Celebrity Cruises has opened bookings for a fresh run of Australia and New Zealand sailings, with Celebrity Edge confirmed to return, and the modernised Celebrity Solstice is also joining the lineup. Think reef days, vineyard visits, rainforest walks, and easy Sydney departures, wrapped in a contemporary onboard style that supports couples, families, and friend groups planning a Southern Hemisphere summer at sea.
Bookings are now live for Celebrity’s 2027-2028 program from Sydney, highlighted by Celebrity Edge returning alongside Celebrity Solstice. Key departures include a nine-night Australia Wine sailing on 13 Dec 2027, a 13-night New Zealand Holiday on 22 Dec 2027, and a six-night Tasmania cruise on 25 Jan 2028, with Solstice local itineraries opening for sale from 11 Dec, plus streamlined embarkation and refreshed onboard programming.
Why This Program Matters for Australia and New Zealand
This release gives travellers more control over timing, ship style, and the balance between sea days and shore time. It also signals a continued commitment to our region by pairing a design-forward ship with a guest favourite that has been thoughtfully updated. The outcome is simple: a better choice without adding planning friction.
Dates That Align With Real Life
Holiday-timed departures reduce the calendar gymnastics that often come with multi-traveller planning. With key sailings in mid and late December, then again in late January, you can match school breaks and public holidays, add a night or two in Sydney, and still return home in rhythm with work and study schedules. That breathing room matters; it turns a cruise into a holiday rather than a race.
Lead time is another win. Securing your place early opens up more cabin types, from connecting options for families to balcony staterooms that reward early risers with soft harbour light. It also improves airfare choice for interstate and international guests, which means better flight times and a smoother door-to-deck experience.
Across the season, there is a pleasing spread of lengths. Nine, thirteen, and six-night sailings each serve a different goal, whether you are chasing a pre-Christmas getaway, a festive fortnight, or a compact summer reset.
Ports That Add Depth, Not Just Distance
The program is built around Australia’s east coast icons and New Zealand’s high-impact landscapes, yet it avoids feeling predictable. Shore days invite you to tune each port to your interests, reef snorkelling one day, cellar doors the next, then a rainforest stroll that opens into a harbour view lunch. That alternation keeps energy high without wearing you out.
Wine-themed routing is more than a label. It creates a clear through line for planning, so tastings and vineyard lunches feel like the point rather than an add-on. In New Zealand, city stops mesh neatly with wild edges, which means you can move from creative precincts to dramatic coastlines without changing gear.
Even if you have cruised the region before, the emphasis on focus days keeps the experience fresh. You are not just revisiting ports, you are seeing them through a different lens, guided by a shore team that knows how to sequence the day.
Sydney as a Seamless Starting Point
Sydney is a natural gateway, easy to reach and enjoyable in its own right. Arrive a day early to shorten flight stress, take an evening harbour walk, and ease into holiday mode before you even step aboard. On embarkation morning, signage and staff keep the flow simple, so you move from kerb to cabin without fuss.
Domestic guests benefit from rail links and short transfers, while international travellers appreciate how quickly they can drop bags, grab a coffee, and find their bearings. On disembarkation day, staggered exit times help you avoid bottlenecks, and a mini city plan can turn a late flight into a bonus chapter rather than a long wait.
Three Standout Sailings to Shortlist
Each of the headline itineraries has its own personality, and together they form a tidy set of choices. The trick is to match the length and theme to your group’s style, then let the details fall into place with help from our team.
Australia Wine, Nine Nights From 13 December 2027
This departure centres on flavour and local stories. Expect shore days shaped around tastings, produce-driven lunches, and time to wander through towns that give context to the glass in front of you. Back on board, you can extend the theme with sommelier conversations and menus that nod to regional ingredients without becoming heavy.
Nine nights deliver momentum without swallowing the entire month. It is enough time to feel the rhythm of sea days and shipboard evenings, yet short enough to fit before Christmas gatherings. For mixed age groups, the length keeps everyone engaged, with space for kids’ club time, pool hours, and grown-up dinners that still feel relaxed.
If wine travel is new to you, treat this cruise as an introduction. Shore teams handle logistics and offer gentle alternatives for those who prefer coastal walks, galleries, or coffee culture between tastings. You will return with favourite labels and a better sense of what to order at dinner.
New Zealand Holiday, Thirteen Nights From 22 December 2027
Sailing over Christmas wraps the voyage in a simple kind of festive cheer, from relaxed dressier evenings to menus that blend tradition with contemporary touches. The route delivers variety, rainforest-edged bays, vineyard slopes, creative city precincts, and long scenic transits that become memories in their own right.
Thirteen nights create room to breathe. You can plan a guided walk one day, then a gallery hop or wildlife cruise the next, with sea days spaced to reset the pace. Families love the built-in balance, since kids’ clubs, movies, and music fill the gaps without over-scheduling.
The weather is warm and changeable, which makes the sail away views vivid. Pack layers for balcony mornings and open-air strolls after dinner, and you will be set from bow to theatre to sky deck.
Tasmania In Six Nights, From 25 January 2028
A compact loop around the Australia Day period feels like a summer refresh with texture. Tasmania brings history, markets, and cool climate produce into focus, along with wild edges where the light feels close and clean. It is a strong contrast to mainland ports, which makes it a great second or third local cruise.
Six nights slide neatly between work weeks and school commitments, which helps if you are short on leave or planning a first cruise. You still experience the full arc, anticipation, exploration, unwinding, and return, just in a tighter frame that keeps momentum up.
Food lovers will find the island rewarding, from morning tastings to waterfront dinners. Back on board, a nightcap under a sky dense with stars anchors the day in that quietly unforgettable way Tasmania does so well.
What to Expect on Board
Ship choice shapes your days at sea. This pairing of a headline design and a refreshed favourite means you can set the tone you prefer, while trusting that service and dining stay consistently strong across the fleet.
Spaces That Support the Day You Want
Celebrity Edge is built around outward-looking spaces and smooth circulation, so crowds feel dispersed and you always have a choice between buzz and calm. Lounges roll into terraces, quiet corners catch ocean light, and promenades invite unhurried laps between coffee, books, and conversations.
Celebrity Solstice keeps a classic warmth, open lawns, and an easy read of the deck plan that helps first timers find their groove by day two. Both ships prize natural light, which makes mornings gentler for international travellers and afternoons friendlier for pool to theatre transitions.
Evenings bring it together, production shows in tuned theatres, live music moving through promenades, and bars that hold their own mood. Whether you prefer a pre-dinner chat or a late-night laugh, you will find a nook that suits.
Dining That Balances Familiar and Local
Menus link regional highlights with Celebrity signatures. Expect local seafood done cleanly, smart salads, and grills that hit that sweet spot where generous meets considered. Specialty venues add a mid-cruise change of scene, while main dining rooms keep the service unhurried so conversations can stretch.
Vegetarian, vegan, and allergy-sensitive travellers will find clear labelling and teams who listen. Families can toggle between casual and dressier settings without friction, so kids remain happy and adults still feel like they have gone out for the evening. Coffee is a small ritual worth leaning into, an afternoon espresso that bridges pool time and theatre time.
If you want to bring your shore day into dinner, ask the sommelier for a glass that echoes where you have been. On the New Zealand route, that might be a tidy thread from vineyard visit to dessert chat.
Cabins and Stateroom Comfort
Staterooms focus on storage, quiet, and good sleep. Balconies reward dawn people with soft light, while interior rooms stay dark for the best naps between sun and show. Connecting layouts keep families close without crowding, and accessible designs are available for those who need them.
Bathrooms are compact yet functional, with water pressure that makes a quick freshen up easy before dinner. Wi Fi packages and desk space support those who need to check in with home or work. Small touches add up, USB points placed sensibly, blackout curtains that actually work, and housekeeping teams who learn your rhythm quickly.
The aim is simple: a private space that resets you for the next day’s plans. When that works, everything else flows.
Before you lock dates, a quick way to tidy up research. Cruise Finder presents live sailings, cabin categories, and indicative pricing in one place, so you can see how those December and January departures line up with school breaks and public holidays. It is just as helpful if you are planning from Sydney, Singapore, Auckland, or Los Angeles. Explore options and you will have a clear shortlist in minutes.
When you want to compare the shape of itineraries, filters let you balance sea days against port days, and highlight wine-forward or nature-heavy routes. Share your shortlist with fellow travellers so everyone can weigh in on length and timing, then we can move quickly to secure cabins that sit close together.
Secure Your Sailing With S.W. Black Travel
With bookings open, the best located cabins move early, especially around festive dates. Our advisers know these ships and routes well, and we can match your group to the right sailing length, cabin mix, and pre- or post-stay, then simplify the flight and transfer puzzle. When you are ready to take the next step, contact our cruise specialist, and we will build a plan that fits your dates and budget.
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