Aussies book ahead and want the best cabins, cruise data shows

Australians are taking a new approach to cruise holidays. 

New data from Cruise Guru reveals Aussies are booking bigger cabins, planning ahead and prioritising value. 

The new booking data released by Cruise Guru, one of Australia’s leading cruise specialists, has revealed major shifts in how cruise holidays are being planning and purchased. 

There is record demand for balcony cabins, signals that customers are planning further ahead and a renewed appetite for value-adds. 

Australians are continuing to book up, with balcony cabins now the most popular choice across all the  major cruise lines.

Cruise Guru booking data shows 48% of travellers booked balcony cabins and 11% booked suites in 2025, while inside cabin bookings were down across some cruise lines.

Cruise Guru CCO Michael Betteridge says this reflects a “quality over quantity” mindset.

“Aussies tend to love the fun and excitement of cruising but also want their own private sanctuary, views and the comfort that upgraded cabins offer," Betteridge says. 

"They see cruising as the best of both worlds and they’re willing to invest in that experience.”

Cruise Guru’s data shows a shift toward value-bundled fares.

“What we’re seeing is a shift from reactive buying to intentional planning," Betteridge says. "Customers are weighing total trip value, not just the headline price. Bundled inclusions succeed because they reduce decision fatigue and give travellers a sense of financial control over a trip that might be a year or more away.” 

Forward planning is also popular with an average lead time overall of around nine months. 

“While we have seen last-minute cruising demand, many itineraries are filled already," Cruise Guru reported. 

"We can see our Aussie clients planning more strategically. The desire to secure the right ship, the right itinerary, and the right cabin is pushing bookings further out. Customers have learned that waiting may mean missing out.”

Contact 13 13 03 to learn more or visit www.cruiseguru.com.au.

Image: Giuseppe Anello, Scop.io

New reasons to avoid the United States of Lunacy

The United States is becoming increasingly - and dangerously - unstable.

Emboldened after being given a made-up "peace" award by a corrupt sporting organisation, Mad King Donald - the Titan of Tariffs - becomes crazier by the day.

From blowing up ships he thinks might be transporting drugs, allowing ICE goons to harass US citizens going about their legal business, to threatening to close down media organisations whose views he dislikes, the Trumpster is taking US dangerously close to the brink of dictatorship.

His teams of various drunks, warmongers, genocide enablers and sex pests blatantly ignore international laws and conventions.

This is “the land of the free”, where criminals, conmen, sexists and pardoned drug dealers thrive.

Pardons are dangled in front of would-be donors and jackbooted thugs wearing face masks legally roam the streets.

Oh. And the price gouge is on across the country ahead of the 2026 World Cup - and eyes are firmly fixed on how to get hands on Venezuela's oil riches.

The rest of the world looks on aghast - but too petrified to speak out.

Now Agent Orange’s administration is moving to dramatically expand digital screening for foreign visitors - potentially further damaging an already ailing tourism industry.

The Trumpian administration this week proposed a new rule that would require virtually all tourists entering the United States to disclose five years of social media activity, along with extensive personal and family information.

The plan, published in a Federal Register notice by the increasingly emboldened US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), would apply to arrivals from every country.

This would then include those currently eligible to enter without a visa through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Among nations benefiting of the ESTA are Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, most European Union countries and the UK.

Traditionallly allies, in other words.

Under the proposal, applicants would be required to submit usernames associated with all social media platforms used in the past five years, as well as all phone numbers and email addresses from the same period.

CBP also seeks to collect detailed information about close family members, including names, birth dates, birthplaces, addresses, and phone numbers.

The disclosures, described in the notice as “mandatory,” would mark a major expansion of digital vetting for tens of millions of travelers from countries.

Heaven forbid if you should be critical of a US politician. 

The (US) public has until February 9 to submit comments about the proposals. The rest of us should shut up. America First. 

The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the proposal when asked by various media outlets.

But the move comes amid a sweeping hard-line turn on immigration and border controls since the tanned/sleepy one took over the US presidency last January.

Tourism industry officials have warned the latest measures could deliver another blow to an already weakened sector.

International travel to the US has fallen sharply since early 2025. It is no mystery as to why.

To Japan's ski slopes from Australia via Bali

Take an Australian chef who has worked in Bali and then place him in Japan's hottest ski resort.

Masonry Japan opens on December 12 in Niseko with head chef Tom Jack at the helm.

Jack has honed his craft alongside kitchen legend Ben Cross in Bali and at Japanese-influenced kitchens in Australia,

He will lead the new opening from the Bali-born restaurant group that is known for its Mediterranean wood-fired cooking.

Masonry Japan will be located at the ski-in, ski-out Niseko Kyo Condo Hotel in Upper Hirafu.

“Having worked closely with Tom in our Bali venues, and knowing his background in kitchens shaped by Japanese flavours [including Shōbōsho in Adelaide and hôntô in Brisbane], he brings a clarity and balance that is right for Niseko," says Cross.

"The restaurant brings an easy warmth to the region, built for long lunches, lively après ski drinks and evenings that roll on

"Guests can expect an a la carte lunch, and set menu experience at dinner. Dishes are shaped by local produce, including the richness of Hokkaido milk, winter seafood and the fragrance of mountain herbs, all brought into focus through fire."

Menu highlights include house-made halloumi using Hokkaido milk with buckwheat honey and kombu; yellowfin tuna crudo with smoked egg yolk and citrus; giant Hokkaido scallops cooked gently over fire with seaweed butter, and Furano Wagyu striploin with mandarin kosho.

Also think wood-fried king crab with dashi brown butter; and miso and Hokkaido milk ice cream with 
winter honey.

Bar director Zac de Git, previously of Tippling Club Singapore, has created a cocktail list that moves between familiar favourites and drinks shaped for the colder climate.

Niseko Kyo Hotel Upper Hirafu, Kutchan, Hokkaido 044-0082, Japan 

https://www.nisekokyo.com/

Organic wine pioneers mark 30 years

McLaren Vale and the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia are today hotbeds of organic viticulture.

Thirty years ago Joch Bosworth and Louise Hemsely-Smith caused quite a stir when they were the first vignerons in the region to take the organic route.

Bosworth Wines – the first certified organic producer in McLaren Vale – is celebrating 30 years since embarking on the conversion to organic in 1995.

Their ahead-of-its-time decision has helped shape McLaren Vale develop into Australia’s leading region for organic viticulture. It is now home to the highest concentration of certified organic and biodynamic vineyards in the country.

When Joch Bosworth began transitioning his family vineyards to organic methods in 1995, organic wine was virtually unheard of in Australia.

He devised many of his own practical strategies - from adapting traditional machinery (the old-fashioned dodge plough) to avoid herbicides and championing the humble soursob as a natural weed suppressant.

“When we began converting to organics in ’95, there was no roadmap,” Joch says in his media release. “McLaren Vale’s climate suited it, I wasn’t keen on chemicals, and it simply felt like the right direction for the vineyards. So, we made a start and worked it out as we went.”

Today, nearly 38% of McLaren Vale’s vineyard area is certified organic or biodynamic.

This regional shift reflects the influence of early adopters like Bosworth Wines, who continue to earn national accolades.

Co-owner Hemsley-Smith says the region’s evolution is one of the most rewarding legacies of their early organic decision.

“Back then, going organic definitely raised a few eyebrows. Now it strengthens the whole region,” she says.

“I’m proud that our choice helped set McLaren Vale on a path that’s been positive for the vineyards, the soils and the wines. Seeing more growers adopting organics isn’t competition – it’s progress.”

As Bosworth Wines marks this milestone, the family remains focused on the future: exploring climate-appropriate varieties, deepening their sustainability practices, and supporting the next generation.

Their daughter Celia has just completed her third year of winemaking studies at the University of Adelaide, while Peggy, 18, worked her first cellar-door shift last weekend. 

See https://bosworthwines.com.au/

A new Australian gin with an Asian accent

Australian cuisine has long been shaped by Asian flavours. 

From Chinese migration in the 1950s to the rise of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean flavours, our palates have enjoyed bold flavours.

Now vibrant Asian accents are now making their mark behind the bar.

Sydney distiller Saint Juniper has unveiled a new gin in time for the summer holidays: Red Lime Gin (No. 5).

This aromatic gin “captures the evolution of Australia’s palate, where native botanicals sit comfortably alongside south-east Asian ingredients”. 

It’s a flavour story told in citrus and spice, bright yet balanced, familiar yet fresh, says founder Paul Walton, who hails “a vivid expression of red fingerlime, ginger, lemongrass and kaffir leaf - the perfect marriage of citrus and spice". 

“Elegant yet refreshing, it shines equally in a crafted cocktail or a simple G&T with lime and a ribbon of ginger," he adds

“Red Lime Gin is a meeting of cultures distilled, complex, contemporary, and distinctly Saint Juniper. It brings native citrus together with the warmth and fragrance of south-east Asia, creating something that feels both familiar and entirely our own.”

Each Saint Juniper gin is numbered and distilled in micro batches using Dutch-built distilling equipment. 

Red Lime Gin joins the collection as No. 5, alongside the Original Dry, Citrus Contemporary, Raspberry & Hibiscus Pink and Mediterranean Gin.

The RRP is $69. See saintjuniper.com.au

The perfect hat for an Australian summer?

It's summer in Australia.

You need a cold drink, a tasty snack and spot in the sun.

Oh and a good hat to protect you from those nasty rays when dining al fresco.

In a country where UV levels soar and travel is part of our DNA, it’s fitting that Flexibraid hats were invented in Australia.

These stylish hats feature a world-first braiding technique that "embodies performance, protection and packability by fusing fashion, function and feature-packed design".

My wife has been testing out a Tina M Copenhagen Bahama Fedora that looks very stylish (like the one above).

So why?

Each Flexibraid hat is lightweight, breathable, crush-resistant, UPF50+ rated, rain-resistant, colour fast, wind-resistant and packable.

The clever design means it can lie flat in a suitcase and spring back into perfect shape on arrival.

The promo material boasts Flexibraid hats can be stored anywhere your journey takes you – from caravan drawer to glove box, from boat cabin to airline carry-on.

The hats are certified by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) for UPF50+ protection, and every Flexibraid hat also features a ComfyFit internal size adjuster for a wind-resistant custom fit.

Wearing the right hat can be a key factor in staying safe from the sun.

Invented in 2017 by Rigon Headwear, an Australian family-owned company based on the NSW Central Coast, Flexibraid is the unifying thread woven across several brands:

# Tina M Copenhagen: Danish-inspired design meets Australian sensibility; elegant, minimal, sophisticated and timeless.

# ooGee Australia: Enduring design made for life outdoors; simplicity that lasts, embodying the strength and spirit of our country.

# Evoke Headwear: Performance-driven designs for golfers (some styles feature a built-in ball marker), travellers and open-air adventures.

A very nifty Christmas present option.

See www.flexibraid.com.au