Melbourne-based cruise specialists with over six decades of experience. We represent 60+ cruise lines across every style of ocean, river, and expedition cruising — and we've sailed the lines ourselves to make sure we get it right.
Pan Australian Travel was established in the late 1950s — before jet travel had replaced ocean liners as the standard way to cross the world. We've operated continuously through every era of modern cruising: the transition from liners to purpose-built cruise ships in the 1970s, the expansion of luxury and expedition fleets in the 1990s, and the emergence of ultra-luxury all-inclusive voyages that define the market today.
That heritage is not just a number on the page. It means decades of relationships with cruise line partners, preferred access to exclusive inventory, and the kind of institutional knowledge that only comes from watching an industry evolve firsthand.
We are a proud member of the Magellan Travel Group — one of Australia's largest independent travel agency networks. Our membership gives us access to exclusive fares, onboard credits, cabin upgrades, and added-value inclusions that aren't available through online booking engines or direct from the cruise lines.
Pan Australian Travel is led by Jake Hower, a cruise specialist with over two decades of industry experience. Jake has spent his career building deep knowledge across the full spectrum of cruising — from ultra-luxury lines like Silversea and Regent Seven Seas to expedition operators like Ponant, Hurtigruten, and Aurora Expeditions.
That expertise is firsthand. Jake attends ship launches, inspection voyages, and industry events year-round. He's walked the decks of the ships he recommends, dined in the restaurants, compared the suite categories, and assessed the shore excursion programmes. When he suggests a particular cabin on a particular deck, it's because he's been there — not because a brochure told him to.
This matters because choosing the right cruise involves hundreds of small decisions that generic search engines can't help with. Which ship has the best itinerary for the Kimberley? Is the penthouse suite on Deck 9 actually worth double the veranda on Deck 7? Which line's all-inclusive offering genuinely includes everything? Jake can answer these questions from experience, not guesswork.
We represent over 60 cruise lines spanning every style of cruising. Ultra-luxury voyages with Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and Explora Journeys. Expedition adventures with Ponant, Hurtigruten, Quark, and Aurora Expeditions. Intimate yacht-style sailings with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Emerald Azzurra. River journeys with Scenic, Uniworld, and AmaWaterways. Premium ocean cruising with Viking, Oceania, and Cunard.
That breadth is the point. Cruise lines want brand loyalty — their sales teams will always recommend their own ships. An independent specialist can do what no cruise line will ever do: compare honestly across brands to find the right ship for the right traveller.
We also navigate the increasingly complex world of cruise loyalty programmes. Status matching between lines, transferring onboard credits, and understanding which programme genuinely rewards repeat guests versus which one simply locks them in. If you're a Silversea Venetian Society member considering a move to Regent or Explora, we can map out exactly what you'd gain and what you'd give up.
A luxury cruise from Australia is rarely just a cruise. It typically involves business or first class flights to the embarkation port, pre-cruise hotel stays, private airport transfers, travel insurance with cruise-specific coverage, and often a land-based extension at either end of the voyage.
We handle all of it. Complex multi-sector flight itineraries from Australian airports. Cruise-specific travel insurance that covers missed port departures, medical evacuation, and trip interruption. Luxury hotel stays in embarkation cities. Private transfers and chauffeur services. Pre- and post-cruise touring. The entire trip is designed as one seamless itinerary — not a collection of separate bookings you have to manage yourself.
And if something goes wrong mid-trip — a cancelled flight, a medical issue, a port change — you have one phone number to call. Not an airline. Not a cruise line call centre. Your advisor.
Our recommendations come from personal experience aboard the ships we sell — ship inspections, hosted voyages, and industry events. We know what the brochure photos don't show.
We represent 60+ cruise lines and can compare honestly across brands. No cruise line will ever recommend a competitor. We will, if it's the better fit.
Flights, insurance, hotels, transfers, and touring — designed as one seamless itinerary. Not separate bookings you have to coordinate yourself.
As members of one of Australia's largest independent agency networks, we access exclusive fares, onboard credits, and cabin upgrades not available through online booking engines.
We monitor pricing across all our partners. If you find a lower published fare, we'll match it — and we'll usually include added-value inclusions on top.
AFTA, ATAS, IATA, and CLIA accredited. Your booking is financially protected under Australia's travel accreditation framework — the same protections covering the country's largest agencies.
Tell us where you want to go — we'll handle the rest.