Covering a vast geographical area, Australasia - consisting of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea - is not only hugely diverse in terms of its unique flora and fauna, but is also home to landscapes that are as varied as they are beautiful.

As a result, this area is one of the most stunning destinations imaginable for an Australia or New Zealand cruise, with tropical rainforests in Papua New Guinea and north eastern Australia, stunning beaches, desolate red deserts, snow-capped mountains and glaciers, coral reefs thriving with sea life, and rolling green hills. Alongside this dramatic scenery are cosmopolitan cities which effortlessly blend their colonial history with a relaxed charm and a café culture that rivals that of Italy.

The largest of the world's oceans, the Pacific covers just under 64 million square miles, making up nearly half of the Earth's water surface. As you can imagine, crossing such a vast ocean on a Pacific cruise involves several days at sea, however there are many cruise options for a more in-depth exploration of the paradise islands that are scattered throughout, from the electric blue waters of Tahiti to the volcanic islands of Hawaii.

An ideal winter escape, typically longer Pacific, Australia and New Zealand cruises and itineraries allow time to recover from the journey although we'd recommend you break the flight with a few days in either Asia or the US.