Choppy Seas Ahead: How to Make the Most of a Cruise with No Destination

Cruising is a classic way to holiday. The stress-free system has you forgo most responsibilities in favour of fun, be it a two-week romp through the Pacific Islands or a midweek run up or down the Australian coastline, there's a leg of voyage suitable to any traveller. In the case of this ocean-bound writer, it was the latter, and I was in for an unfortunate surprise.

Waking on day three of a five-day voyage on the Pacific Adventure to the sight of Moreton Island just out of reach, the passengers were informed that the small transfer boats would be unable to ferry us to the island due to rough seas.

Would you believe the same thing happened on the last Moreton Island cruise I was on mere months earlier? I think that makes me uniquely qualified to answer this next question.

What do you do on a cruise with no destination?

Plan Ahead When Packing

No matter how fine-tuned and considered your itinerary, the universe is unlikely to obey your wishes for the whole trip. When it comes to the weather, you should naturally be planning ahead.  A good book is a must, plus headphones, a portable charger, sunglasses, a lanyard to carry around your cruise card and, probably most importantly, sea sickness medication. If the weather is bad enough for a shore visit to be cancelled, it means there's likely a large swell on the water. Everyone handles motion sickness differently, so a simple travel calm ginger might cut it, but if you need something stronger, the onboard medical centre stocks plenty of the good stuff.

Make Use of the Onboard Itinerary

The serious advantage of cruising is the fact that it's just as much about the journey as it is about the destination. In the case of a Moreton Island cruise from Sydney, you're scheduled for two full days at sea on either side of the shore stop. On our cruise, that became three full days at sea. Our itinerary adapted in a flash, with a fresh day of activities available to replace our cancelled stop by the time we'd finished breakfast.

Exact activities vary on a ship-by-ship basis but almost all vessels share some similarities: pools, gyms, spas, theatres, arcades and lounges. You can choose to spend your time however you'd like, be it a visit to the spa, catching a comedy show or theatre act, or kicking back on the outer decks. Every night while you're at dinner, a new itinerary is left in your room for the following day.

On board the Pacific Adventure, we kept our sea days busy with shopping and reading mostly. One evening was spent with In Pour Taste, a comedy show crossed with a wine tasting, helmed by Melbourne comedy duo Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh. The following day saw us hit the spa and the Byron Beach Club. Then on the final day, we took a cocktail mixing class and watched the wildly raucous Blanc De Blanc Uncorked cabaret show after dinner.

Dine Differently Every Day

You're massively spoiled for choice with dining while onboard a cruise ship. Buffet dining is typically the easiest choice for breakfast, with no extra cost and a great variety of dishes on offer. Come lunchtime, there are several options. The Pacific Adventure includes Luke's Burger Bar, which serves up the finest surf shack-style feeds you can get at sea.

When day rolls into night, cruise ships open up multiple venues for dinner. In the case of Pacific Adventure, Waterfront Restaurant is a reliable go-to and Angelo's offers a fine-dining spin, as does Luke's Bar and Grill (the sibling of the burger bar, both created by restaurateur Luke Mangan).

Alec Jones

For more specific cuisines, there's a great mix of Italian dishes available at P&O Trattoria, or you can enjoy high-end Asian eats at Dragon Lady. Plus, since this is almost like a floating resort, you can always opt to stay in your room and order room service instead.

Pacific Adventure is also home to 13 bars and nightclubs — from easily accessible spots like the Adventure Hotel (think quintessential Aussie pub but floating) to more out-of-the-way attractions like the onboard speakeasy The Bonded Store and Altitude Nightclub, where you can get a drink and have a boogie at the highest point on the whole vessel.

Don't let naysayers dissuade you. A cruise with no destination is entirely survivable. Take it from us. Check any cynicism at the door (or gangplank, in this case), and you'll have a great time.

In early 2025 P&O's Pacific Adventure, along with Pacific Encounter, will be integrating into the Carnival Fleet, becoming Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter. While sailing under new names both ships will continue to offer the same great holiday experience. Voyages from now until 2026 are available to book via pocruises.com.au.

Concrete Playground was invited on the Sydney to Tangalooma cruise by the P&O Group. Images courtesy of the P&O Group.