Diamond Princess Heads to Australia for 2024-25 Winter Season

Princess Cruises' Diamond Princess is making its way to Australia this month. After leaving Japan in early September, the ship is currently sailing on a 22-night repositioning cruise to Sydney.

Starting in Yokohama, the voyage includes stops at several ports across Asia and the South Pacific. Before reaching its final stop on September 26, 2024, the Diamond Princess visited Kobe and Shimizu in Japan, Keelung in Taiwan, along with Hong Kong and Manila in the Philippines.

The cruise also makes stops in Alotau and the Conflict Islands in Papua New Guinea, and Brisbane, Australia.

In addition to kicking off its 2024-25 winter season, this repositioning cruise marks the Diamond Princess's return to Australia after a six-year absence.

Upon arriving in Sydney, the ship will begin offering various itineraries departing from Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane. These four- to 14-night voyages will visit popular locations in Southern Australia, such as Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln, as well as destinations in New Zealand, including Auckland, Tauranga, and Dunedin.

In early 2025, the Diamond Princess, which accommodates 2,600 guests, will also offer cruises to Tasmania, Queensland, and New South Wales. Notable stops on these routes include Hobart, Port Arthur, Eden, Newcastle, Airlie Beach, and Cairns.

This schedule is part of Princess Cruises' upcoming three-ship winter season in Australia and New Zealand. Other ships set to visit the region in 2024-25 include the Royal Princess, Crown Princess, and Island Princess. The latter will call at regional ports as part of Princess Cruises' 2025 World Cruise.

After completing its time in Australia, the Diamond Princess will head back to Asia on a 22-night voyage to Japan. Departing Sydney on February 21, 2025, the repositioning cruise will make stops at eight destinations before reaching Yokohama.

For the spring and summer of 2025, the ship, originally launched in 2004, will offer various itineraries to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.