting supplies. Don’t miss Flywheel , a stunning boutique stationery shop and working letterpress studio in an old bakery.

    a bartender holding a glass of rum at New Norfolk Distillery
    Sample rum at New Norfolk Distillery. (Image: Jess Curtis)

    Thirsty travellers can taste-test award-winning rum at New Norfolk Distillery in a quirky industrial space with weekend snacks and sci-fi vibes, or sip craft brews at Welcome Swallow Brewery – an inviting microbrewery brimming with warmth and a veritable jungle of plants. History buffs shouldn’t miss the 1825-licensed Bush Inn, said to be the state’s oldest continually licensed pub. It’s also where the very first long-distance telephone call was made in Australia in 1888.

    More reasons to visit

    a group having a picnic during the Tasmanian Autumn Festival, New Norfolk
    The Tasmanian Autumn Festival includes events and experiences across the region. (Image: Stu Gibson)

    Each April, the Tasmanian Autumn Festival brings the region to life in a month-long celebration, with food and tipple trails, blacksmithing workshops or the chance to meet a highland cow or alpaca. Platypus spotting, pottery classes, glamping on a truffle farm, kayaking and vineyard visits are other Derwent Valley temptations, all close enough to make New Norfolk a natural hub.

    And there’s more change afoot. The newly opened Bridgewater Bridge means easier road and river access. And within the Willow Court complex, the Nurses Quarters and Ladies Cottage are being meticulously restored to create an evocative event space with commercial kitchen, and boutique accommodation to follow. In this town, heritage is a living asset: respected but ever evolving into something new and inviting.