Hello friends! March came and went – it felt like time passed much faster while we were “down under.” That being said, I have so, so much to share about our family trip to Australia. For starters: everything about our cruise!
As I’d mentioned previously, we booked a cruise that would take us to Cairns, as well as Airlie Beach and Port Douglas. From Brisbane, this was actually the most efficient way for us all to get up the coast in the time we had, and it meant we didn’t spend hours on end driving. Looking back on it, I’m definitely happy with our choice. What made the adventure even better is that my mom and Maggie joined us – I hadn’t been on a trip with my sister in years, so it was definitely time.
Was our cruise relaxing? Sometimes. Was it fun? Absolutely. Did we see the Great Barrier Reef? Spoiler: we did. Here’s a recap of our seven days at sea on the Carnival Luminosa:
Day 1: Depart Brisbane
March 16
We kicked off the trip with a smooth check-in (a huge shout out to the staff that saw our overloaded stroller and escorted us through like VIPs). We boarded the ship, found our muster station, and made our way to the room. Now, Megan has splurged on some fancy rooms before – see the Havana Club – but this was my first time opting for the upgrade on a cruise. We figured if we were going to be nap trapped once a day, we should at least treat ourselves to a balcony. 😉
After settling in with our things, we explored the ship and had our first dinner in the main dining room. Tyler and our son needed a little rest after all the excitement, so they stayed back. My one year old daughter was living her best life with a plate of spaghetti while the girls enjoyed a nice dinner together. A solid start.
Day 2: Fun Day at Sea
March 17
Nothing says cruise life like waking up early and hitting the breakfast buffet. We had a full day at sea, which meant exploring the ship’s offerings: trivia games (we obviously played Friends and Harry Potter), poolside lounging, Dr. Seuss storytime for the kiddos, and soft-serve cones on repeat for everyone.
Was this the most celebratory St. Patrick’s Day we’ve had on a vacation? No, that title probably goes to Ireland, with Denmark in second. At least everyone wore green! That is until we took our afternoon rest and changed for sunset family photos before dinner. We wrapped the night with a “Dive-In Movie” by the pool featuring Moana 2. As Moana would say, the sea, it calls me.
Day 3: Airlie Beach
March 18
We packed up for our first day ashore and caught the shuttle boat to Airlie Beach. The tropical vibes were slightly dampened by a bit of rain, but we found cover at a breezy bar – appropriately named The Bar – and soaked in the views with a drink in hand.
The little ones ran wild at the Whitsundays Adventure Playground, and we strolled around the beach town before heading back to the ship for lunch and some downtime. Dinner was full of music and dancing, and we wrapped up the night picking out our favorite photos from the night before.
Day 4: Cairns & Green Island
March 19
This was the big one. After docking in Cairns, we joined up with our group tour and took an ~hour-long boat ride to Green Island, which was lush, tropical, and totally gorgeous. Our son was so excited to go for a swim in the crystal blue water, and we had the best time splashing around.
We grabbed lunch at the on-site Canopy Grill, where a bird attempted to share the baby’s food – and she was not about it. After settling her down, we made our way to our glass bottom boat tour. This allowed us to see the Great Barrier Reef up close, as well as tons of wildlife – and two sea turtles! This was my biggest goal for the trip, and considering snorkeling wasn’t in the cards for us, I’m so glad we were able to make it happen.
We made a new American friend on the boat ride back, let the kids go wild at the coolest Fig Tree Playground, then unwound with cold drinks at Hemingway’s Brewery before sailing off again. Peak cruise day.
Day 5: Port Douglas
March 20
After breakfast, we set out to explore Port Douglas, a sleepy beach town with cute shops. We picked up more sunscreen at the pharmacy for our fair skinned crew, then walked up to the Flagstaff Hill lookout for a great playground and even better views of the shore.
Back on board, we hit the buffet and caught a quick nap. We met up for our nightly family dinner, played air hockey in the arcade, and wrapped up the evening with laughs at a PG-rated comedy show. The kiddos were falling asleep in their seats after a long few days of adventuring, so we got them tucked in for the night after that.
Day 6: Scenic Cruising – Willis Island
March 21
We didn’t stop at Willis Island, but cruising past it was really interesting – plus, we got to hear from one of the few people who lives ashore. We spent the day soaking up ship life: ping pong, foosball, arcade, and a much-needed pool session.
We regrouped for family dinner and then had our own in-room movie night featuring The Bad Guys. It was a lovely day aboard.
Day 7: Final Sea Day
March 22
We were firmly in “never want to leave” mode by our final full day – especially the dude, who told us he wanted to stay on the boat forever. After breakfast, we joined in on “Creativity at Sea” for some early morning coloring, then hit the arcade for one last air hockey battle.
We got in some more pool time, a last-minute snack run, and one more Dive-In Movie (The Lorax, a family favorite) wrapped up the evening. The highlight of the day? Definitely the Turtle Trek, a ridiculously adorable crawling race. Our baby girl has perfected her scooting, and she took home second place.
Would I Cruise the Reef Again?
100% yes. This was exactly what our family needed to make getting up and down the Australian coast easy and convenient. We got to see everything we wanted – read: the Great Barrier Reef – without dedicating hours each day to driving on the other side of the road. Instead, we got in a lot more naps (and quality time with the family). Everyone had a really great time, and my mom is already itching to book our next cruise. Maybe we revisit the Mediterranean?