True North Adventure Cruises has completed a $4 million refit across its two-vessel fleet ahead of the 2026 season.
Upgrades span across True North and True North II with new engines, guest cabin improvements and expanded adventure boat capability designed to push deeper into some of Australia’s most remote cruising territory.
The investment covers both vessels and positions the operator for a season of expedition-focused departures across Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea as the company approaches its 40th year of operation.
Fleet upgrades expand access and flexibility
Aboard True North, the refit centres on new engine installation alongside a series of interior improvements. Select cabins have been fitted with an additional Pullman bunk, offering greater flexibility for solo travellers without compromising the vessel’s intimate scale. This is a practical change to improve yield on cabin categories which are traditionally harder to sell as singles.
True North II has seen investment focused on guest comfort and expedition reach, with refined public areas and new adventure boats designed to access remote shorelines, shallow river systems and reef environments. Both vessels also completed crew training and team development programmes before the 2026 season commenced.
“We’ve put a lot into the fleet this year,” said Chad Avenell, Director of True North Adventure Cruises.
“It’s about how far we can go, how flexible we can be, and what that opens up for guests once we’re out there.”
New itineraries open untouched Kimberley and PNG territory
The 2026 season introduces two newly launched itineraries alongside True North’s popular established program.
Kimberley Untold moves beyond the routes True North has tracked for nearly four decades, opening access to remote rivers, waterfalls and sandstone gorges with fishing, wildlife encounters and guided bushwalking. The itinerary runs across both vessels and is positioned as the most geographically ambitious Kimberley product the company has offered to date.
Navigate New Britain, operating aboard True North, ventures into Papua New Guinea’s New Britain region, and takes in volcanic landscapes, rainforest coastlines and reef systems, with snorkelling paired alongside access to remote island communities.
True North also returns to the Great Barrier Reef this season, with its established small-ship approach focused on reef protection, scientific research and access to areas beyond the reach of larger vessels.
Commercial relevance for trade partners
For cruise agents and wholesalers, the refit and new itinerary suite represent a strengthened product story for a sector of the Australian market that consistently performs well on experiential demand. True North operates at the premium end of the small-ship expedition category, and the cabin configuration changes, particularly the additional Pullman bunk option, provide a more bookable solo product at a time when solo travel continues to grow as a market segment.
The operator’s near-40-year track record in the Kimberley and expanded PNG offering also add depth to travellers seeking genuine expedition experiences in Australia’s north and the Pacific.
Avenell said the focus remained firmly on the guest experience. “At the end of the day, it’s about our guests, their safety, and making sure they leave having had a once in a lifetime experience.”
