Western Australia’s coastline shines when the weather warms, and this year it has a worthy lead. Crown Princess has arrived in Fremantle to launch a season that strings together Yampi Sound, Broome, Busselton, Exmouth, and Albany, with scenic slices along the Kimberley Coast. It is a timely chance to mix big-sky landscapes with relaxed sea days, while keeping logistics simple for travellers near and far.
Crown Princess has begun the Western Australia summer programme from Fremantle, visiting Yampi Sound, Broome, Busselton, Exmouth, and Albany, plus scenic cruising along the Kimberley Coast. Shore options include the Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience, the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk, Torndirrup National Park, and Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse. The season forms part of a Round Australia pattern, with a Northern Explorer itinerary slated next year.
This is a practical, good-looking run along some of Australia’s most photogenic shores, and it suits first-timers as much as WA regulars. The distances are sensible, the ports are varied, and the ship becomes a comfortable base between walks, wildlife, and coastal viewpoints. If you like choice without the puzzle, this is your kind of week.
Start in Fremantle’s heritage streets, then watch the palette switch as you rise through the northwest. Yampi Sound serves iron-rich cliffs and turquoise inlets. Broome layers pearling history with long beaches and market energy. Further south, Busselton, Exmouth, and Albany each offer a different rhythm, from jetty strolls to reef-lined bays and breezy headlands. That contrast makes planning simple; you can alternate light days with signature outings without losing steam.
Because the programme sits inside a broader Round Australia pattern, it is easier to pair the cruise with city stays or meet travelling friends en route. Calls to Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, and Sydney make inbound flights straightforward for interstate and international guests. You can keep the cruise as the main event or add a short pre- or post-stay without reshaping the plan.
Sailing along the Kimberley Coast turns the ship into a roving lookout. Early light pulls warm tones from the rock, midday shows the water glass-clear in coves, and late afternoon softens everything into bronze. Bring patience and a good lens. Turtles surface where ripples tighten, sea birds gather on wind lines, and the cliffs change character with every cloud shift.
Every call has a headline and a handful of quieter pleasures. The sweet spot is choosing one anchor experience in each port, then leaving space to follow your nose. Here is how to think about the mix across the route.
Busselton is built for a gentle day. The famous jetty rewards an easy walk and quick photos out over Geographe Bay. Nearby, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse adds a short climb and wide views of reefs, capes, and migrating whales in season. The town centre keeps cafés close to the waterfront, so you can linger without clock-watching before heading back to the ship.
Albany brings drama where granite meets the Southern Ocean. Torndirrup National Park has excellent boardwalks at the Gap and Natural Bridge, so you can feel the spray safely when swell runs. The town’s museum cluster and harbour paths suit a slower afternoon. If you are a photographer, plan one early stop for clean light and hold a second visit for late shadows.
In Broome, the story runs from Chinatown’s galleries to the beaches that made Cable Beach famous. Pair a cultural wander with a sunset shoreline walk, and you will feel the town’s rhythm without rushing. Yampi Sound is the quiet contrast, a scenic waypoint where the colours of the Kimberley gather in one frame. Watch for changes in tide and wind; the place reveals itself in layers.
Exmouth puts Ningaloo’s coral within reach. Even first-time snorkellers can enjoy fish-rich shallows on a guided swim, then be back on deck for a late lunch. If you prefer to stay dry, short lookouts give you views over pale water and curved bays that are every bit as satisfying as a swim. Keep your phone in a dry pouch for quick deck shots when the colour pops beneath the surface.
You do not need to script every hour to have a brilliant time. Still, a few options deserve a place on your calendar early, both for availability and for the way they shape the week around them.
Close to Busselton, the Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience blends Noongar culture and geology in a way that suits mixed ages. Begin on the surface to understand the relationship between bushland and limestone, then walk into chambers marked by flowstone and delicate formations. Guides weave story and science without hurry, so the outing feels like a conversation rather than a lecture.
Near Walpole, the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk lifts you into the canopy on a gentle ramp that suits most fitness levels. Move slowly, listen for birds, and stop where the view stretches across old-growth forest. Back at ground level, the interpretive path explains how soils, fire, and time shaped the tingle trees you have just walked among.
The Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse rewards a short climb with an outlook that makes maps come alive. Headlands, reefs, and the long curve of the coastline up cleanly from the lantern room. If whales are passing, you may spot plumes without leaving the tower. Allow time to wander the grounds after your tour for photos and a quick coffee.
Small choices will make your days feel effortless. Think about rhythm, not just lists, and the season will meet you halfway.
Select cabins based on how you actually live at sea. If you start early with coffee and a notebook, a balcony becomes the best seat in the house. If you prefer to be close to lounges and theatres, choose a location that shortens your usual walks. Good storage and sensible lighting turn your stateroom into a base you enjoy returning to, not just a place to change shoes.
WA serves warm days, sea breeze, and moments when you will stand outside longer than expected. Light layers, a hat that will not lift in the wind, and sunglasses are an everyday kit. A compact dry bag keeps phones safe on tender rides, and a soft scarf earns its place when the breeze sharpens during Kimberley scenic cruising.
Sea days are not filler. Choose one small goal, a swim, a book chapter, or a lecture, then let the rest unfold. Evenings feel better when you do not try to fit every venue into one night. Rotate dinner rooms, try one speciality meal mid-cruise, and leave space for a deck walk at sunset when the colour turns gold.
This season is the first chapter. Next year’s Northern Explorer itinerary leans into the north again, linking Exmouth, Broome, Yampi Sound, and the Kimberley Coast. If the south and the southwest sing to you now, the follow-up routing is an easy way to add warm-water colour and tidal energy later.
The Northern Explorer pattern favours coral shallows, big tides, and long horizons. Expect more time near Ningaloo-side lookouts, more Kimberley coastline, and another pass through sounds and inlets where the light does interesting things to rock and water. It is a natural complement to a season that also touches Busselton and Albany.
The north-forward tilt suits travellers who love reef, red rock, and heat that lingers into the evening. It is also a good fit for photographers who want strong colour and repeat chances at wildlife above and below the surface. Families who enjoyed this summer’s simpler south can confidently step up to a slightly wilder feel without making the week complicated.
If you like order, sail this summer for forests, caves, and southern headlands. Next year, shift to coral and Kimberley edges. Spacing the experiences keeps everything fresh and lets you use what you learned the first time, from packing tweaks to how you pace scenic days on deck during long coastal runs. Across both, the Crown Princess Fremantle season gives you a familiar base that makes comparison easy.
Before you lock dates, it helps to see routes, port sequences, and sea-day spacing side by side. Our Cruise Finder shows where scenic Kimberley stretches sit in each week, how often the itinerary tilts north versus south, and which departures line up with school holidays or annual leave. You can test a couple of options in minutes, then save favourites for a chat with your travelling party.
If you are coordinating across Australia, New Zealand, or further afield, the same planner keeps everyone aligned. It is simple to flag must-do excursions like Ngilgi Cave or the Valley of the Giants, note which calls include your preferred lookouts, and agree on a sailing that respects flights and work calendars without fuss.
The Crown Princess Fremantle season brings coastline contrast, reliable logistics, and shore choices that work for families, couples, and solo travellers alike. From forest canopies and limestone chambers to red-rock passages and reef-bright bays, you can build a week that feels rich without feeling rushed. If you would like tailored guidance on dates, cabins, and how to balance port days with time on deck, chat with our cruise specialist, and we will help you secure the sailing that fits your plans.