Travel tips: short, local cruises you can take on a budget

Want the fun of a cruise holiday, but can’t commit to a longer, more expensive time abroad? There are plenty of great local options that won’t take you too far from home. Here are Mike’s top picks…

Cruise specialist ecruising.travel has short break cruises on Superstar Virgo on its inaugural circumnavigation of Australia, with prices from $309 per person twin share with on-board food and beverage credits.

With departures throughout December, the cruises range from two to 12 nights between a variety of Australian ports.

Spend two nights cruising from Brisbane to Cairns for $309 per person twin share or head from Sydney to Cairns over four nights from $579. Other itineraries are Melbourne to Sydney, Brisbane to Darwin, Adelaide to Brisbane or Fremantle to Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. More information.

An ideal pick for solo travellers

Pandaw River Expeditions has doubled the number of Asian trips; solo travellers can join with no single supplements. Discounts of up to 20 per cent also available for couples for bookings made by November 30.

In Myanmar and Cambodia-Vietnam there are 67 Pandaw river sailings from now to April, 2017, which solo travellers can join without paying any single supplement if booked before November 30.

A seven-night cruise between Saigon and Siem Reap sailing on July 16 and August 13, 2016 with a 20 per cent discount is available from US$1560 (AUD$2195) per person, twin-share, with no solo supplement for single passengers.

A 14-night Irrawaddy River cruise between Rangoon and Mandalay departing July 11, 2016 after the discount is from US$4576 (AUD$6440) per person, twin-share, with no solo supplement. More information.

Early bird savings for Fiji cruises

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji has 20 per cent Early Bird Saver fares and a free cabin upgrade on selected three, four and seven night cruises for bookings made before November 30 for cruises up to March, 2017.

Early Birds Saver fares for a three night Southern Yasawa Cruise start from $996 per person and from $1356 for the four night Southern Yasawa Cruise.

Seven night cruises start from $2132.00 per person. On selected departure dates, passengers also receive a free upgrade from a cabin to stateroom. More information.‎

New Fraser Island options for local travellers

P&O Cruises will make two calls to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island off the southern Queensland coast next year.

Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden, the two latest additions to the P&O Cruises fleet, will call at Fraser Island on April 3 and December 12 respectively.  More information.

Visit the remote waters of PNG

Journey through some of the most remote corners of West Papua and Indonesia aboard Coral Expeditions’ Coral Discoverer on a 14 night cruise from Wewak in Papua New Guinea to Darwin.

This trip includes a five-day exploration of the Raja Ampat region around the islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo, which harbours over 75 per cent of the world’s fish and coral species. Cost is from $14,560 per person twin share, departing March 4, 2016. More information.

Which of these cruises sounds the most appealing to you?