Le Jacques Cartier • Ponant Cruises
16-night Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island, Samarai & Luganville
Aug 21, 2026 → Sep 6, 2026 • Darwin → Lautoka
From $12,274
$767/night
Great deal
↓34% below typical
Thursday Island
•
Melanesia
Cruise destination intelligence
•
Australia
Cruises visiting Thursday Island
Quietest
Aug-Nov
Busiest
Aug-Nov
Upcoming
9+ upcoming port calls
Best time to visit: Aug-Nov (fewer ships)
Avoid: Peak winter weekends (crowded port days)
Based on 3+ sailings and upcoming visits • Updated daily
Find the best times to visit, avoid peak crowds, and explore itineraries that include Thursday Island.
Use the congestion calendar to compare timing first, then bring price into the decision once you narrow the right visit window.
Best cruises that visit Thursday Island
These sailings rank first because they visit Thursday Island while also showing stronger-than-typical pricing, healthy availability, and current value signals.
Oceania Riviera • Oceania Cruises
18-night Australia One-Way via Mystery Island, Port Vila & Townsville
Oct 30, 2026 → Nov 17, 2026 • Lautoka → Benoa, Bali (Denpasar)
From $4,192
$233/night
Great deal
↓33% below typical
Seven Seas Navigator • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
12-night Australia Repositioning via Brisbane & Willis Island
Jul 13, 2027 → Jul 25, 2027 • Sydney → Cairns
From $5,848
$487/night
Typical price
↓7% below typical
Paul Gauguin • Paul Gauguin Cruises
17-night Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island & Alotau
Mar 29, 2027 → Apr 15, 2027 • Darwin → Lautoka
From $8,502
$500/night
Good value
↓12% below typical
Seven Seas Navigator • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
24-night Southeast Asia Repositioning via Brisbane, Airlie Terminal & Komodo
Sep 20, 2027 → Oct 14, 2027 • Sydney → Fremantle
From $14,565
$607/night
Typical price
↓4% below typical
Scenic Eclipse II
10-night Cairns → Thursday Island → Darwin
May 8, 2028 → May 18, 2028 • Cairns → Darwin
From $12,810
$1,281/night
Typical price
↓8% below typical
When ships are in port
Scan for dates when ships visit Thursday Island, use color shading to spot the busiest passenger days in port, and use density dots to see how many cruise ships call on Thursday Island that day.
Thursday Island is busiest from Aug-Nov, with multiple ships per day. Aug, Nov are significantly quieter.
August 2026
Jump
Quieter
Busier (more ships in port)
Number of ships
Colors show estimated total passengers in port on each day
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
26
No port calls
27
No port calls
28
No port calls
29
No port calls
30
No port calls
31
No port calls
1
No port calls
2
No port calls
3
No port calls
4
No port calls
5
No port calls
6
No port calls
7
No port calls
8
No port calls
9
No port calls
10
No port calls
11
No port calls
12
No port calls
13
No port calls
14
No port calls
15
No port calls
16
No port calls
17
No port calls
18
No port calls
19
No port calls
20
No port calls
21
No port calls
22
No port calls
23
No port calls
24
1
~200 passengers
$767/night
↓34% vs typical
25
No port calls
26
No port calls
27
No port calls
28
No port calls
29
No port calls
30
No port calls
31
No port calls
1
No port calls
2
No port calls
3
No port calls
4
No port calls
5
No port calls
Selected port-call day
Monday, August 24, 2026
1 ship visit Thursday Island on this date, carrying about ~200 passengers in total.
Day snapshot
- Ships
- 1
- Passengers
- ~200 passengers
- Cruises
- 1
- Best fare
- $767/night
Best cruise on this port-call day
Top value among the sailings scheduled to visit Thursday Island on this date.
Le Jacques Cartier • Ponant Cruises
16-night Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island, Samarai & Luganville
Aug 21, 2026 → Sep 6, 2026 • Darwin → Lautoka
From $12,274
$767/night
Great deal
↓34% below typical
Best time to visit Thursday Island on a cruise
This monthly view combines ship traffic and pricing so you can spot quieter windows, busier stretches, and the months where cruises visiting Thursday Island still look attractively priced.
August
Priciest
Median price/night
$767
1 visits
Traffic
↓34% vs typical
1 ships • 1 priced sailings tracked
November
Cheapest
Median price/night
$233
1 visits
Traffic
↓33% vs typical
1 ships • 1 priced sailings tracked
April
Median price/night
$500
1 visits
Traffic
↓12% vs typical
1 ships • 1 priced sailings tracked
Cruise itineraries that include Thursday Island
Compare the itinerary families that stop in Thursday Island, then open the routes with the best mix of schedule fit, pricing, and sailing availability.
Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island, Samarai & Luganville (Best Balance)
Melanesia • Next: Aug 21
From $12,274
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Australia One-Way via Mystery Island, Port Vila & Townsville (Best Balance)
Australia • Next: Oct 30
From $4,192
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island & Alotau (Sea-Day Heavy)
Melanesia • Next: Mar 29
From $8,502
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Upcoming port calls in Thursday Island
See the next scheduled ship visits into Thursday Island.
| Date | Ship | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 24, 2026 | Le Jacques Cartier | Ponant Cruises |
| Nov 10, 2026 | Oceania Riviera | Oceania Cruises |
| Apr 1, 2027 | Paul Gauguin | Paul Gauguin Cruises |
| Jun 30, 2027 | Seven Seas Navigator | Regent Seven Seas Cruises |
| Jul 21, 2027 | Seven Seas Navigator | Regent Seven Seas Cruises |
| Sep 27, 2027 | Seven Seas Navigator | Regent Seven Seas Cruises |
| May 11, 2028 | Scenic Eclipse II | — |
FAQ about cruises visiting Thursday Island
Short answers for common search intent around the best time to visit, itinerary patterns, and how to compare cruises that include Thursday Island.
What is the best time to visit Thursday Island on a cruise?
November currently looks strongest on value for cruises visiting Thursday Island, based on Jibhop's tracked median nightly fares. Use the port-call calendar above to compare exact ship dates because pricing can vary a lot within the month.
When is Thursday Island busiest for cruise traffic?
August currently shows the most upcoming cruise visits to Thursday Island. Busier months usually mean more ship choice, but also more crowding and less pricing flexibility.
Which cruise itineraries usually include Thursday Island?
Common upcoming itinerary families that include Thursday Island include Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island, Samarai & Luganville (Best Balance), Australia One-Way via Mystery Island, Port Vila & Townsville (Best Balance), and Melanesia One-Way via Thursday Island & Alotau (Sea-Day Heavy). Open any itinerary card to compare route mix, next departures, and which sailings look strongest on price.
How should I compare cruises that visit Thursday Island?
Start with the best cruises section to see today's strongest pricing signals, then use the port-call calendar to find the exact visit dates that fit your trip. Once you narrow the timing, compare itineraries and ships rather than choosing on this stop alone.
Plan your route
Explore cruises that visit Thursday Island
See itineraries, compare routes, and find the best way to include Thursday Island in your trip.