Victoria Australia Cruise from Melbourne to Dubai

Cruise line	Crystal Cruises
Ship	Crystal Symphony
Duration	47 nights
Port calls	27
Departures	1 sailings
Year built	1995
Guests	606
Cabins	310
Crew	530
Length	238 m
Beam	31 m
Cruising speed	21.0 kn

Day 1

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is a city best explored with curiosity, a good appetite and comfortable walking shoes. From Station Pier, the centre is roughly six kilometres away, with tram and taxi connections into town. Explore its arcades and laneways, lined with shops, espresso bars and street art, then visit the National Gallery of Victoria. At Queen Victoria Market, browse local produce and Australian specialties; along the Yarra, find restaurants and skyline views.

Day 2

Portland, Australia

Portland, on Victoria’s far western coast, is the state’s oldest European settlement, founded by the Henty family in 1834. Set around a deep natural harbour, it remains a working port, giving the waterfront a purposeful, unpolished character. Ride the historic cable tram along the foreshore, then visit the Maritime Discovery Centre to explore the town’s seafaring story. Cape Nelson’s lighthouse and clifftop walks look out over the Southern Ocean; in season, southern right whales may appear offshore.

Day 3

Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide pairs a polished city centre with easy access to South Australia’s celebrated wine country. Outer Harbor, the cruise terminal, lies about 20 kilometres from central Adelaide. A train connects the area with the city. Explore the Central Market, North Terrace’s museums and galleries, or the broad encircling parklands. Glenelg’s beachside cafés and the vineyards of the Barossa Valley make rewarding excursions beyond town.

Day 4

Kangaroo Island, Australia

Step ashore at Penneshaw and discover an island where wildlife remains part of daily life. Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third-largest island, with rugged coast, eucalyptus forests and open farmland. At Seal Bay, guided walks bring you close to a breeding colony of Australian sea lions. Flinders Chase National Park rewards the drive west with Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. Leave time for local honey, seafood and wines, and watch for koalas and kangaroos along the road.

Day 7

Albany WA, Australia

Albany sits on King George Sound, where the Southern Ocean meets a coast of granite headlands and sheltered bays. Western Australia’s first European settlement, founded in 1826, retains a handsome historic centre and a working harbour. At the National Anzac Centre, exhibits trace the departure of Australian and New Zealand troops in 1914. Beyond town, Torndirrup National Park brings you close to The Gap and Natural Bridge, where waves hammer the cliffs.

Day 8

Fremantle, Australia

Fremantle is Perth’s historic port, where Victorian streets meet the Indian Ocean. Visit 19th-century Fremantle Prison, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, then explore the West End’s limestone buildings. Fishing Boat Harbour serves fresh seafood beside working vessels. The Western Australian Maritime Museum tells the story of the state’s seafaring past. Perth is just 30 minutes away by train, making Fremantle an easy gateway to the city and coast.

Day 13

Benoa, Indonesia

Benoa is Bali’s principal cruise gateway, set on the island’s sheltered southeast coast. From the pier, Bali’s contrasts are close at hand: Nusa Dua’s resorts and Sanur’s seafront. Denpasar offers markets, museums, and a glimpse of daily life beyond the resort belt. Allow time for traffic; journeys inland can take longer than the map suggests. For a deeper excursion, Ubud pairs galleries and rice terraces with a lively arts scene.

Day 15

Celukan Bawang, Indonesia

Celukan Bawang opens onto Bali’s quieter north coast, far from the island’s crowded southern resorts. From this working harbour, journeys lead east to Singaraja, Bali’s former colonial capital, and the Lovina coast. The route reveals rice fields, volcanic foothills and villages where daily life still sets the pace. Visit the island’s largest Buddhist monastery at Banjar, or pause at nearby hot springs beneath tropical greenery.

Day 18

Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Puerto Princesa is Palawan’s unhurried capital, where a working waterfront and forested hills meet the Sulu Sea. Use the city as a launch point for Honda Bay’s islands. The UNESCO-listed Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park lies near Sabang, reached by road from town. Back in the centre, discover local museums, cafés and seafood restaurants, then stroll the Baywalk beside the water.

Day 19

Boracay Island Philippines, Philippines

Boracay is small enough to cross in an afternoon, yet its white-sand shoreline invites a slower pace. White Beach runs roughly four kilometres, with three stations and distinct moods. Beyond the beach, take a boat to snorkel, sail at sunset, or seek quieter coves. Arrivals usually come through Caticlan, followed by a short ferry crossing. Choose your hours well: mornings are calm, while evenings bring the island’s beachfront dining to life.

Day 20

Manila, Philippines

Manila asks you to look beyond its traffic and modern skyline. Inside Intramuros, Spanish-era walls enclose stone churches, leafy courtyards and Fort Santiago, where Philippine history feels close at hand. Nearby, the National Museum complex displays Filipino art and heritage. Make time for a meal of adobo or fresh seafood, then watch sunset over Manila Bay. This is a port best explored with a clear plan—and room for discovery.

Day 23

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Nha Trang is Vietnam’s celebrated seaside city, set around a sweeping bay of turquoise water and pale sand. Beyond the beach, visit the centuries-old Po Nagar Cham Towers. At Long Son Pagoda, a climb brings broad views across the city. Fresh seafood, lively markets and boat trips to nearby islands make an easy day here. Choose a swim, a bowl of noodle soup, or a quiet hour watching fishing boats cross the bay.

Day 24

Saigon, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City rewards curious travellers with a vivid collision of old Saigon and modern Vietnam. French-colonial landmarks, busy markets and motorbike-filled streets make the centre a study in contrasts. The War Remnants Museum offers a sobering account of the conflict, while local cafés invite a slower pause. For a deeper look at Vietnam’s wartime history, the Cu Chi tunnels make a memorable excursion beyond the city.

Day 27

Singapore, Singapore

Singapore rewards the curious with a rare mix of order, energy and invention. Within a short ride of the waterfront, explore Chinatown’s shophouses, Little India’s temples and Kampong Glam’s Malay heritage. Follow pepper crab and satay aromas into a hawker centre, where local cooks make a persuasive case for lunch. For a quieter hour, Gardens by the Bay pairs dramatic Supertrees with cool conservatories and views across Marina Bay.

Day 29

Klang, Malaysia

Port Klang is Malaysia’s busiest seaport and the practical gateway to Kuala Lumpur, about 40 kilometres inland. Stay nearby to explore Klang’s royal history and lively Little India. Follow the scent of bak kut teh, the peppery pork-and-herb soup that made the town famous. Or head to Kuala Lumpur for grand mosques, markets and city views; allow extra time for traffic.

Day 30

Penang Island Malaysia, Malaysia

Penang is Malaysia at its most layered, where Malay, Chinese, Indian and colonial influences meet on a compact island. In George Town, follow UNESCO-listed streets past painted shophouses, temples and historic clan jetties. Order char kway teow or assam laksa; the island’s hawker food is reason enough to linger. When the heat rises, ride the funicular up Penang Hill for cooler air and sweeping views across the strait. Here, the pleasures are close together, yet never feel hurried.

Day 31

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket rewards a little planning: Thailand’s largest island combines lively beaches with a compact, characterful old town. In Phuket Town, pastel Sino-Portuguese shophouses and cafés offer a quieter counterpoint to the resort coast. Visit Wat Chalong, the island’s best-known Buddhist temple, or take a boat into the limestone scenery of Phang Nga Bay. Choose your day carefully: distances are substantial, and traffic can make short journeys slow.

Day 33

Port Blair, India

Port Blair is the Andaman Islands’ principal port and the starting point for exploring this remote Indian archipelago. At Cellular Jail, cells and exhibits tell the stark story of India’s freedom struggle. Across the harbour, a short ferry ride brings you to Ross Island, where colonial-era ruins stand beneath banyan trees. Stay beyond the day’s excursion, and forested hills, quiet shores and clear waters come within easy reach.

Day 36

Hambantota

Hambantota sits on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, where lagoons, salt pans and open plains shape the landscape. From the port, wildlife reserves and quiet stretches of shoreline invite exploration inland. Yala National Park, known for leopards and elephants, is within reach, while Bundala protects wetlands rich in birdlife. In town, visit the Martello Tower and discover a working southern region beyond Sri Lanka’s better-known hill country.

Day 37

Colombo

Colombo is Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, set between the Indian Ocean and the Kelani River. Its streets move from colonial facades and Buddhist temples to modern cafés, markets, and leafy residential avenues. Visit Gangaramaya Temple, browse the Pettah bazaar, or follow the Galle Face promenade at sunset. Colombo rewards curiosity, but traffic matters; choose a few neighborhoods for your day.

Day 39

Cochin, India

Kochi rewards curious travellers with a rare blend of living history and coastal life. Its harbour has drawn traders for centuries, leaving Portuguese, Dutch and British traces across Fort Kochi. Watch Chinese fishing nets rise against the Arabian Sea, then explore Mattancherry Palace and its celebrated murals. Nearby Jew Town offers spice shops and the Paradesi Synagogue, dating to 1568. Allow time for a ferry ride: water remains the most revealing way to understand this working port.

Day 40

Mangalore, India

Mangalore—officially Mangaluru—is a working port city on Karnataka’s Arabian Sea coast, shaped by trade and the monsoon. Look beyond the waterfront to tiled-roof homes, busy markets, and the vivid interiors of St Aloysius Chapel. Kadri Manjunath Temple offers a glimpse of regional devotion, while nearby beaches open onto the Arabian Sea. Make time for seafood: coconut, tamarind, and red chilli define much of coastal Tulu cooking.

Day 41

Mormugao, India

Your first view of Goa may be Mormugao’s working harbour, but the coast beyond quickly changes the picture. Vasco da Gama sits beside the port, while Panaji and the churches of Old Goa lie inland. South Goa’s long beaches offer a gentler counterpoint to the region’s Portuguese and Indian heritage. Explore a UNESCO-listed church or browse a spice market. Then linger over seafood beside the Arabian Sea.

Day 42

Mumbai, India

Mumbai greets you at full volume: ambitious, layered and unmistakably alive. From the Gateway of India, the waterfront opens onto a city shaped by trade, migration and cinema. Colonial façades stand beside markets, temples and modern towers. Visit Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a UNESCO-listed railway landmark, then wander Colaba’s busy lanes. Irani cafés and coastal seafood offer a delicious introduction to Mumbai’s distinctive food culture.

Day 46

Khasab, Oman

Khasab sits on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, where limestone mountains meet the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Traditional dhows thread inlets known as the “fjords of Arabia,” passing quiet villages beneath sheer cliffs. On shore, Khasab Fort offers a concise introduction to local history and Omani architecture. Take a boat trip for mountain scenery and a chance to spot dolphins, though sightings are never assured.

Day 47

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abu Dhabi pairs the confidence of a modern capital with the measured pace of the Gulf. At the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, white marble, intricate mosaics and vast courtyards make a visit memorable. The Louvre Abu Dhabi brings world art beneath Jean Nouvel’s striking, latticed dome. Along the Corniche, a waterfront promenade opens views across the city’s islands and calm blue water.

Day 48

Dubai, UAE

Dubai makes a striking first impression, but its older quarters reward a slower look. Visit Al Fahidi’s wind-tower lanes, then cross Dubai Creek by abra to see the city’s trading heritage. Elsewhere, the Burj Khalifa rises above Downtown, while the Gold and Spice souks bring color and commerce to Deira. Choose your day deliberately: Dubai’s distances are considerable, and summer heat can make outdoor sightseeing demanding.

Victoria Australia Cruise from Melbourne to Dubai — 48 Days