Canberra real estate agent Chris Antos sets sail on Channel 10's new dating show The Real Love Boat

But as of Wednesday, there's a new love boat in the harbour, and there's a Canberran on board read to set sail. His destination? Love (hopefully) - via the idyllic scenery of the Mediterranean.

Chris Antos, 29, is one of the 21 Aussie singles who all board the Real Love Boat (which is more of a luxurious cruise ship than a boat) in the hopes of finding love.

The Canberra real estate agent, and director of Sentia real estate agency, describes himself as fun, hardworking, cheeky, flirty, and caring, and believes, after a few years of being career-focused, he is at the stage of his life where he is ready to find love and make a commitment to someone.

"I have been single for quite a while now and I feel as though all of the other aspects of my life have finally come together, so now is as good of a time as any for me to settle down and find someone special to share my life with," Antos said.

"This show appealed to me because it was a chance to meet new people (who have no preconceived ideas about me) and experience fun and adventure in the stunning Mediterranean with someone, which is a great way to get to know them.

"I always say if you travel with someone and you still like each other after the holiday then it's a good match."

Antos is a born and bred Canberran, who loves the capital. But as all Canberrans know, it's also a small city which can make dating hard.

As the singleton said, "Once you've dated one girl after it's over suddenly all of her friends are off limits too".

"Also, depending on what circles you operate in, everyone seems to know everyone - I can't tell you the amount of dates I've been on where they come knowing more about me than some of my close friends even."

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On top of that, Antos is bisexual, which he finds can be a struggle when dating and has previously found it hard to put himself out there.

Of course, putting yourself out there in Canberra and putting yourself out there on national television are two different ball games. And emerging from the filming experience - which was done over the winter months - Antos said he can now appreciate that he still has a bit of self-acceptance to achieve.

"Thankfully I am surrounded by some of the most supportive and open-minded people, and if my experience on this show can help others accept themselves then I'll be really proud of that," he said.

"In my experience, I have found that it can be a barrier to dating when people hear the news. I've been stood up on a Tinder date because she heard through the Canberra grapevine that I was bi.

"Guys tend to care a bit less than ladies do, but ultimately there will always be intolerance when people are faced with a concept they do not understand, so I just try to stick to my lane, make sure no one ever feels uncomfortable around me and surround myself with awesome and inclusive people who I want to share my time with."

The Real Love Boat launches on Network 10 on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm.

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