Enjoy an unforgettable 10-night cruise through pristine wilderness and colonial history in Tasmania
The Tasmania cruises run by Coral Expeditions explore the Australia island state at the meeting point of the Southern, Indian and Pacific oceans. The pristine wilderness and national parks here teem with wildlife and rugged mountain ranges meet the sea with soaring coastal cliffs and crescent beaches carved by the elements.
Amid this natural backdrop is intriguing colonial history, underpinned by a convict heritage and historic sites. Follow in the footsteps of colonial explorers to far-flung reaches of the island where tales of maritime adventures abound, preserved streetscapes are living museums, and world-class artists find inspiration at every turn.
Shaped by a climate straddling the Roaring Forties latitudes, the Apple Isle has verdant valleys and hills of fertile pastures, vineyards and orchards. Emerging from centuries-old cellar doors and farm gates are award-winning cheeses, premium wines, craft beers and artisanal spirits inspired by the ample natural assets of Tasmania.
Cruise to the edge of the world on the premium Coral Discoverer on an expedition that unites wombats with wine, beaches with brie, and convict ruins with craft beer in a palate-pleasing adventure cruise into the wild heart of Tasmania.
Highlights
Spend two full days exploring the wilderness areas in Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour
Hike to Wineglass Bay and The Hazards in Freycinet National Park
Learn about the history of Maria Island as a penal colony
Visit Port Arthur, a Unesco World Heritage site
Admire dramatic 985ft (300m) tall coastal cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula
Taste the fresh farm-gate produce and cool-climate wines of Tasmania at an onboard event
Spot fur seals, wombats and wallabies in national parks
Visit the Wooden Boat Centre and learn about the proud maritime heritage of Tasmania
Cruise aboard the Coral Discoverer, a premium vessel
Key Information
Accommodation: 10 Premium nights (cruise boat)
All meals while on the ship
Beer, house wine, spirits, juices and soft drinks during lunch and dinner
All excursions and sightseeing
Daily lectures and briefings
Countries visited: Australia
What's Included
Premium accommodation on board the Coral Discoverer
All excursions and sightseeing
Use of Xplorer and Zodiacs
Daily lectures and briefings
All meals, chef-prepared on board
Selected wines, beers, and spirits with juices, and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner
Coffee and selection of teas
All entrance fees to national parks and ports, including Traditional Owner Fees
Tips and gratuities for guides and crew
A departure transfer from the ship to Hobart city or airport
Named tour leaders, all chosen for their extensive experience and great customer feedback
What's Not Included
Pre and post flights, pre- and post-cruise accommodation
Travel insurance
Arrival transfers
Entry visas to Australia
Vaccinations
Items of a personal nature including but not limited to phone and internet communications and bar charges (outside of the included drinks package as highlighted), laundry charges and souvenir purchases
Sustainability and Impact
At Exodus, we thrive on travel, and we firmly believe our adventures should help destinations thrive too.
As a certified B Corp, we aim to take a ‘nature positive’ approach across our adventures, including carbon and waste reduction, animal welfare and support for rewilding and conservation. We also seek to contribute to local communities, providing economic opportunity and empowerment.
Board your Coral Expeditions small ship at Hobart’s Princes Wharf at 4pm where there is time to settle into your stateroom before our 5pm departure. Take time to acquaint yourself with the facilities before meeting your fellow travellers, the captain and crew at the Captain’s Welcome Drinks.
The captain and expedition team will make daily itinerary decisions to maximise the guest experience and take advantage of opportunities opened by the weather. There will be a daily briefing onboard to advise guests on the day’s activities. The expedition will visit Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour, conditions permitting. We always aim to visit these beautiful destinations, but if we are not able to enter, an alternative destination more appropriate to the weather conditions will be chosen by the captain. Please note, the summer temperature can still be very cool especially with the wind chill so warm, layered clothing is essential.
Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer
Meals included: Dinner
Days
2 - 10
Days 2 to 10 – key destinations
No two Tasmania cruises with Coral Expeditions will be the same as each expedition is crafted by our experienced Masters and Expedition Leaders, allowing us to quickly respond to favourable weather conditions to offer you the very best of the flora, fauna and wild coastline. Below are the key destinations we visit:
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon River
The sheltered waters of the Huon River allow us to visit the Wooden Boat Centre at Franklin where Tasmania’s maritime heritage is kept alive through the production of hand-crafted timber boats.
Grandvewe Cheeses is an organic sheep dairy farm there will be time to learn about the cheesemaking process as well as taste their ‘ewenique’ sheep’s whey vodka at the Cellar Door overlooking D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour
On the edge of the world in southwest Tasmania, the landscape here is about as wild as it gets. Raw, craggy-peaked mountains and drowned river valleys. Wild rivers and rivulets carved by an eternity. Where tannin-rich freshwater sits atop saltwater, tinting the ocean the colour of tea. With no road access, the logical way to explore this wilderness is by small expedition ship.
Sheltered from Roaring Forties winds that buffet this coast is the protected haven of Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour. A marine reserve and part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, we spend two whole days (weather permitting) enjoying this rare opportunity to hike, kayak and take in this pristine natural environment. We explore by Xplorer tender vessels and learn about intrepid European explorers and Indigenous Australians, who once walked this land and keep a lookout for the rare and endangered Orange Bellied Parrot amongst other wildlife.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Bruny Island and Adventure Bay
At Adventure Bay on the east coast of Bruny Island, we walk along the dramatic coastal cliffs of Fluted Cape and hope to see Bennett’s Wallabies which are endemic to Bruny Island. Cruising the base of these near-vertical dolerite cliffs in our Xplorer tender vessels, we take a close look at Penguin Island, which is connected to Fluted Cape at low tide.
Learn about how southern right whales were almost hunted to extinction and Adventure Bay housed four whaling stations before the industry’s decline in the mid-1840s. The ruins can be seen on a walk to Grassy Point.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Maria Island National Park
Maria Island can be referred to as a Noah’s Ark for native Tasmanian species. The Maria Island National Park provides an ideal sanctuary, and is one of the best places in Australia to observe endemic birdlife as well as wombats, Cape Barren geese, Forester Kangaroos, Bennett’s Wallabies, and pademelons.
Stroll amongst the ruins and beautifully restored buildings of the Darlington convict settlement and take a walk to the striking formations of the Painted Cliffs, where rich iron deposits have stained the sandstone cliffs with coloured streaks of red, purple and orange. With ample time at Maria Island, we also have the opportunity to do the Fossil Cliffs walk and the Reservoir circuit.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Freycinet National Park and Schouten Island
The Freycinet Peninsula is a dramatic headland dominated by a pink-hued granite mountain range called the Hazards. Blessed with picturesque sweeping bays with white sand beaches like famed Wineglass Bay, much of the peninsula is designated as Freycinet National Park.
Take a guided hike along the Isthmus Track and be rewarded with magnificent views from the lookout or swim in the azure waters of Wineglass Bay. Cruising close to Ile des Phoques and Schouten Island, keep an eye out for large colonies of fur seals sunning themselves on the rocks.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Port Arthur Historic Site
One of Australia’s most significant historic places, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur ruins stand sentinel on the Tasman Peninsula south of the narrow isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck. For more than 40 years the Port Arthur penal colony housed British and Australian convicts sentenced to hard labour before its heavy iron doors clanked shut for the last time in 1877.
Today, the Historic Site has over 30 buildings, ruins and restored period homes set in 100 acres of landscaped grounds. In the company of Port Arthur’s knowledgeable guides, join a tour of this site.
Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
11
Arrive Hobart
Disembark in Hobart at 8am. A post-cruise transfer from the ship to Hobart city or airport is included.
Meals included: Breakfast
Essential Info
Is this trip for you?
This trip is graded Activity Level 1 (Easy) with a Wildlife Rating of Three. Visit our Activity Level Guidelines page for more on our trip gradings or our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
This premium adventure is a 10-night/11-day cruise operated by Coral Expeditions. The day-to-day itinerary is indicative. No two cruises with Coral Expeditions are the same, with each expedition crafted by experienced Masters and Expedition Leaders. Throughout the expedition there may be the need to make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. Coral Expeditions suggests you do not arrive on the day of embarkation or depart on the day of disembarkation due to any changes that may occur in scheduling.
Please refer to the below that are applicable to this Coral Expeditions cruise:
Standard booking conditions
A 20 percent deposit of your total booking value is required upon confirmation and is non-refundable
Final balance must be paid 90 days before departure for bookings made before August 2024.
As of August 2024 Final Balance must be paid 104 days before departure.
Cancellation conditions
Up to 90 days prior to departure: Forfeit the 20 percent non-refundable deposit
60 to 89 days prior to departure: Forfeit 50 percent of the relevant fare
At 59 to 0 days prior to departure: Forfeit 100 percent of the relevant fare
Joining Instructions
Day1: Embark: Board your Coral Expeditions small ship at Hobart’s Princes Wharf at 4pm where there is time to settle into your stateroom before our 5pm departure.
Day 11: Disembark: Disembark in Hobart at 8am. A post-cruise transfer from the ship to Hobart city or airport is included.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Hobart Location end: Hobart
Vaccinations and Health
Australia
There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, and rabies (bat lyssavirus). You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission (with the exception of the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador). Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
Passport
Remember to check the expiration date of your passport if travelling internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return.
Visa
Australia
Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) to enter Australia. Please note, entry requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas or ETAs for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
Meals: All meals are fresh and chef-prepared onboard
Tea and coffee: 24-hour barista-style coffee and tea station
Beverages: Selected wines, beers, juices, soft drinks and selected spirits are served complimentary with lunch and dinner. Drinks are available for purchase at other times.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Start your day with a tempting choice from a fresh continental or hot à la carte menu with options changing daily.
Lunches include a selection of hot and cold dishes, from salads and cold cuts to soups, fresh local seafood and seasonal tropical fruits both individually plated and small sharing plates.
Evenings are a convivial time to dine with new friends and reflect on an exciting day of discovery over dinner. We welcome you onboard with a seafood-sharing concept dinner on the first night. Other evening meals are served over a three-course table d’hote dinner menu, when selections are offered as you enjoy table service from the friendly dining room staff.
All Coral Expeditions feature a memorable pre-dinner event ashore where sunset drinks and canapés are served, often on a beach, and always in a beautiful location with a sunset view. These casual sundowners are hosted by the captain and are the perfect time to kick off your shoes and enjoy a beer, wine or cocktail while mingling with fellow guests in a relaxed atmosphere.
Lunch and dinner are accompanied by a curated beverage list featuring boutique Australian and New Zealand wines, beers and ciders.
Each voyage, the captain hosts a Captain’s Table for invited guests and ship officers will endeavour to host dinner guests on an evening when operational matters allow.
On-board beverages
Lunch and dinner are accompanied by a curated beverage list; each evening, sunset drinks are held on the Vista Deck (weather permitting) where guests relax or socialise before dinner. Each voyage, the captain hosts a welcome and farewell event with complimentary canapés and beverages.
Drinks are complimentary during official captain’s welcome and farewell events and the offshore sunset drinks. We invite guests to join the pre-dinner drinks at other times, but alcoholic beverages during these times will be at your own expense.
Sustainability in food and beverage
Across the Coral Expedition fleet, they are continually looking for ways to improve sustainability to reduce waste, partner with more organic and Fairtrade suppliers, and deliver a food and beverage experience inline with expedition roots and beliefs. They have successfully implemented measures to remove PC plastics and reduce packaging waste in their food and beverage supply chain. Since 2020, Coral Expeditions offer a selection of ecofriendly, Fairtrade and organic beverage products including:
Veneziano Coffee: 100 percent fairtrade and Australian certified organic by the Biological Farmers Association
Tablelands Coffee Black Mountain: Grown locally in Mareeba, Cairns Tablelands of Far North Queensland
JUST Water: Packaged in reusable recycled paper-based containers with a lid made from sugar cane in Far North Queensland. Made in Australia with water from Victoria.
Snacks and pre-dinner canapés
In between shore adventures, the chefs will welcome you back on board with freshly baked treats or delicious canapés to accompany pre-dinner or sunset drinks. When local regulations allow, there may be the chance for impromptu stops to enjoy sunset drinks and canapés in scenic locations.
Special meal requirements
Vegetarian, vegans, gluten- and dairy-free items are included in all menus. The chefs will happily cater to other special dietary requirements with advance notice. Please advise at time of booking.
Weather
Tasmania has four distinct seasons with the warmest months being December to March. The average maximum daily summer temperatures are between 17C and 23C (63F and 73F) and winter daily temperatures sit between 3C and 11C (37F and 52F). Rainfall varies dramatically across the island.
Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer
During this premium adventure cruise, you will spend 10 nights on the Coral Discoverer.
Launched in 2005, the Coral Discoverer set a new benchmark of sophistication in expedition cruising. It is a 72-passenger ship built to take you closer to unspoiled vistas in comfort, style and safety. The shallow draught and manoeuvrability of the ship allow it to reach some of the most remote and rarely visited coastlines and islands in Australia. The tender vessel, Xplorer, features a hydraulic lowering system and can seat all 72 passengers for excursions to beaches and rivers. Coral Discoverer is equipped with latest technology active stabilisers to ensure comfortable cruising in open waters and is fitted with modern safety and navigation equipment and wireless internet facilities.
Built to international SOLAS standards and with one aim in mind: to create the ultimate small-ship cruising experience. It’s also Australian flagged and staffed entirely by an Australian and New Zealand crew.
In 2016, a significant upgrade and refresh of the facilities brought the amenities to an even higher level. The Sun Deck, home to the circular Explorer Bar, is the hub of on-board community living. Guest accommodation also received a substantial upgrade with the addition of six Bridge Deck Balcony Staterooms, providing coveted inside-outside living quarters. All other Stateroom grades also received a full upgrade with updated bathroom fixtures, soft furnishings and artwork providing an even more comfortable stay on the Coral Discoverer.
Bridge Deck Balcony Stateroom
Located on the exclusive Bridge Deck close to the Lounge and Bridge
The six spacious Bridge Deck staterooms are 20sqm (215sqft)
Staterooms open onto private balconies for expansive ocean views
Furnished with a sofa, desk, telephone and your choice of junior king or twin bedding
Promenade Deck (Category A) Stateroom
Encircled by a full-ship promenade
The 19 spacious Promenade Deck (Category A) staterooms are 18sqm (195sqft)
Featuring picture windows for expansive ocean views
Furnished with a sofa, desk, telephone and your choice of junior king or twin bedding
Promenade Deck (Category B) Stateroom – sole use only
Located in the bow of the ship and encircled by a full-ship promenade
The two Promenade Deck (Category B) staterooms are 15sqm (160sqft)
Featuring picture windows for expansive ocean views
Furnished with a desk, telephone and junior king bedding
These rooms are allocated for sole use only
Main deck (Category A) Stateroom
Located close to the Dining Room
The six spacious Main Deck (Category A) staterooms are 18sqm (195sqft)
Featuring large, twin porthole windows for expansive ocean views
Furnished with a desk, sofa, telephone and your choice of junior king or twin bedding
Main Deck (Category B) staterooms
Located close to the Dining Room
The three spacious Main Deck (Category B) staterooms are 18sqm (195sqft)
Featuring twin portholes for expansive ocean views
Furnished with a desk, sofa, telephone and your choice of junior king or twin bedding
Specific cabin types can be booked for sole use (subject to availability). Please enquire with your sales representative for further details.
Share Policy
Accommodation on the ship is based on twin-share occupancy. If guests are travelling alone and wish to share accommodation, a roommate will be assigned to your cabin whenever possible. When pairing roommates, we always pair participants of the same sex. Please note, in the event of a share partner not being found, you will be charged the full room rate (double the twin-share fare).
*Please note any date & price adjustments will be displayed on the next step of booking. You will be able to revert back to booking without flights if the options aren't suitable for you.