Whether you’re departing or arriving in Sydney, you’ll be surrounded by icons. The Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House provide the perfect backdrop for all your selfies. A Carnival cruise is guaranteed to provide your family with fun, unbelievable memories all at great value.

Things to see, do and experience on Sydney Cruises
Sydney rewards you from the moment your ship rounds North Head and sails into the harbour. Whether you're spending a day in port or bookending a longer Australian cruise with a night or two in the city, there's plenty to fill the time.

A Sydney Harbour cruise is the classic introduction, gliding beneath the Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House sails while a local guide points out landmarks along the foreshore. Taronga Zoo sits right on the harbour's edge, with koalas, giraffes and a cable car ride back towards the CBD. Further afield, a full-day Blue Mountains tour trades the harbour for eucalypt forest, sandstone cliffs and the Three Sisters rock formation.

Exploring independently, start at Circular Quay for coffee before wandering through The Rocks, Sydney's oldest quarter, with its sandstone lanes and weekend markets. Darling Harbour and the Royal Botanic Garden are an easy walk from the ship, and Bondi Beach is a short taxi or bus ride away.

If you are cruising from Sydney
Make time to enjoy Sydney before you sail, from the Harbour Bridge climb to the laneway bars of the CBD. Cruises depart from the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay or White Bay Cruise Terminal. If you're travelling from further afield, arriving a day or two early takes the pressure off embarkation day. Once on board, head out on deck as the ship sails beneath the Harbour Bridge and the skyline slips away behind you.

If you are cruising to Sydney
Arriving in Sydney by cruise gives you one of the great entrances in travel. As your ship sails through the Heads and up the harbour, watch for the Opera House sails and Harbour Bridge coming into view. Once you dock, head straight into the city to explore The Rocks, Darling Harbour and the CBD, or join a shore excursion further afield. If Sydney is the end of your cruise, consider staying a night or two before heading home.

Sydney food and flavours to savour on your Sydney cruise
A Sydney cruise is also a chance to eat your way around one of the world's great food cities, and the harbour is just the beginning.

Start at the Sydney Fish Market, where you can pick a fresh Sydney rock oyster or a paper tray of prawns and eat them dockside with the boats bobbing behind you. Chinatown on Dixon Street serves everything from steaming yum cha to late-night noodle bars, while Newtown's King Street is Sydney's most eclectic strip, with Thai, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern kitchens sitting side by side with old-school pubs. For a harbourside setting, Barangaroo and Walsh Bay pair waterfront views with everything from wood-fired pizza to fine dining.

Coffee culture runs deep here too. Surry Hills and Redfern are dotted with small-batch roasters and laneway cafes serving flat whites that locals will happily argue about for hours. For something sweet, a slice of lamington or a warm scone from one of the city's heritage bakeries rounds things out nicely. Carnival's onboard menus also spotlight Australian produce during Sydney sailings, so the flavours of the harbour city travel with you well past the Heads.

Plan your cruise from Sydney with Carnival
Your next adventure starts right here in Sydney Harbour. Whether you’re dreaming of Fijian sunsets, New Zealand fjords or a laid-back coastal sail, there’s a Carnival itinerary departing from Sydney that fits. Browse our latest cruises from Sydney, compare sailings and book your cruise today.