Bucket-List Cruise Adventure

40-Night Sydney to Cape Town Cruise Adventure

Holland America · Volendam · from Sydney

$9,099 per person · next sails Feb 10, 2027 Book this cruise@ Cruisebound · same fare
Get there

Fly into Sydney (SYD)

Your gateway to the voyage. Arrive a day or two early — the best of the trip starts before you board.

Open-jaw · fly into SYD, home from CPT · $4,904 for two est.
Before you sail

Bucket-list days near Sydney

Fly in at least a day early — every seasoned cruiser does, so a delay never costs you the ship. Here’s what’s worth that day, within reach of your port — not just the city you fly into.

1 mi from Sydney

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

8 mi from Sydney

Sydney Opera House

Your voyage · 40 nights, day by day

Day by day — the unforgettable thing at every port

Your whole sailing in order: the day you board, every port it calls — each with the single bucket-list experience there and the operator who runs it — any days at sea, and the day you step off.

Days 1–2
Sydney Embark
Board in the afternoon — fly in at least a day early (your day ashore here is just above).
Days 3–4
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 5
Airlie Beachport guide →
Whitehaven Beach & Hill Inlet · $653 for two with Cruise Whitsundayshow to make it yours → ·
Day 6
Townsvilleport guide →
Magnetic Island · $117 for two with Magnetic Island Tourshow to make it yours → ·
Days 7–9
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 10
Litchfield National Park · $330 for two with Ethical Adventures (official small-group eco tours)how to make it yours → ·
Days 11–12
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Days 13–14
Benoa (Bali)port guide →
Uluwatu Temple Sunset & Kecak Fire Dance at Clifftop · $114 for two with Venture Ashore Bali (Benoa-based local expert)how to make it yours → ·
Day 15
Surabaya Historiculture · $138 for two with Tripadvisor-verified local operator (Private Day Tour Surabaya Historiculture)how to make it yours → ·
Day 16
Borobudur Private Tour · $278 for two with Tours by Locals – Semarang Private Guideshow to make it yours → ·
Days 17–18
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 19
★ Gardens by the Bay — how to make it yours →
Day 20
Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur)port guide →
Batu Caves · $158 for two with Shore Excursions Asia (local specialist, Port Klang)how to make it yours → ·
Day 21
Kek Lok Si Temple · $160 for two with Kek Lok Si Temple (official) + Penang Hill Corporation (official funicular)how to make it yours → ·
Day 22
★ Phang Nga Bay — how to make it yours →
Days 23–24
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 25
Hambantotaport guide →
Yala National Park · $350 for two with Hambantota Shore Excursionshow to make it yours → ·
Day 26
Sigiriya Rock Fortress & Dambulla Cave Temple Day… · $258 for two with Shore Excursions Asiahow to make it yours → ·
Day 27
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 28
Private Overwater Sandbank Picnic & Snorkel by Spe… · $280 for two with Maldives Speedboat Trips (Local Expert, Malé)how to make it yours → ·
Days 29–32
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 33
Port Louisport guide →
Corail Helicopter · $350 for two with Corail Helicoptershow to make it yours → ·
Day 34
La Possessionport guide →
Private Helicopter Grand Tour · $691 for two with Helilagon (Réunion's leading helicopter tour operator)how to make it yours → ·
Days 35–37
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Day 38
Port Elizabethport guide →
Schotia Private Game Reserve · $320 for two with Schotia Safarishow to make it yours → ·
Day 39
A day at sea
⛰ A day to savor the ship — the voyage itself is the experience, and it’s all included.
Days 40–41
Cape Town Disembark
Disembark in the morning — or stay on for the days just below.
After you disembark

Bucket-list days near Cape Town

You end in a different port — stay on, and add what’s within reach before you fly home.

0 mi from Cape Town

Robben Island Museum

0 mi from Cape Town

Hermanus Whale Watching Tour

After you disembark

Make it longer — by land from Cape Town

The ship is the spine, not the whole trip. These are full land adventures within reach of your port.

11 mi from Cape Town · fly CPT

Stellenbosch & Beyond: Wine, Wilderness, and the Cape's Best Tables

Cape Winelands Adventure

See the whole plan →
Home

Fly home from Cape Town (CPT)

What this adventure runs estimated · for two
Your hotel
Flights open-jaw · fly into SYD, home from CPT · 2 travelers $4,904 est.
Hotel before you sail1 night · Sydney · Premium~$131
Cruise fare40 nights · Holland America · 2 guests$18,198
Shore excursions14 bucket-list things, booked direct · for 2 · swap any at its port above ↑~$4,197
Transfersairport ↔ ship, private car~$180
Trip total$27,610
Flights are estimated from our best gateways (refine from your own airport above) — an open-jaw trip: out to the embark port, home from where you disembark; the cruise fare is this sailing’s lead-in price for two; the hotel scales with the style you pick above; shore excursions are real book-direct operator prices, added as each port is curated; transfers are an estimate. We always build in at least one night ashore before you sail.
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