Port Arthur, Tasmania cruise port guide
Port Arthur is named for George Arthur, the Lieutenant Governor of Tasmania from 1823 to 1837. It was Arthur who converted a small convict lumber station on the Tasman Peninsula into the most feared penal colony in Australia. Preserved today as the Port Arthur Historical Site, the then state-of-the-art prison was designed to hold repeat offenders in isolation and hard labor. When it closed in 1877, it marked the end of a dark chapter in English and Australian history. Both Port Arthur is also your gateway to the wild and scenic Tasman Peninsula. Its wave-lashed coast is the site of spectacular rock formations such as Tasman Arch, the Tessellated Pavement and the Devil's Kitchen. The peninsula is also home to small farms, superb fruit orchards and acclaimed vineyards. The Tasman Peninsula is one of the last refuges for the endangered Tasmanian devil. The Tasmania Devil Conservation Park is in the forefront of protecting these unique - if surly and downright disagreeable - remnants of Tasmanian prehistory.
About Port Arthur, Tasmania
Port Arthur is a historic convict settlement on Tasmania's Tasman Peninsula, approximately 100 km southeast of Hobart. It is one of Australia's most significant UNESCO World Heritage Sites and most visited tourist attractions, with well-preserved colonial ruins and a powerful history.
The Port Arthur Historic Site encompasses over 30 restored buildings, ruins, and archaeological sites. Key structures include the imposing Penitentiary, the roofless Gothic church, the Commandant's House, and the Model Prison. Boat tours visit the Isle of the Dead and Point Puer Boys Prison. The Remarkable Cave walk leads to dramatic coastal scenery.
Quick facts
Cruises visiting Port Arthur, Tasmania
Prices per person · incl. taxes & fees.
Sailing soonest
69-Day South Pacific Crossing & Australia Circumnavigation
Noordam · Australia · 69 nights
from $18,329
$265 / night
35-Day Legendary Australia Circumnavigation
Noordam · Oceania · 35 nights
from $10,844
$309 / night
Southern Australia Explorer
Grand Princess · Australia · 12 nights
from $2,606
$217 / night
Tasmania From Sydney, Australia
Carnival Splendor · Oceania · 5 nights
from $717
$143 / night
Tasmania
Grand Princess · Australia · 12 nights
from $1,745
$145 / night
28-Day South Australia & New Zealand Holiday
Noordam · Australia · 28 nights
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