24 January

French Polynesia: Uturoa (Raietea Island)

25 January - At sea

26 January

Cook Islands: Rarotonga

Surrounded by kaleidoscopic reefs, white sand beaches and beautifully blue waters, Rarotonga is exactly what most of us picture when we think of the South Pacific. The lagoon is ideally suited to snorkelling and scuba diving, while the island itself is home to ancient sacred sites and pretty coral churches.

27 January - At sea

28 January

American Samoa: Pago Pago

The little fishing town of Pago Pago is the capital of American Samoa, a rarely visited but utterly enchanting archipelago in the South Pacific. Pago Pago sits on a beautiful natural bay on the island of Tutuila, a lush and mountainous place where Polynesian traditions remain strong.

29 January to 30 January - At sea

31 January

Tonga: Vava'u

The Vava’u group of islands is part of the Kingdom of Tonga, the last surviving Polynesian monarchy and the only South Pacific nation never to have been colonised by Europeans. Vava’u is idyllic but also authentic, and is one of the best places in the region to see humpback whales during their annual migration between May and October.

1 February - At sea

2 February

Fiji: Savusavu

Savusavu is the main town on Vanua Levu, a much sleepier and less developed island than nearby Viti Levu. Explore a volcanic landscape of hot springs, mangrove forests and spectacular waterfalls, snorkel amongst colourful coral reefs, visit bustling local markets and look out for spinner and bottlenose dolphins.

3 February

Fiji: Port Denarau

4 February

Fiji: Lautoka

Lautoka is Fiji’s second largest city, known as the ‘Sugar City’ due to its important role in the local sugarcane industry. The waterfront area is pleasant enough, but we’d recommend using Lautoka as a jumping off point to visit some of the smaller surrounding islands, or the forests and waterfalls of the interior.

5 February - At sea

6 February

Vanuatu: Mystery Island

Mystery Island, or Inyeug as it is known locally, is a small uninhabited island at the southern edge of the Vanuatu archipelago. There are no roads, no electricity and no hotels here, just idyllic white sands and tranquil tropical waters that are perfect for swimming and snorkelling.

7 February

New Caledonia: Nouméa

Nouméa is the capital of New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the South Pacific. The city is cosmopolitan and sophisticated, home to lovely little bistros and chic boutiques, providing quite a contrast to the rugged landscapes of the surrounding countryside.

8 February to 10 February - At sea

11 February

Australia: Cairns

Cairns is a buzzing tourist hub, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. A snorkelling trip out to the reef is the most obvious excursion to take here, but other options include riding the Skyrail cableway over the rainforest canopy or swimming in the croc-free saltwater lagoon.

12 February

Australia: Townsville

Sunny Townsville is a great introduction that everything that Queensland has to offer, sandwiched between palm-fringed beach and rugged outback. It’s a friendly and walkable city, with a fascinating museum and an aquarium that gives you a taste of the Great Barrier Reef.

13 February

Australia: Airlie Beach

The lively town of Airlie Beach is backpacker central, and serves as a transport hub for the many offshore attractions of the east coast. From here you can take a trip out to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, or visit the stunning tropical beaches of the nearby Whitsunday Islands.

14 February - At sea

15 February

Australia: Mooloolaba

The wonderfully named Mooloolaba stretches along a beautiful golden beach on Queensland’s idyllic Sunshine Coast, and it’s a popular destination for a weekend escape from Brisbane. The seafront Esplanade is the place to be, lined with cafés, boutiques and upmarket restaurants.

16 February - At sea

17 February to 18 February

Arriving in Sydney

One or our favourite cities in the world, we love pretty much everything about Sydney. Offering outdoor living at its best, the city is known for the excellent beaches but offers so much more, including a thriving and varied food scene inspired by Asian and European flavours.