How Long Does It Take to Get to Australia by Boat?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 09, 2020

Getting to Australia by boat can take several hours, several days or even weeks, depending on the type of boat, its speed and the point of origin. On a cruise ship, the most realistic time frame is at least a week.

The shortest distance between Australia and anywhere else is Papua New Guinea via the Torres Strait, and theoretically, this route could be traveled in only a few hours, though there are no scheduled services between the two countries. Two scheduled cruises offered as of 2015 are a 40-day cruise from Southampton via various European and African ports, and an 18-day cruise from Hawaii via New Zealand and French Polynesia. A cruise to New Caledonia offered by P&O can make the journey in as little as three or four days.