Cruise Specialists Blog

Luxury Cruise News & Reviews

Blog Home / Hosted Cruises

Avid Cruiser Voyages: New Zealand

Ralph Grizzle

This week’s Avid Cruiser Voyage revolves around a destination that is frequently grouped alongside another, but one that truly needs to be considered on its own merits. We’re talking, of course, about cruises to New Zealand.

Frequently coupled with Australia on many cruise search and booking engines (as well as itineraries), New Zealand features heaps of natural beauty and an abundance of deep-water ports that help to make this country of more than 4 million inhabitants an avid cruiser’s dream.

Silver Shadow approached Auckland in the early morning and departed late in the evening. The ship docked a few steps from the city center.
Auckland is a popular embarkation port, and one of New Zealand’s most prosperous cities.

That said, New Zealand cruises are largely dependent on Australia. Many cruises to New Zealand depart roundtrip from Sydney, Australia. Royal Caribbean, for example, offers voyages aboard Radiance of the Seas, and those offer an overnight stay in the Australian capital before heading across the Tasman Sea for a voyage that focuses on New Zealand ports.

Other lines, like ultra-luxury operator Silversea, routinely offer voyages that begin in Australia and end in New Zealand, or vice-versa. Most often, these either begin or terminate in the port of Auckland, a city of 1.4 million that also features one of the country’s largest international airports, with nonstop flights to North American cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver.

Regardless of how you get there (or what departure port you leave from), once your ship has sailed to New Zealand, a wealth of beauty awaits.

In Picton, New Zealand, local ladies greet cruise passengers with flowers picked from their gardens.
In Picton, New Zealand, local ladies greet cruise passengers with flowers picked from their gardens.

One of the most spectacular sights New Zealand has to offer is Milford Sound. Writer Rudyard Kipling referred to it as “the Eighth Wonder of the World,” and perhaps with good cause: This 15 kilometer long stretch of inland waterway rivals the fjords of Norway and Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park in terms of raw, untouched beauty.

Running from the Tasman Sea, it is dominated by massive cliff faces, some of which rise as high as 1,200 meters or nearly 4,000 feet into the mist. Anchoring the sound is Mitre Peak, rising 5,500 from sea level.

But it’s not just natural beauty that provides New Zealand’s cruising allure: The capital city of Wellington is home to just under 400,000 inhabitants, yet still manages to offer that “big city” feel, with plenty of historical sights intertwined with modern architecture. The local tourist board even markets the city as “the Coolest Little Capital in the World.”  On any visit here, a trip up the funicular railway known as the Wellington Cable Car is a must for the vistas it offers overlooking the city and beyond. It’s also recognized as one of the city’s top tourist destinations.

Other notable Kiwi ports of call include Tauranga, a city nestled within the region’s Bay of Plenty that has made a name for itself as one of the premier business centers in New Zealand, with international trade, fashion, and horticultural science being the primary economic drivers. But it is the natural beauty of the region, as well as its access to Rotorua, with its thermal springs and Maori culture, that make a call in Tauranga so appealing.

Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand

Another picturesque port of call frequently offered on expedition and luxury cruises is Akaroa, which is Maori for “Long Harbor.” Located along a peninsula formed when the wall of an extinct volcano collapsed into the sea, Akaroa is characterized by its lush countryside appearance, nestled in among the many bays that dot the coastline. This is where the locals go to relax, which makes it one of the best ports to escape the more traditional “touristy” activities and just do as the Kiwis do. If you’re scheduled to visit here between December and February (New Zealand’s summer, the Northern Hemisphere’s winter), keep in mind: probably half of Christchurch will be here.

Silver Shadow Anchored Off Akaroa, New Zealand.
Silver Shadow Anchored Off Akaroa, New Zealand.

Other significant ports include Picton, in the heart of New Zealand’s wine country; Napier, the self-proclaimed art deco capital of the world (and where we visited the Mission Estate Winery, the birthplace of New Zealand wines); and Dunedin, where we rode the rails on a “gorgeous” train trip on a half-day excursion that began pierside and took us past some of the country’s best scenery.

There are voyages that sail to both Australia and New Zealand on a single 14-day long cruise, but we’d recommend first-time visitors find a voyage that concentrates solely on New Zealand. Like the country itself, it will be a voyage that long remains in your memory.

More from my site

  • My Perspective: Silver Shadow, Ship Shape?My Perspective: Silver Shadow, Ship Shape?
  • What excites repeat world cruisers?What excites repeat world cruisers?
  • The Four Best Places We’ve Ocean CruisedThe Four Best Places We’ve Ocean Cruised
  • Avid Cruiser Voyages: Norwegian Fjord CruisesAvid Cruiser Voyages: Norwegian Fjord Cruises

Hosted Cruises

SEARCH ARTICLES

Article Categories

  • Cruise Destinations
    • Africa Cruise Reviews
    • Alaska Cruise Reviews
    • Amazon Cruise Reviews
    • Antarctica Cruise Reviews
    • Arctic Cruise Reviews
    • Asia Cruise Reviews
    • Australia/New Zealand
    • Baltic Cruise Reviews
    • Canada/New England Cruise Reviews
    • Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Cuba Cruise Reviews
    • Europe Cruise Reviews
    • Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Grand Voyages
    • Hawaii Cruise Reviews
    • Iceland/Greenland
    • Mediterranean Cruise Reviews
    • Mexico Cruise Reviews
    • Panama Canal Cruise Reviews
    • Scandinavia and Northern Europe Cruise Reviews
    • South America Cruise Reviews
    • South Pacific Cruise Reviews
    • Transatlantic Cruise Reviews
    • World Cruise Reviews
  • Cruise FAQs
  • Cruise Lines
    • Abercrombie & Kent Reviews
    • AmaWaterways Cruise Reviews
    • American Cruise Line Reviews
    • American Queen Voyages Reviews
    • Aqua Expeditions Reviews
    • Atlas Ocean Voyages Reviews
    • Avalon Cruise Reviews
    • Azamara Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard World Cruise Reviews
    • Disney Cruise Reviews
    • Explora Journeys Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America Line Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America World Cruise Reviews
    • Hurtigruten Reviews
    • Lindblad/National Geographic Reviews
    • Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews
    • Oceania Cruise Reviews
    • Oceania World Cruise Reviews
    • Paul Gauguin Cruise Reviews
    • Ponant Cruise Reviews
    • Princess Cruise Reviews
    • Quark Expeditions Reviews
    • Regent Cruise Reviews
    • Regent Seven Seas Cruise
    • Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
    • Royal Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yacht Reviews
    • Scenic River Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea World Cruise Reviews
    • Star Clippers Cruise Reviews
    • Tauck Cruise and Tauck Land Tour Reviews
    • UnCruise Adventures Reviews
    • Uniworld River Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Ocean Cruise Reviews
    • Virgin Voyages
    • Windstar Cruise Reviews
    • Zegrahm Expeditions
  • Cruise News
  • Cruise Ports
  • Cruise Specialists Benefits
  • Expedition Cruises
  • Hosted Cruises
  • Ralph Grizzle
  • River Cruises
  • Ship Reviews
  • Solo Cruising
  • Tom Mullen
  • Tours, Trains & Resorts
    • Palace Resorts Reviews
    • Safari Reviews
    • Shore Excursions
    • Trains

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maggie Blehert

Her ideal travel day: venturing to a new place, learning something interesting and sharing a smile.
View My Blog Posts

Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer
Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts reporting on their round the world journeys.
View My Blog Posts

Ralph Grizzle

The Avid Cruiser. Well-traveled and insightful. Helping you make informed cruise decisions.
View My Blog Posts

FOLLOW US ON

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter