Australia & New Zealand Cruise

Day 1 - Sydney

Arrive: Sat 15 February 2025 / Depart: Sat 15 February 2025 at 16:00

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Melbourne

Arrive: Mon 17 February 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 17 February 2025 at 17:00

Victoria may be Australia's smallest continental state, but Melbourne, its capital, is big on everything. With a population of 2.7 million people living in 59 separately named communities within 715 square miles, Melbourne is a sprawling city offering culture, art, fashion and friendly, sports-minded Australians. It is also an easy city to explore. At the heart of the city is the Golden Mile, the city's governmental and commercial center, home to hotels, shops, restaurants and theaters. Originally part of New South Wales, Victoria became a colony in its own right in 1851. The discovery of gold propelled Melbourne's growth to prominence and prosperity.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Hobart

Arrive: Wed 19 February 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 19 February 2025 at 17:00

Tasmania's capital has much in common with Sydney. Founded but a few years later, Hobart also owes its origins to the establishment of a penal colony - and its natural setting is just as impressive. Seen from its fine deep-water harbor, Hobart spills over the lower reaches of the Derwent Valley as Mt. Wellington towers in the background. Much of the city's heritage is centered on the historic waterfront. North of the city stretches the vast parkland of the Queen's Domain. Many of Tasmania's other attractions are within easy reach of Hobart. With more than 90 National Trust buildings, Hobart, founded in 1804, combines colonial character with a sophisticated metropolitan lifestyle.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - At Sea

Day 8 - Fiordland National Park

Arrive: Sat 22 February 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 22 February 2025 at 16:00

Fiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand in the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the westernmost third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes, and its steep, glacier-carved and now ocean-flooded western valleys.

Day 9 - Port Chalmers

Arrive: Sun 23 February 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 23 February 2025 at 19:30

Port Chalmers is a town serving as the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, with a population of 3,000. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast of Dunedin's city centre.

Day 10 - Lyttelton

Arrive: Mon 24 February 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 24 February 2025 at 17:00

Christchurch has a rich history of adventurers who used Christchurch as a gateway for Antarctic explorations. Famed explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton used the port of Lyttelton as a departure point for their expeditions.

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - Bay of Islands

Arrive: Wed 26 February 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Wed 26 February 2025 at 18:00

The Bay of Islands offers more than broad vistas of sea and sky, more than beaches, boating, and fabulous water sports. The Bay is the birthplace of modern New Zealand. Here the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, establishing British rule and granting the native inhabitants equal status. Rich in legend and mystery, the Bay of Islands has age-old ties to the Maori and to whalers, missionaries and New Zealand's early settlers. The Bay of Islands has lured explorers for countless centuries. The Maori say that Kupe, the great Polynesian adventurer, came here in the 10th century. Captain Cook anchored offshore in 1769, followed by assorted brigands, traders, colonists and missionaries. Note: Bay of Islands is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender.

Day 13 - Tauranga

Arrive: Thu 27 February 2025 at 08:30 / Depart: Thu 27 February 2025 at 19:30

New Zealand's natural bounty is always on display at the Bay of Plenty. It was Captain James Cook who in 1769 aptly named this bay after he was able to replenish his ship's provisions, thanks to the prosperous Maori villages of the region. Tauranga, the chief city, is a bustling port, an agricultural and timber center and a popular seaside resort. Tauranga is also the gateway to Rotorua - a geothermal wonderland that is the heart of Maori culture. A 90-minute drive from Tauranga, Rotorua is New Zealand's primary tourist attraction. Your ship docks near the foot of Mt. Maunganui, which rises 761 feet above the bay. Across the harbor, Tauranga offers scenic tidal beaches at Omokoroa and Pahoia. The region boasts fine beaches, big-game fishing, thermal springs and seaside resorts.

Day 14 - Auckland

Arrive: Fri 28 February 2025 at 06:30 / Depart: Fri 28 February 2025

Straddling a narrow isthmus created by 60 different volcanoes, New Zealand's former capital boasts scenic beauty, historical interest and a cosmopolitan collection of shops, restaurants, museums, galleries and gardens. Rangitoto, Auckland's largest and youngest volcano, sits in majestic splendor just offshore. Mt. Eden and One Tree Hill, once home to Maori earthworks, overlook the city. One of New Zealand's fine wine districts lies to the north of Auckland. Auckland served as New Zealand's capital from 1841 until 1865, when the seat of government moved to Wellington.