Washed by the Coral Sea, the harbor town of Cairns is located on Australia's northeast coast. The seafront esplanade is a popular place for locals and visitors to walk, swim, and picnic under the shade of swaying palm trees. The hills surrounding Cairns form the gateway to the Queensland Rainforests, proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site for their fauna and flora from the Gondwana era.

Lizard Island is the northernmost resort island on the Great Barrier Reef and boasts 24 powdery white-sand beaches. Dominated by grasslands, the rugged beauty of Lizard Island contrasts sharply with the sparkling blue waters and rich fringing coral reefs surrounding the island. Lizard Island is known as Dyiigurra to the Dingaal Aboriginal people and is regarded as a sacred place. It was used for the initiation of young males and for the harvesting of shellfish, turtles, dugongs, and fish. The Dingaal believe that the Lizard group of islands was created in the Dreamtime. After a short Zodiac ride to the beach at Watson’s Bay, guests can join a guided walk, relax on the beach, or snorkel in the warm clear waters and view the “clam gardens”.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometers along Australia’s tropical East Coast. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Hardy Reef is home to the innovatively designed Reefworld pontoon, ideally situated in shallower waters with protection from the surrounding sea conditions. Be transferred by Zodiac to the pontoon which provides easy access to the aquatic realm either by semi-submersible, underwater viewing chamber, snorkeling or diving. There is also undercover seating and tables, sun decks, freshwater showers, and changing rooms.

The explorer Matthew Flinders described the cove at West Bay on Middle Percy Island as "one of the prettiest little places imaginable". The largest of the three islands in the group, Middle Percy is a favorite stop for cruising yachtsmen en route between the tropical north and southern seas. An A-frame hut on the beach at West Bay is decorated with memorabilia and souvenirs from these yachts. After a short Zodiac ride to the beach at West Bay you can relax on this picture-postcard beach or take a refreshing swim in the clear waters. For the more energetic, there are walking trails where you may catch a glimpse of some of the native and introduced wildlife.

The sunny capital of Queensland awaits on the edge of Moreton Bay on Australia's East coast. Discover the abundance of tropical plants in the nearby Brisbane Botanic Gardens. The Queensland Museum is one of the Queensland Cultural Centre's five cultural venues and one of the city's crown jewels. Delve into local history and find out more about this Australian state's astonishing past. A stone's throw away are the spectacular green spaces of the South Bank Parklands, a contemporary district dotted with restaurants, cafés, and shops.

Nestled around of one of the world’s most beautiful harbors, Sydney is both trendy and classic, urbane yet laid-back. Composed of ocean and light, of sailors and businessmen, this city alone inspires many travelers to visit the “Land Down Under”. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the elegant silhouettes of the Blue Mountains, it encapsulates the Australian way of life: surfing beaches, quiet suburbs, skyscrapers, Victorian cottages, and tropical gardens. Sydney is filled with history and harmoniously blends old-world charm and ultra-modern architecture, with its sail-shaped Opera House which sits alongside the historic district of The Rocks as the Harbour Bridge stretches across the bay. 

Disembark after breakfast and say farewell to your fellow passengers and the crew and start your independent journey back home.