All-women aboard: these cruise ships are all-female missions

The Advertiser

11-05-2025

Inspired by the all-female space mission? Women can swap the rocket ship for a cruise ship, with better food and a journey lasting longer than 11 minutes.
There are two special sailings for the sisterhood: a river cruise in France and a polar expedition.
Personally, I like a few men on my cruises. Alas, in the spirit of Mother's Day, I shall celebrate this pioneering trend.
It's a great idea for a mum-and-daughter trip. It gives a wife an excuse to travel without her husband, especially if he refuses to ever go on a cruise. And it reassures single women that they won't be chased around the ship by dozens of single men. (Trust me, that never happens on cruises, but I live in hope.)
The world's first women-only cruise is Uniworld's sojourn along the Saone and Rhone rivers. Departing this year, on August 31, the week includes such traditional hobbies as lavender weaving, truffle hunting and burlesque. In Burgundy and Provence, you can count on daily wine-tasting, too. The celebrity guest is Saturday Night Live comedian Rachel Dratch, who will deliver a 45-minute comedy set, followed by a Q&A the next day.
Australian company Aurora Expeditions is planning an Antarctic voyage for women, designed by women and led by women, aboard Sylvia Earle, a ship named after a marine biologist, with six decks named after other female conservationists. The 10-day adventure celebrates the power of women in exploration, storytelling and environmental conservation. The guest speakers are former NASA astronaut Dr Sandra Magnus and photographer and author Lola Akinmade Akerstrom.
Departing February 23, 2027, this cruise suits anyone worried about seasickness. Passengers will fly both ways across the Drake Passage, skipping the roughest seas and maximising the time on the continent.
Lesbian and LGBTQ+ women can travel together with Olivia Cruises, which charters the whole ship for each trip. Among upcoming itineraries are the Mekong River, Tahiti, Alaska, Iceland, Greek Islands, Italy and Croatia.
Some tour operators offer women-only group cruises. Insight Vacations has a 12-day Egypt package with a week on the Nile, and Melbourne-based Sisterhood Women's Travel escorts an Alaska/Canada rail-cruise combo.
Certain theme cruises attract mostly women. In the past year, you could have joined the Taylor Swift-themed cruise, called In My Cruise Era or Golden Fans in the Caribbean, inspired by the 1980s TV show Golden Girls.
People can easily fall off cruise ships
It's not possible to accidentally fall overboard, unless you have deliberately climbed up on your cabin's balcony, which is strictly not allowed. Overboard incidents usually involve reckless behaviour, intoxication or intentional actions. Modern cruise ships have high railings - about chest height on the average person - on all balconies and open deck areas. Safety protocols, surveillance systems and lockable balcony doors also help to prevent such accidents. The idea that someone could simply trip and tumble into the ocean is misleading. Despite the tragic stories often portrayed in the media, cruising is one of the safest forms of travel.
Inspired by the all-female space mission? Women can swap the rocket ship for a cruise ship, with better food and a journey lasting longer than 11 minutes.
There are two special sailings for the sisterhood: a river cruise in France and a polar expedition.
Personally, I like a few men on my cruises. Alas, in the spirit of Mother's Day, I shall celebrate this pioneering trend.
It's a great idea for a mum-and-daughter trip. It gives a wife an excuse to travel without her husband, especially if he refuses to ever go on a cruise. And it reassures single women that they won't be chased around the ship by dozens of single men. (Trust me, that never happens on cruises, but I live in hope.)
The world's first women-only cruise is Uniworld's sojourn along the Saone and Rhone rivers. Departing this year, on August 31, the week includes such traditional hobbies as lavender weaving, truffle hunting and burlesque. In Burgundy and Provence, you can count on daily wine-tasting, too. The celebrity guest is Saturday Night Live comedian Rachel Dratch, who will deliver a 45-minute comedy set, followed by a Q&A the next day.
Australian company Aurora Expeditions is planning an Antarctic voyage for women, designed by women and led by women, aboard Sylvia Earle, a ship named after a marine biologist, with six decks named after other female conservationists. The 10-day adventure celebrates the power of women in exploration, storytelling and environmental conservation. The guest speakers are former NASA astronaut Dr Sandra Magnus and photographer and author Lola Akinmade Akerstrom.
Departing February 23, 2027, this cruise suits anyone worried about seasickness. Passengers will fly both ways across the Drake Passage, skipping the roughest seas and maximising the time on the continent.
Lesbian and LGBTQ+ women can travel together with Olivia Cruises, which charters the whole ship for each trip. Among upcoming itineraries are the Mekong River, Tahiti, Alaska, Iceland, Greek Islands, Italy and Croatia.
Some tour operators offer women-only group cruises. Insight Vacations has a 12-day Egypt package with a week on the Nile, and Melbourne-based Sisterhood Women's Travel escorts an Alaska/Canada rail-cruise combo.
Certain theme cruises attract mostly women. In the past year, you could have joined the Taylor Swift-themed cruise, called In My Cruise Era or Golden Fans in the Caribbean, inspired by the 1980s TV show Golden Girls.
People can easily fall off cruise ships
It's not possible to accidentally fall overboard, unless you have deliberately climbed up on your cabin's balcony, which is strictly not allowed. Overboard incidents usually involve reckless behaviour, intoxication or intentional actions. Modern cruise ships have high railings - about chest height on the average person - on all balconies and open deck areas. Safety protocols, surveillance systems and lockable balcony doors also help to prevent such accidents. The idea that someone could simply trip and tumble into the ocean is misleading. Despite the tragic stories often portrayed in the media, cruising is one of the safest forms of travel.
Inspired by the all-female space mission? Women can swap the rocket ship for a cruise ship, with better food and a journey lasting longer than 11 minutes.
There are two special sailings for the sisterhood: a river cruise in France and a polar expedition.
Personally, I like a few men on my cruises. Alas, in the spirit of Mother's Day, I shall celebrate this pioneering trend.
It's a great idea for a mum-and-daughter trip. It gives a wife an excuse to travel without her husband, especially if he refuses to ever go on a cruise. And it reassures single women that they won't be chased around the ship by dozens of single men. (Trust me, that never happens on cruises, but I live in hope.)
The world's first women-only cruise is Uniworld's sojourn along the Saone and Rhone rivers. Departing this year, on August 31, the week includes such traditional hobbies as lavender weaving, truffle hunting and burlesque. In Burgundy and Provence, you can count on daily wine-tasting, too. The celebrity guest is Saturday Night Live comedian Rachel Dratch, who will deliver a 45-minute comedy set, followed by a Q&A the next day.
Australian company Aurora Expeditions is planning an Antarctic voyage for women, designed by women and led by women, aboard Sylvia Earle, a ship named after a marine biologist, with six decks named after other female conservationists. The 10-day adventure celebrates the power of women in exploration, storytelling and environmental conservation. The guest speakers are former NASA astronaut Dr Sandra Magnus and photographer and author Lola Akinmade Akerstrom.
Departing February 23, 2027, this cruise suits anyone worried about seasickness. Passengers will fly both ways across the Drake Passage, skipping the roughest seas and maximising the time on the continent.
Lesbian and LGBTQ+ women can travel together with Olivia Cruises, which charters the whole ship for each trip. Among upcoming itineraries are the Mekong River, Tahiti, Alaska, Iceland, Greek Islands, Italy and Croatia.
Some tour operators offer women-only group cruises. Insight Vacations has a 12-day Egypt package with a week on the Nile, and Melbourne-based Sisterhood Women's Travel escorts an Alaska/Canada rail-cruise combo.
Certain theme cruises attract mostly women. In the past year, you could have joined the Taylor Swift-themed cruise, called In My Cruise Era or Golden Fans in the Caribbean, inspired by the 1980s TV show Golden Girls.
People can easily fall off cruise ships
It's not possible to accidentally fall overboard, unless you have deliberately climbed up on your cabin's balcony, which is strictly not allowed. Overboard incidents usually involve reckless behaviour, intoxication or intentional actions. Modern cruise ships have high railings - about chest height on the average person - on all balconies and open deck areas. Safety protocols, surveillance systems and lockable balcony doors also help to prevent such accidents. The idea that someone could simply trip and tumble into the ocean is misleading. Despite the tragic stories often portrayed in the media, cruising is one of the safest forms of travel.
Inspired by the all-female space mission? Women can swap the rocket ship for a cruise ship, with better food and a journey lasting longer than 11 minutes.
There are two special sailings for the sisterhood: a river cruise in France and a polar expedition.
Personally, I like a few men on my cruises. Alas, in the spirit of Mother's Day, I shall celebrate this pioneering trend.
It's a great idea for a mum-and-daughter trip. It gives a wife an excuse to travel without her husband, especially if he refuses to ever go on a cruise. And it reassures single women that they won't be chased around the ship by dozens of single men. (Trust me, that never happens on cruises, but I live in hope.)
The world's first women-only cruise is Uniworld's sojourn along the Saone and Rhone rivers. Departing this year, on August 31, the week includes such traditional hobbies as lavender weaving, truffle hunting and burlesque. In Burgundy and Provence, you can count on daily wine-tasting, too. The celebrity guest is Saturday Night Live comedian Rachel Dratch, who will deliver a 45-minute comedy set, followed by a Q&A the next day.
Australian company Aurora Expeditions is planning an Antarctic voyage for women, designed by women and led by women, aboard Sylvia Earle, a ship named after a marine biologist, with six decks named after other female conservationists. The 10-day adventure celebrates the power of women in exploration, storytelling and environmental conservation. The guest speakers are former NASA astronaut Dr Sandra Magnus and photographer and author Lola Akinmade Akerstrom.
Departing February 23, 2027, this cruise suits anyone worried about seasickness. Passengers will fly both ways across the Drake Passage, skipping the roughest seas and maximising the time on the continent.
Lesbian and LGBTQ+ women can travel together with Olivia Cruises, which charters the whole ship for each trip. Among upcoming itineraries are the Mekong River, Tahiti, Alaska, Iceland, Greek Islands, Italy and Croatia.
Some tour operators offer women-only group cruises. Insight Vacations has a 12-day Egypt package with a week on the Nile, and Melbourne-based Sisterhood Women's Travel escorts an Alaska/Canada rail-cruise combo.
Certain theme cruises attract mostly women. In the past year, you could have joined the Taylor Swift-themed cruise, called In My Cruise Era or Golden Fans in the Caribbean, inspired by the 1980s TV show Golden Girls.
People can easily fall off cruise ships
It's not possible to accidentally fall overboard, unless you have deliberately climbed up on your cabin's balcony, which is strictly not allowed. Overboard incidents usually involve reckless behaviour, intoxication or intentional actions. Modern cruise ships have high railings - about chest height on the average person - on all balconies and open deck areas. Safety protocols, surveillance systems and lockable balcony doors also help to prevent such accidents. The idea that someone could simply trip and tumble into the ocean is misleading. Despite the tragic stories often portrayed in the media, cruising is one of the safest forms of travel.