Your cruise
Carnival Adventure · 2-night Australia & South Pacific cruise, Melbourne to Adelaide
Feb 25 – Feb 27 · 2 nights ·
Day 1 Melbourne (board) · Day 2 at sea · Day 3 Adelaide (step off)
What you do Ride one of the world's great coastal drives in a private vehicle, arriving at the 12 Apostles at golden hour when the limestone stacks glow amber above the Southern Ocean. This is the definitive Victorian bucket-list day.
What to expect Your private driver-guide collects you dockside and heads west along the cliff-hugging Shipwreck Coast. You'll walk the rainforest boardwalk at Kennett River to spot wild koalas, then stand on the platform at the 12 Apostles as the stacks emerge from morning mist. Lunch is taken at a locally loved restaurant in Lorne or Apollo Bay rather than a tourist canteen. The return run north through the Otway Ranges gives you rolling green hills, Cape Otway Lighthouse, and a glass of regional wine on the way back.
Good to know The Great Ocean Road runs roughly 220 km west of Port Melbourne — allow a full day (10–11 hrs). Melbourne's cruise terminal is at Station Pier, Port Melbourne; pre-book the pick-up directly for dockside collection. Confirm all-aboard time with your ship and build in a 90-min buffer for the return leg.
Versus the ship tour A fully private vehicle means you stop at every viewpoint — Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps, London Arch — on your own schedule, with a dedicated local guide whose commentary goes far beyond the standard script. No waiting, no crowds.
book direct with Melbourne Private Tours → · the full guide →
What you do Watch hundreds of Little Penguins waddle ashore at dusk on Phillip Island — one of Australia's most extraordinary wildlife spectacles — then encounter koalas and wallabies in the wild on the same day.
What to expect The island sits roughly 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne, and the journey itself delivers sweeping views of Westernport Bay. Arrive in time to explore the Koala Conservation Reserve, where treetop boardwalks bring you eye-to-eye with wild koalas. As the sun sets over Summerlands Beach, the first penguins surface from the surf — then hundreds follow in wave after wave, shuffling past your boots to their burrows. Guides narrate the science and conservation story in real time.
Good to know Photography with flash is strictly prohibited — a phone-torch mode is fine. Book the Ranger Guided Sunset Tour well in advance as capacity is tiny. Phillip Island is about 140 km from Station Pier; pair with a private transfer for door-to-door comfort and to guarantee all-aboard timing.
Versus the ship tour The Ranger Guided Sunset Tour is capped at a tiny group of just 15 guests, placing you on a private boardwalk section away from the main stand. You'll be close enough to hear the penguins breathe — an intimacy impossible in the larger arena.
book direct with Phillip Island Nature Parks (official) → · the full guide →
What you do Victoria's premier cool-climate wine region unfolds just 60 minutes from the dock — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling Blanc de Blancs poured against a backdrop of rolling vine-covered hills and misty mountain ranges.
What to expect A luxury vehicle collects you at Station Pier and heads into the Dandenong Ranges and on to the Yarra Valley floor. Three or four handpicked estates await, each with a dedicated tasting hosted by the winemaker or cellar-door expert. Lunch is a long table affair at a vineyard restaurant, with matched wines and local produce — think truffle, farmhouse cheese, and smoked duck. The late-afternoon return passes through Healesville township, with time to browse if you wish.
Good to know The Yarra Valley is approximately 75 km northeast of Port Melbourne — typically a 60–75 min drive. An all-day private tour comfortably returns before standard all-aboard times; confirm your ship's schedule when booking. Cellar doors at top estates can sell out; the operator pre-books all tasting slots.
Versus the ship tour Private bookings allow you to choose boutique family estates — De Bortoli, Healesville's TarraWarra, Yering Station — rather than high-volume cellar doors. Your guide tailors the itinerary around your palate, and a gourmet winery lunch is a leisurely, unhurried affair.
book direct with Melbourne Private Tours → · the full guide →
What you do Step inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground — the spiritual home of Australian sport and one of the world's greatest stadiums — for an expert-led behind-the-scenes tour of spaces that are closed on match days.
What to expect You enter the ground through the members' gates and are led by an expert guide — many are former players or lifelong MCG insiders — deep into the stadium's working heart. The Long Room is lined with Victorian-era cricket portraits; the players' rooms still carry the electric feeling of a dressing room on game day. The Australian Sports Museum, included in the premium experience, houses the Ashes Urn, Don Bradman's baggy green, and Cathy Freeman's Sydney 2000 Olympic torch suit. The 100,024-seat bowl seen from the boundary is staggering.
Good to know Tours depart daily and run approximately 75 minutes (standard) or 2 hours (premium). The MCG is a 20-minute tram ride from the CBD and about 35 minutes from Station Pier via taxi or rideshare. Pre-book online — popular time slots sell out. If the ship calls during the AFL season (March–September), try to coincide with a match-day afternoon for the full atmosphere.
Versus the ship tour Access to the player change rooms, the MCC Long Room (one of cricket's most hallowed spaces), the boundary rope, and the coaches' race is available only on guided tours — areas the general public never enters on event days. A small-group format means personal access and real conversation with your guide.
book direct with Melbourne Cricket Ground (official) → · the full guide →
What you do Duck into the graffiti-splashed secret laneways that made Melbourne famous, sampling world-class espresso, hawker-style dumplings, and craft chocolate with a local foodie guide who knows every hidden door.
What to expect The walk threads through Degraves Street, AC/DC Lane, and Caledonian Lane — Melbourne's famous outdoor gallery — before surfacing at the Queen Victoria Market for its extraordinary multicultural food hall. You'll pull espresso at a third-wave roastery, fold your own bao, spoon through a Cantonese dumpling tasting, and finish with single-origin chocolate in a hidden arcade. Your guide weaves in the city's gold-rush history, its immigrant food culture, and the civic pride that makes Melbourne consistently rank as one of the world's most liveable cities.
Good to know The walk covers approximately 3–4 km over 3.5 hours and is mostly flat — comfortable walking shoes required. Station Pier is a 15-minute taxi or rideshare to the CBD start point. Ideal for half-day port calls; the morning departure is best before the markets grow busy. Book directly with Local Way Tours to secure small-group placement.
Versus the ship tour Small groups of eight or fewer mean you slip through Hosier Lane and Centre Place without the tour-bus scrum. The guide is a Melbourne local with genuine relationships at each stop — you taste what the city's residents actually eat, not the tourist-facing version.
What you do Ride to Level 88 of the Eureka Tower and step onto The Edge — a glass cube that cantilevers you 300 metres above Melbourne's glittering skyline — for a perspective on the city that simply cannot be replicated at street level.
What to expect The lift rockets to Level 88 in under 40 seconds, its interior darkened; the doors open to a 360-degree panorama of Melbourne laid out in every direction. Interactive displays map every neighbourhood, from the Royal Botanic Gardens to the MCG. The Edge cube slides out on the south face — the floor, walls, and ceiling are pure glass, offering an unobstructed view straight down to the Yarra River below. Allow an hour here, then combine with the walkable Southbank Promenade, Crown entertainment precinct, and Federation Square steps away.
Good to know Pre-book The Edge online as timed sessions sell out, especially on clear days and weekends. The Eureka Tower is on Riverside Quay, Southbank — 35 minutes from Station Pier via taxi or rideshare, and easily walkable from the CBD. Combine with the Laneways Food Walk (morning) for a superb full-day itinerary. Not suitable for those with severe vertigo.
Versus the ship tour The Edge experience — a solid glass room that slides out from the building's face — gives you the sensation of standing in mid-air above the entire Port Phillip Basin. On a clear day you can see the mouth of the bay, the Dandenong Ranges, and your ship at Station Pier below. It is visceral, intimate, and unforgettable.
book direct with Melbourne Skydeck at Eureka Tower (official) → · the full guide →
What you do Ride one of the world's great coastal drives in a private vehicle, arriving at the 12 Apostles at golden hour when the limestone stacks glow amber above the Southern Ocean. This is the definitive Victorian bucket-list day.
What to expect Your private driver-guide collects you dockside and heads west along the cliff-hugging Shipwreck Coast. You'll walk the rainforest boardwalk at Kennett River to spot wild koalas, then stand on the platform at the 12 Apostles as the stacks emerge from morning mist. Lunch is taken at a locally loved restaurant in Lorne or Apollo Bay rather than a tourist canteen. The return run north through the Otway Ranges gives you rolling green hills, Cape Otway Lighthouse, and a glass of regional wine on the way back.
Good to know The Great Ocean Road runs roughly 220 km west of Port Melbourne — allow a full day (10–11 hrs). Melbourne's cruise terminal is at Station Pier, Port Melbourne; pre-book the pick-up directly for dockside collection. Confirm all-aboard time with your ship and build in a 90-min buffer for the return leg.
Versus the ship tour A fully private vehicle means you stop at every viewpoint — Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps, London Arch — on your own schedule, with a dedicated local guide whose commentary goes far beyond the standard script. No waiting, no crowds.
book direct with Melbourne Private Tours → · the full guide →
What you do Watch hundreds of Little Penguins waddle ashore at dusk on Phillip Island — one of Australia's most extraordinary wildlife spectacles — then encounter koalas and wallabies in the wild on the same day.
What to expect The island sits roughly 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne, and the journey itself delivers sweeping views of Westernport Bay. Arrive in time to explore the Koala Conservation Reserve, where treetop boardwalks bring you eye-to-eye with wild koalas. As the sun sets over Summerlands Beach, the first penguins surface from the surf — then hundreds follow in wave after wave, shuffling past your boots to their burrows. Guides narrate the science and conservation story in real time.
Good to know Photography with flash is strictly prohibited — a phone-torch mode is fine. Book the Ranger Guided Sunset Tour well in advance as capacity is tiny. Phillip Island is about 140 km from Station Pier; pair with a private transfer for door-to-door comfort and to guarantee all-aboard timing.
Versus the ship tour The Ranger Guided Sunset Tour is capped at a tiny group of just 15 guests, placing you on a private boardwalk section away from the main stand. You'll be close enough to hear the penguins breathe — an intimacy impossible in the larger arena.
book direct with Phillip Island Nature Parks (official) → · the full guide →
What you do Victoria's premier cool-climate wine region unfolds just 60 minutes from the dock — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling Blanc de Blancs poured against a backdrop of rolling vine-covered hills and misty mountain ranges.
What to expect A luxury vehicle collects you at Station Pier and heads into the Dandenong Ranges and on to the Yarra Valley floor. Three or four handpicked estates await, each with a dedicated tasting hosted by the winemaker or cellar-door expert. Lunch is a long table affair at a vineyard restaurant, with matched wines and local produce — think truffle, farmhouse cheese, and smoked duck. The late-afternoon return passes through Healesville township, with time to browse if you wish.
Good to know The Yarra Valley is approximately 75 km northeast of Port Melbourne — typically a 60–75 min drive. An all-day private tour comfortably returns before standard all-aboard times; confirm your ship's schedule when booking. Cellar doors at top estates can sell out; the operator pre-books all tasting slots.
Versus the ship tour Private bookings allow you to choose boutique family estates — De Bortoli, Healesville's TarraWarra, Yering Station — rather than high-volume cellar doors. Your guide tailors the itinerary around your palate, and a gourmet winery lunch is a leisurely, unhurried affair.
book direct with Melbourne Private Tours → · the full guide →
What you do Step inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground — the spiritual home of Australian sport and one of the world's greatest stadiums — for an expert-led behind-the-scenes tour of spaces that are closed on match days.
What to expect You enter the ground through the members' gates and are led by an expert guide — many are former players or lifelong MCG insiders — deep into the stadium's working heart. The Long Room is lined with Victorian-era cricket portraits; the players' rooms still carry the electric feeling of a dressing room on game day. The Australian Sports Museum, included in the premium experience, houses the Ashes Urn, Don Bradman's baggy green, and Cathy Freeman's Sydney 2000 Olympic torch suit. The 100,024-seat bowl seen from the boundary is staggering.
Good to know Tours depart daily and run approximately 75 minutes (standard) or 2 hours (premium). The MCG is a 20-minute tram ride from the CBD and about 35 minutes from Station Pier via taxi or rideshare. Pre-book online — popular time slots sell out. If the ship calls during the AFL season (March–September), try to coincide with a match-day afternoon for the full atmosphere.
Versus the ship tour Access to the player change rooms, the MCC Long Room (one of cricket's most hallowed spaces), the boundary rope, and the coaches' race is available only on guided tours — areas the general public never enters on event days. A small-group format means personal access and real conversation with your guide.
book direct with Melbourne Cricket Ground (official) → · the full guide →
What you do Duck into the graffiti-splashed secret laneways that made Melbourne famous, sampling world-class espresso, hawker-style dumplings, and craft chocolate with a local foodie guide who knows every hidden door.
What to expect The walk threads through Degraves Street, AC/DC Lane, and Caledonian Lane — Melbourne's famous outdoor gallery — before surfacing at the Queen Victoria Market for its extraordinary multicultural food hall. You'll pull espresso at a third-wave roastery, fold your own bao, spoon through a Cantonese dumpling tasting, and finish with single-origin chocolate in a hidden arcade. Your guide weaves in the city's gold-rush history, its immigrant food culture, and the civic pride that makes Melbourne consistently rank as one of the world's most liveable cities.
Good to know The walk covers approximately 3–4 km over 3.5 hours and is mostly flat — comfortable walking shoes required. Station Pier is a 15-minute taxi or rideshare to the CBD start point. Ideal for half-day port calls; the morning departure is best before the markets grow busy. Book directly with Local Way Tours to secure small-group placement.
Versus the ship tour Small groups of eight or fewer mean you slip through Hosier Lane and Centre Place without the tour-bus scrum. The guide is a Melbourne local with genuine relationships at each stop — you taste what the city's residents actually eat, not the tourist-facing version.
What you do Ride to Level 88 of the Eureka Tower and step onto The Edge — a glass cube that cantilevers you 300 metres above Melbourne's glittering skyline — for a perspective on the city that simply cannot be replicated at street level.
What to expect The lift rockets to Level 88 in under 40 seconds, its interior darkened; the doors open to a 360-degree panorama of Melbourne laid out in every direction. Interactive displays map every neighbourhood, from the Royal Botanic Gardens to the MCG. The Edge cube slides out on the south face — the floor, walls, and ceiling are pure glass, offering an unobstructed view straight down to the Yarra River below. Allow an hour here, then combine with the walkable Southbank Promenade, Crown entertainment precinct, and Federation Square steps away.
Good to know Pre-book The Edge online as timed sessions sell out, especially on clear days and weekends. The Eureka Tower is on Riverside Quay, Southbank — 35 minutes from Station Pier via taxi or rideshare, and easily walkable from the CBD. Combine with the Laneways Food Walk (morning) for a superb full-day itinerary. Not suitable for those with severe vertigo.
Versus the ship tour The Edge experience — a solid glass room that slides out from the building's face — gives you the sensation of standing in mid-air above the entire Port Phillip Basin. On a clear day you can see the mouth of the bay, the Dandenong Ranges, and your ship at Station Pier below. It is visceral, intimate, and unforgettable.
book direct with Melbourne Skydeck at Eureka Tower (official) → · the full guide →
What you do Glide through Australia's most revered wine region in a private small-group setting, tasting icon Shiraz and Riesling at boutique cellar doors before a long, indulgent lunch at a vineyard estate restaurant.
What to expect Your day begins with a scenic 1-hour drive through the rolling Barossa ranges before arriving at your first boutique cellar door for a hosted tasting of small-batch, estate-grown wines. You'll visit three to four producers across the valley, with your guide providing context on each family's legacy and winemaking philosophy. A long, leisurely lunch at a premium vineyard restaurant anchors the day — think wood-fired lamb, local cheeses, and matched Barossa vintages. The return journey winds through picturesque Seppeltsfield Road, lined with 160-year-old date palms.
Good to know Barossa Valley is approximately 70 km from the cruise terminal at Outer Harbor — allow 1 hour each way. Departures are timed to your ship's all-aboard. Pre-book well in advance; small-group spots fill fast on popular sailing dates.
Versus the ship tour An intimate, unhurried pace with a maximum of 8–12 guests means you're welcomed behind closed cellar doors rarely opened to large groups — and the gourmet lunch is a true sit-down affair at a winery estate, not a boxed meal on a bus.
book direct with Bos Tours Adelaide Shore Excursions → · the full guide →
What you do Fly or ferry to Kangaroo Island for an immersive encounter with wild Australian sea lions on a pristine beach, followed by the surreal granite formations of Remarkable Rocks inside Flinders Chase National Park.
What to expect Board the Sealink ferry from Cape Jervis (or a light aircraft for the premium option) and cross to Australia's third-largest island. At Seal Bay Conservation Park, your certified naturalist guide walks you onto the beach where wild Australian sea lions rest, play, and nurse pups just metres away. Remarkable Rocks delivers one of the most otherworldly landscapes in the Southern Hemisphere — towering orange lichen-clad granite boulders balanced above sheer coastal cliffs. A private gourmet picnic lunch with local KI produce, honey, and wine is served in the national park. Wallabies, echidnas, and goannas are virtually guaranteed sightings en route.
Good to know This is a full-day excursion (10–11 hours); confirm your ship's all-aboard allows sufficient time. Pre-book the Sealink ferry or light aircraft well ahead. A day at Kangaroo Island is best suited to port days where all-aboard is 9 pm or later.
Versus the ship tour Access to sea lion colonies at Seal Bay is strictly controlled — only a licensed guide can lead you onto the beach among these endangered animals. Small-group wilderness touring means you linger as long as the wildlife warrants, not as long as a schedule dictates.
book direct with Exceptional Kangaroo Island → · the full guide →
What you do Journey 40 minutes south of Adelaide into McLaren Vale's sun-drenched wine country for an intimate tasting journey through boutique shiraz and grenache estates, crowned by a private chef-prepared lunch overlooking the vines.
What to expect Your guide collects you from Outer Harbor and drives you south through the rolling Fleurieu Peninsula to McLaren Vale, one of Australia's most celebrated wine regions. Visits to two or three elite small-batch producers include hosted tastings in private barrel rooms and conversation with the winemakers themselves where possible. The centrepiece is lunch at a premium estate — seasonal menus featuring hand-picked vegetables, locally caught seafood, and a matched flight of the region's finest reds. A stop at a boutique cold-press olive oil producer adds a sensory dimension unique to this valley.
Good to know McLaren Vale is approximately 45 minutes from Outer Harbor — logistics are very manageable for a half-day or full-day itinerary. Pre-book to secure the private estate lunch, which requires advance notice from the producer.
Versus the ship tour McLaren Vale's proximity to the coast and the diversity of its micro-climates make it a connoisseur's alternative to the Barossa. Private access to family-owned estates — including behind-the-scenes barrel hall visits — is simply not possible on a large-group format.
book direct with Bos Tours Adelaide Shore Excursions → · the full guide →
What you do Explore Australia's oldest surviving German settlement tucked into the fragrant Adelaide Hills, sampling artisan cheeses, handcrafted chocolates, local wines, and authentic German cuisine in a beautifully preserved 19th-century streetscape.
What to expect The Adelaide Hills rise to 700 metres just 30 minutes from the port, and the temperature drops, the light softens, and the pace slows entirely. Hahndorf's main street is a living museum of 1839 German Lutheran architecture, lined with specialty providores, art studios, and cellar doors. Your guide curates a tasting trail: farmhouse cheese at Udder Delights, handmade chocolate, a German-style long lunch at The Hahndorf Inn, and wines at a Hills boutique cellar door. A scenic drive through the Hills' apple orchards and forest reserves frames the journey beautifully.
Good to know Hahndorf is 35 minutes from Outer Harbor. This excursion pairs well with a morning at Adelaide Central Market if your all-aboard is late evening. Pre-booking the lunch sitting is strongly recommended, especially on weekends.
Versus the ship tour The full-day Hills version combines Hahndorf's artisan village charm with a deeper exploration of the Adelaide Hills wine region — cool-climate Pinot and Chardonnay from boutique producers rarely reached on shorter itineraries.
book direct with Bos Tours Adelaide Shore Excursions → · the full guide →
What you do Step behind the counters of the Southern Hemisphere's largest undercover fresh produce market with an expert food guide, tasting your way through artisan stalls in an immersive, intimate morning experience.
What to expect The Adelaide Central Market has operated continuously since 1869 and remains the beating culinary heart of a city obsessed with food. Your expert guide threads you through 70-plus stalls, pausing at each curated stop for a tasting and the story behind the producer. Highlights typically include a South Australian charcuterie and cheese specialist, a heritage bakery, an artisan coffee roaster, and a seafood vendor showcasing the extraordinary cold-water produce of the Southern Ocean. The tour concludes with time to shop independently — ideal for picking up local produce, preserves, or gifts to take aboard.
Good to know The Market is in the Adelaide CBD — approximately 30 minutes by taxi or rideshare from Outer Harbor. Tours typically run in the morning (9–11 am) when the market is at its vibrant best. Pre-book directly via the Market's website; group sizes are kept small.
Versus the ship tour The official Market's own guided tour gets you in early — before the crowds — with a guide who knows every vendor personally. You taste things that never make it to a supermarket shelf: hand-stretched buffalo mozzarella, single-origin roasted coffee, rare Australian cheeses, and freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters.
What you do Drop into the deep blue waters of the Spencer Gulf in a professional steel cage and come face-to-face with the ocean's apex predator — the Great White Shark — in one of only a handful of places on Earth where this is possible.
What to expect A scenic flight from Adelaide to Port Lincoln (included in most packages) sets the tone — the Spencer Gulf glittering below as you approach one of Australia's most productive marine ecosystems. On board the purpose-built MV Calypso Star, your crew chummes the water and, once Great Whites arrive, guests rotate into the submerged steel cage in small groups. The sharks — typically 3–5 metres in length — cruise past within touching distance, their power and scale utterly unforgettable. Non-diving guests observe from the deck with equally dramatic proximity. Marine biologist commentary provides context that transforms the encounter from thrill-seeking into genuine wildlife education.
Good to know Port Lincoln is a 45-minute flight from Adelaide Airport — factor in transfers from Outer Harbor (approximately 30 minutes to airport). This is a full-day commitment (depart ~6 am, return ~7 pm). Only viable for late all-aboard port days. No diving experience is required; all safety equipment is provided. Book directly with Calypso Star well in advance — expeditions are in high demand.
Versus the ship tour Calypso Star is the original and definitive Great White shark cage diving operator in Australia, running expeditions since 1993 with an unmatched safety record and a team of marine biologists on board — this is bucket-list wildlife at its most primal and exclusive.
Before you sail · near Melbourne
Fly in at least a day early — every seasoned cruiser does, so a delay never costs you the ship. This is what is worth that day within reach of the port.
The same trip, elevated
The same gateway on a more luxurious line — lead-in fare per person, same fare as booking direct.