About Us - Small Ship Luxury with True North Adventure Cruises

Overview
Deck Plans
Specification

About our vessel

Surroundings more akin to one of the world’s most exclusive hotels!

The TRUE NORTH allows discerning adventurers to experience wilderness in surroundings more akin to one of the world’s most exclusive hotels! Guests are able to take advantage of a number of lavish vantage points including a sundeck, a forward observation lounge, a lounge and an alfresco bar. The naturalist presents interpretative information on wall-mounted screens in the lounge and, an internet café enables convenient communication with the outside world

A popular venue on any TRUE NORTH itinerary, the lower deck dining room offers the ultimate in comfort and uninterrupted vista – large panoramic windows ensure that guests never miss any of the action, even when they are enjoying the ‘finest in fine dining. All cabins feature stylish décor, en-suite facilities, in-house entertainment and satellite telephones. The Explorer Class and River Class staterooms offer king-size beds that can be converted to singles and the Ocean Class twins feature roomy single beds.

Multiple adventure boats provide guests with greater opportunity to do “what they want, when they want” and, to add yet another dimension to adventure, most itineraries feature an onboard helicopter! The purpose-built TRUE NORTH is able to explore the upper reaches of shallow river systems – guests need only step out of their cabins to experience wilderness and, the latest in computer.

The crew of the TRUE NORTH are generally young Australians who create a truly authentic onboard experience. And our crew are very much part of on-board life – you may even feel as though they are having just as much fun as you are! That’s because they are – every day is an adventure for the crew as well and you will not be able to resist their enthusiasm and passion!

Unlike more conventional cruise experiences – crew members on the TRUE NORTH are encouraged to interact with our guests. They will uniquely chaperone your every experience providing assistance, interpretation and genuine company. They will bait your hook and carry your SCUBA tank but they will also join you for dinner and entertain in the ship’s lounge. And not forgetting that they will also prepare fine meals of distinction, maintain your cabins with our renowned degree of attention and safely navigate the ship, boat and helicopter to each destination.

Guests on the TRUE NORTH never fail to recognize the outstanding involvement of the crew – they are one of the reasons that an adventure on the TRUE NORTH is not just another expedition cruise!

Download Deck Plans

The True North Deck Plans & Cabins

Deck Plans

Explorer Class Staterooms

4 cabins in total - all located on the upper deck

Upper Deck

Explorer Class

1Bradshaw
2Dampier
3Durack
4Parker King

Located on the upper deck – Explorer Class staterooms feature a king size double (that can be converted to singles) and a twin basin en-suite. Cabin size is 18 square metres (193 square feet). Other features include large panoramic windows, amenities fridge, in-cabin entertainment and satellite telephone.

River Class Staterooms

6 cabins in total - all located on the main deck

Main Deck

River Class

5Prince Regent River
6Mitchell River
7Berkeley River
8Drysdale River
9Hunter River
10King George River

Ocean Class

11Camden Harbour
12Lacepede Islands

Located on the main deck – River Class doubles feature a king size double (that can be converted to singles) and en-suite. Cabin size is similar to Explorer Class. Other features include large panoramic windows, in-cabin entertainment and satellite telephone.

Ocean Class Cabins

8 cabins in total - 6 located on the lower deck with 2 on the main deck

Lower Deck

Ocean Class

13Koolama Bay
14Montgomery Reef
15Jackson Falls
16King Cascades
17Imperieuse Reef
18Atlantis Bay

Located on the lower deck – Ocean Class twins feature roomy singles and en-suite. Cabin size is approximately 12 square metres (129 square feet). Other features include 2 portholes, in-cabin entertainment and satellite telephone.

The True North Specification

technical specifications

Commissioned	2005
Flag	Australian
Configuration	Mono-hull adventure cruise ship
Length	50 metres
Tonnage	740 tonnes
Draught	2.2 metres
Beam	10 metres
Crew	22
Passengers	36
Propulsion	2 x 786 kW
Bow Thruster	100 kW
Auxiliary	2 x 175 kW
Cruising Speed	14 knots
Range	2,000 miles
Fuel	45,000 lts diesel/10,000 lts Jet A1/3,000 Lts ULP
Water Making Capacity	1,500 lts per hour
Motion Control	Computer controlled stabilizers
Safety	Full compliance under the International Marine Orders
Cabin Features	En-suite, in-cabin entertainment and satellite telephone
Cabin Power	240 V and 110 V (Australian socket)
Day Areas	Sun deck, observation lounge, ship’s lounge, alfresco bar, sports deck and dining room
Adventure Boats	6
Helicopter	Eurocopter EC 130 (6 pax all facing forward/air conditioned)

going where no one else can

Choose your adventure

latest news & Blog

What’s on True North

Jul. 19, 2021

Tourism WA Announces $100 Off Flights

A Tourism WA initiative with Webjet is providing $100 off flights from Perth to Broome and Kununurra. The discount is also available on flights between Broome and Kununurra.

Mar. 15, 2021

The bucket list honeymoon on the high seas

If you’re planning to honeymoon at home this year – an adventure on the TRUE NORTH will deliver some serious rock star moments in your own backyard.

Mar. 15, 2021

The cruising compass points ‘true north’ for barefoot luxury

It’s my first cruise since the outbreak of Covid-19 and I’m more concerned about my feet than my hands. There’s a barefoot policy aboard True North, Western Australia’s high-end adventure vess...

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Experience the adventure

True North Tales

True North Sails into 30 Years

True North Adventure Cruises - has sailed into 30 years of continuous operations. The now revered adventure-cruise operator first cruised Western Australia’s remote Kimberley coast during 1987 when founding director Craig Howson commenced fishing type charters along a coastline that was and still is largely inaccessible from land.

The Helicopter

Adding another dimension to the adventure, most cruise options on the TRUE NORTH feature an on-board helicopter! Carrying guests in air conditioned comfort, the ship’s helicopter provides unique opportunity to witness grandeur; unique opportunity to fish billabongs that have never been fished; unique opportunity to discover your very own wilderness!

Myles Pollard's Fishing Adventure

There is nothing better than a day out on the water, especially when the fish are biting! Fishing on-board the TRUE NORTH is a much-favoured activity both with guests who have never picked up a rod before and, with those who have "caught them all!” Our guides encourage everybody on-board to “give it a go” and the TRUE NORTH’s multiple adventure boats never fail to bring back a swag of ‘fishing tales’! Stories about the ladies who out-fish the boys are pretty common, humorous equipment failures also come to note on a regular basis, then there are the ‘birthday fish’, the ‘monster fish’ and of course, the ones that got away! Our guides have seen and heard it all! Watch the video to find out more about actor Myles Pollard's fishing adventure!

TRUE NORTH Impresses Again

The TRUE NORTH has once again impressed on the world stage coming second in the 2020 Traveller Made Brand Storytelling competition. Traveller Made is Europe’s largest travel consortium and its members represent the very best in luxury travel providers and suppliers. The group’s inaugural Brand Storytelling competition was an opportunity for leading travel brand’s to showcase “the story behind their brand” and, the competition attracted entries from some of the world’s most respected travel brands. In such esteemed company, True North’s marketing team was especially pleased to receive this additional acknowledgement.

Adventure En Plein Air

West Australian artist Jacob 'Shakey' Butler joined the TRUE NORTH earlier this season and discovered the Kimberley's raw beauty. As the artist in residence, Jacob set up his canvas on remote beaches, beside freshwater billabongs and on-deck surrounded by pindan-coloured gorges. Watch the video above to hear Jacob describing how the Kimberley inspires the art of adventure.

Catriona Rowntree Talks With Craig Howson

A commonly asked question is “When is the best time to see the Kimberley?” And the answer is “The Kimberley is always at its best!” However certain times of the year can make it easier to satisfy particular interest. For example, if you would like to see plenty of whale action then departures in August and September are definitely for you! From late July humpback and southern right whales reach the Kimberley after swimming-up the west coast to reach breeding grounds in the north and it’s very common for guests to get great views of whales breaching and basking on the surface.

see more tales

enjoy exciting activites

The True North Experience

We curate activity-based itineraries that are designed to satisfy the world’s most discerning travellers. We specifically exclude sea-days and feature unparalleled access to stunning coastal environments and, unequalled opportunity to truly experience the destination.

Aboard the True North