Tasmania: 10-Night All-Inclusive Small-Ship Christmas & New Year's Cruise with Roundtrip Flights & Five-Star Pre-Cruise Stay
Sail into the start of a new year in style with a 10-night all-inclusive voyage from Hobart onboard Ponant’s Le Laperouse. Cruise past the rugged coastline of the Tasman Peninsula, uncover the Tamar Valley Wine Route, witness the painted cliffs of Maria Island and delve into unforgettable flavours on King Island. Make memories to last a lifetime as you spend Christmas and New Year’s aboard your luxury vessel before docking in Hobart for two days, where you’re primed to see the finish line of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, witness the New Year’s Eve fireworks over Constitution Dock and sample your way through Australia’s biggest and longest-running food and wine festival, Tasmania’s Taste of Summer.
An intimately-sized yacht ship with just 92 staterooms and suites, Le Laperouse boasts a world-first multisensorial underwater lounge, French-inspired gastronomy, a wine cellar and a luxury spa. Before boarding the palatial ship, begin your journey with included flights from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and a one-night pre-cruise stay at the five-star Salamanca Wharf Hotel (or similar) before departing Hobart on 23 December 2023.
Your journey takes you from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to: Hobart – Maria Island – Tasman Peninsula – Port Davey – King Island – Tamar Valley – Ile des Phoques – Hobart – Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.
Prestige Stateroom Deck 4 or Deck 5 Upgrade: Step inside a stylish and cosy stateroom located on deck 4 or deck 5, boasting double sliding doors that open to a private balcony – perfect for watching the magnificent scenery passing by.
Your cruise includes:
- Roundtrip economy-class domestic flights from Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane to Hobart
- One night of pre-cruise accommodation at Salamanca Wharf Hotel (or similar)
- All-inclusive dining onboard, including room service
- Captain’s welcome cocktail and gala dinner
- Select pouring wines, house champagne and spirits onboard
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites of Port Davey Marine Reserve and Maria Island
- Savour gourmet produce alongside pristine beaches at King Island
- Sample the mouthwatering wines of the Tamar Valley
- See New Year’s Eve fireworks over Constitution Dock
- Zodiac expeditions and landings alongside an expert team
- All port taxes, park entry fees and onboard entertainment
- Complimentary Wi-Fi onboard
- Le Nautilus restaurant
- Grill Restaurant
- The Blue Eye underwater lounge
- Hydraulic platform
- Main lounge
- Theatre
- Pool and pool deck
- Panoramic lounge
- Boutique
- Wellness spa, salon, hammam and gym
Surcharges may apply to select facilities and services
Your cruise begins and ends in Hobart, Tasmania.
Your cruise departs Hobart at 6pm on Day 2 and returns to Hobart at 8am on Day 12. Please ensure you arrive in time for boarding.
Roundtrip economy-class flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to Hobart are included in your package. Departures from other cities are available for a surcharge. Please see the ‘Fine Print’ for details.
Transfers to/from the airport, hotel and cruise ship are not included, please plan accordingly.
When travelling within Australia, please check current state/territory border entry requirements to ensure you’re eligible to travel and have completed any required permits or passes.
Need flights? Our dedicated flights concierge can assist with all your flight requirements (subject to availability). Contact sales@luxuryescapes.com.
Day 1: Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane – Hobart, Tasmania
Your unforgettable experience begins as you board your included flight from Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL) or Brisbane (BNE) to Hobart (HBA) (other departure airports are available for a surcharge, see Fine Print for details). On arrival in Hobart, make your own way to your luxury accommodation for the night: Salamanca Wharf Hotel (or similar).
Accommodation: Salamanca Wharf Hotel (or similar)
Day 2: Depart Hobart
Spend the morning discovering beautiful Hobart — Tasmania’s art-filled capital and Australia’s second-oldest city — before making your own way to the cruise terminal. Please arrive in time for embarkation at 4pm.
Want to know more about Hobart? Our insider travel guide includes handpicked places to eat and drink, the best activities in the area and special experiences to make your trip memorable.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Dinner
Day 3: Maria Island
Sail north of Hobart to Tasmania’s eastern coast, where you’ll find the off-shore retreat of Maria Island — a natural wildlife sanctuary home to historic ruins, sweeping bays, and dramatic cliffs. Your day here will be filled with exploration and animal encounters. Look out for the endangered forty-spotted pardalote and the rare and unique Cape Barren goose, as well as smiling wombats, Forester kangaroos and Bennett’s wallabies.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Tasman Peninsula
For a Christmas like no other, today you will celebrate in style while exploring the Tasman and Forestier peninsulas in the far southeast of Tasmania. Spot Australian fur seals, little penguins, and whales and dolphins flourishing in the rich waters, as well as spectacular woodlands, forests, and Australia’s highest sea cliffs. Enjoy a refreshing dip in the azure waters of Fortescue Bay, join a guided walk of Cape Huay and explore the shoreline via Zodiac.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Port Davey
Today, you will have the rare opportunity to explore one of Australia’s largest conservation areas – the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Located at the heart of the World Heritage Area and only accessible by foot, boat or light aircraft, the Port Davey Marine Reserve is a protected waterway that has been immaculately preserved. Uncover the pristine natural environment characterised by rugged coastlines with blowholes, caves and dramatic rock formations home to wildlife like the little blue penguin and Australian fur seal.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: King Island
King Island is anchored in the middle of the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania’s northwest coast. Known for bringing some of the world’s best surfers to its pristine beaches and exporting produce sought by the world’s top chefs, King Island is an exciting base for a taste tour, as well as rugged or refined wildlife and nature adventures. Sample the local succulent beef, rich gourmet cheese and crayfish plucked from the Island’s crystal-clear waters or venture off the beaten path and take a guided tour of the island’s culture, history, flora and fauna.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Tamar Valley
Wake to find yourself in Tasmania’s most renowned wine region. The Tamar Valley Wine Route is regarded as one of the world’s top 10 wine routes with over 32 wineries to explore. Explore the world-class vintages and head straight to the source for a tipple, or tackle some of the region’s excellent galleries. Visit the nearby Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre to relive the events of the 2006 mine rescue and learn of the boom days of the gold rush.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Ile des Phoques
Ile des Phoques, also known as Seal Island, is a picturesque nature reserve home to several breeding seabird species, including the little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion and common diving petrel. To ensure the environment remains untouched, landing on the island is prohibited, but weather and time permitting, you will to have the opportunity to explore the coastal environments and view the wildlife from the ship’s fleet of Zodiacs.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Tasman Peninsula (cruising) – Hobart
Today you will cruise along the Tasman Peninsula, home to striking dolerite spires, fascinating coastal rock formations and incredible natural wildlife. You will have the opportunity to kick back and enjoy this spectacular scenery from the outer decks before following the Sydney to Hobart course across Storm Bay and up the Derwent into Hobart.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10–11: Hobart
Endless adventures await in Hobart. Ring in the new year docked in Hobart, where you can explore Australia’s second-oldest city at your own pace. With hundreds of years of history, art and culture, it’s no wonder Hobart is a bucket-list destination for many Australians. Gaze at the masterpieces at the fascinating Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) walk into the past with a visit to Port Arthur or people-watch from one of the mouthwatering restaurants in Salamanca Place. Be sure to make time for a visit to Tasmania’s Taste of Summer — formerly the Taste of Tasmania — Australia’s biggest and longest running food and wine festival. Use the ship as your launchpad to explore some of the best dining and sights the city has to offer.
Plus, enjoy prime position to watch the champion of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race sail into the harbour and witness spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks from the top deck as they burst over Constitution Dock.
Accommodation: Le Laperouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Hobart, Tasmania – Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane
Your whirlwind expedition around Tasmania comes to an end this morning after breakfast. Disembark the ship around 8am and make your own way to Hobart Airport (HBA) for your included flight home.
Meals: Breakfast