Why are Kimberley cruises expensive?

Be honest…you might have the same thoughts as well? Occasionally we get this feedback when talking to people about small ship cruising along the Kimberley coast. And we certainly agree that a Kimberley cruise is not a cheap proposition. But the comparison with overseas holidays is not really fair. You cannot simply take the costs of travelling to Europe or the US or a cruising holiday on the big cruise ships and then simply contrast it with a trip to the Kimberley which is one of the most remote destinations in the western world.

I have been involved in helping people book their dream Kimberley cruises for over fifteen years and I am well acquainted with many of the vessel operators. It is a competitive market and none of them are making big profits.

Here are my five reasons why Kimberley cruising seems expensive  plus my one warning about ‘cheap’ Kimberley cruises.

A common belief, we often hear, is that the cost of Kimberley cruises is because they are all presented as luxurious experiences. It is true that some of the vessels that operate along the Kimberley coast are certainly extremely comfortable and do market themselves as luxurious. But the real issue is ship size. In simple terms small vessels cost more to run (on a comparable basis) than large ocean-going cruise liners.

Those monster cruise cannot offer cruises close to a rugged coastline such as the Kimberley. For starters the huge tides (the second most extreme in the world) and other navigational hazards makes it way too difficult.

True Kimberley cruises, those that can take their guests right into the islands and estuaries of the remote Kimberley, are operated by small vessels. There is simply no comparison between experiencing iconic Kimberley sets such as King Cascade, Montgomery Reef and King George Falls to looking at the coastline from far out to sea.

Virtually all of the vessels we represent for Kimberley cruising are owned by Australian companies; they have their offices in Australia and that means they operate domestic cruises that do not have to leave Australian waters. They pay Australian rates of pay for their Australian crew and the on-board staff. And they are subject to all the (numerous) laws and regulations of Australia; including the rigorous COVID protocols initiated by all operators in consultation with their state health authorities.

That is starkly different from international cruise vessels which operate under flags of convenience (such as Liberia and the British Virgin Islands) and have low paid (and very hard working) on board staff from India and the Philippines.

And don’t forget domestic cruise operators’ prices include GST whereas international travel does not.

Anyone who has travelled to the outback or remote regions of Australia in general knows that it is not cheap. The most obvious extra cost is fuel which can be almost double the rate found in the cities. High fuel costs feed into increased costs for food, replacement parts for machinery etc. Broome and the Kimberley are certainly not immune to this.

Buy a coffee in Broome and you’ll instantly be aware that day to day living is more costly than the rest of the country. Basically; it is the tyranny of distance. Broome is over 2000km away from the WA state capital, Perth. The fuel costs and generally high cost of provisioning in remote areas works its way through to all tourist activities.

The fuel costs and generally high cost of provisioning in remote areas works its way through to all tourist activities.

Kimberley cruise prices are very inclusive. If you have sailed with one of the big cruise lines then you know that the price you pay for your cabin is only just the start. For starters there is your incidental drinks bill and perhaps an optional upgrade to specialist dining. But the big expense is the off ship excursions. If you are adventurous that can add $1000s to your eventual bill.

Kimberley expedition cruises are focused on the destination not the cruise itself – the emphasis is being off the vessel not luxuriating on board. Therefore, with the exception of occasional, optional, helicopter activities, all daily excursions off the ship are included in your cabin price. With most operators you’ll be getting two off ship excursions a day – often 2-3 hours at a time. If you have cruised on larger cruise ships you will instinctively know how much that’s’ worth.

Most of the costs associated with operating a professional Kimberley cruise are unavoidable. All operators need an appropriately paid crew including an experienced skipper who knows the Kimberley coast and its tides. And almost as essential as the skipper – all operators need a competent chef.

All ships need fuel and food. All pay port fees and other regulatory levies. All ships need repairs and maintenance in high cost ports like Broome, Derby or Wyndham.

So be careful of anyone offering really cheap options for a Kimberley cruise– there just has to be a catch somewhere. Or perhaps they might not be very good at working out their actual costs of running a business? Invariably in the last few years those Kimberley cruise operations that have gone bust (a handful) have been those whose sole marketing strategy was to offer “cheap Kimberley cruises.”