The land of the Maori and “The Lord of the Rings” is rich in culture both indigenous and pop, but that’s just the tip of the glacial mountain peak when it comes to listing why New Zealand deserves more than 2% of the worldwide cruise market. Stunning snow-capped fjords, alone, should entice more than the mere million and change who visit this rugged and robust country by ship annually.
Alas, anyone with a globe can understand why these numbers are so low for a destination so great. Simply, New Zealand is deemed geographically undesirable with many North Americans, and we make up over half of the cruising world. Just coming from the West Coast on a nonstop involves a flight of roughly 13 to 15 hours, and then there’s the International Date Line to factor in along with a different hemisphere; our summer is their winter.
One more reality check before we get to the silver-lined “but” intended to persuade wanderlusters to go the extra mile — OK, thousands of extra miles — for the joy of visiting New Zealand: Further ruminating on one of the country’s attributes, seeing the majestic fjords of Milford Sound requires more effort, time and, yes, money, than going by ship to soak in the comparable grandeur of Alaska’s Inside Passage. And, yes, even getting to Earth’s best-known fjord destination, Norway, is a piece of Scandinavian cake by comparison.
Having now done our Debbie Downer-like due diligence on the potential negatives of traveling to what the Maori call Aotearoa and another land “down under” — Australia is where most cruises to New Zealand begin or end — let’s get to that comforting “but.”
With a New Zealand cruise comes tremendous variety, from the biodiversity of flora and fauna not found anywhere else on the planet to a multicultural nation that openly celebrates different customs and traditions without getting too political. New Zealanders may all be “Kiwis,” but the indigenous Maori who make up about 15% of the population have a strong presence in a nation where nearly three-quarters are of European descent. A cruise to this far-off destination also enables visitors to easily experience both of New Zealand’s islands and Australia for a trip of a lifetime.
“New Zealand and Australia are excellent options for cruisers looking for global destinations, iconic cities and wild wonders,” said Beth Bodensteiner, president of Holland America Line (hollandamerica.com), one of nearly 20 major cruise lines serving the market this year and next.
A recent 14-day cruise on Holland America’s Westerdam delivered as promised from Sydney to Auckland. Eight other ports made up a whirlwind itinerary that, now with Westerdam headed to Alaska and the Far East, is being assumed by Noordam, a 1,924-guest sister ship, from November to at least March 2027.
On eastbound sails, after spending quality time in Sydney, Melbourne and lesser-visited Hobart in Australia’s island state of Tasmania, passengers get their first glimpse of New Zealand in Milford Sound, widely considered the country’s most stunning natural attraction. Cruise ships make a scenic day out of meandering through the sound and other waterways of Fiordland National Park. The weather here is so unpredictable, all four seasons can be experienced in a single day.
After ogling Mother Nature’s masterwork, it’s back to civilization with a call to strollable Port Chalmers and nearby explorable Dunedin. Lyttleton, the next port and a landing point for Christchurch-bound seafarers, has an eight-hour tour to Mount Sunday just outside the Southern Alps. Fans of the “Lord of the Rings” films know the rocky hill better as Edoras, the fortified capital of Rohan in Middle Earth. Nothing remains of the movie set, however, and only those who took delight in following in the footsteps of Frodo didn’t feel finagled out of $280 and their entire port day.
But there’s nothing shameful about the next port on most eastbound itineraries. Lovers of the grape will find it hard to bottle up excitement over making a call to Picton, gateway to the award-winning Marlborough wine region. Famous for its sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, the bucolic destination is dotted with impressive wineries that offer tastings, tours and gourmet lunches deliciously and delectably done al fresco.
The wine region is about a half-hour from the charming seaport, and while private drivers and shore excursions booked through the ship are viable options, what may make more sense logistically and economically is to hitch a ride with Hop on Hop off Wine Tours (hoponhopoffwinetours.com). Comfortable buses await steps from where the mandatory shuttle drops passengers off just outside the working port. The local company uncorks a cruise-friendly timetable with over two dozen stops, the majority of them featuring some of the best wines in the world. The task of booking activities at individual wineries and other attractions is on you, but oh, the places you can go thanks to having a designated driver.
On the upper echelon is Saint Clair Family Estate (saintclair.co.nz), the largest family-owned winery in the region. The wines and cuisine here are exceptional, and when combined for lunch in a stunning vineyard setting, well, life doesn’t get much better than that. Highlights out of Saint Clair’s kitchen include red snapper, katsu-style chicken schnitzel and subtly sweet and salty Okiwi Bay oysters that in terms of freshness and taste rival the sumptuous New Zealand green-lipped mussels served back on the Westerdam.
Ten stops beyond Saint Clair on the Hop on Hop off Wine Tour schedule is Clos Henri (closhenri.com), a world-class organic wine estate drawing on 10 generations of family expertise in new-world and traditional Sancerre appellation winegrowing techniques. Their sauvignon blancs and pinots pair perfectly with charcuterie platters. Be sure to leave room for dessert paired with Patience, a late harvest 2021 sauvignon blanc that makes for a sweet finish to a memorable day in marvelous Marlborough.
Before we leave the Napa of New Zealand, we should point out that along with wine are wheels and war — as in museums — on the comprehensive and convenient Hop on Hop off timetable. In the town of Blenheim is Omaka Classic Cars (omakaclassiccars.co.nz), an impressive collection of mostly New Zealand-built automobiles from the 1950s to the 1980s. Among the 101 cars on display are classic Holdens from General Motors’ regional subsidiary, and a well-traveled 1959 Jaguar XK150 that was delivered new to a tea plantation manager in Malaysia, then shipped to the U.S. when he retired, only to be sold for permanent display in New Zealand. Adjacent to the car museum is the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre (omaka.org.nz) that presents outstanding exhibits on each world war; the WWI building houses aircraft and artifacts from the collection of “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson.
Crossing Cook Strait, North Island offers more adventure. Laid-back Wellington has a city center with excellent shopping and an iconic funicular (wellingtoncablecar.co.nz) that takes riders to some of the best views of the nation’s capital, not to mention a host of tasty and interesting activities. One option out of the Port of Tauranga is a tour of Agrodome (agrodome.co.nz), a working farm with a menagerie of native animals. That shore excursion is often combined with a visit to the National Kiwi Hatchery, likely the only place you’ll see New Zealand’s national animal, the elusive kiwi bird.
Halfway up the eastern coast, Napier is a stunning, sunny, art deco-adorned port town in the heart of Hawke’s Bay. A worthy shore excursion takes visitors to Cape Kidnappers, home of the most assessable gannet colony in the world. Above the bluffs is stunning Rosewood Cape Kidnappers (rosewoodhotels.com), an extraordinary luxury destination that makes for a perfect lunch spot while in port, via taxi, but better for an extended return visit. Set on a 6,000-acre sheep and cattle farm, the gorgeous property features 26 exquisite rooms and suites, a world-renowned golf course, full-service spa and vibe of pure relaxation. The resort is so chill, on a shelf off the lobby is an original, hand-painted plate by Pablo Picasso displayed on a stand unprotected. Uh, New Zealand gets earthquakes, hello?
With most cruises to Kiwi country involving Australia, we’d be remiss not to offer some tips for the most likely Aussie stops. For starters, the backstage or architecture tour of the iconic Sydney Opera House is a must, and a nice-to-do is visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Experiences at these and other attractions can be booked through Cultural Attractions of Australia (culturalattractionsofaustralia.com).
For thrills, there’s a famous bridge to climb, but if ascending 440 feet isn’t enough, double that height doing the Sydney Tower Eye Skywalk (sydneytowereye.com.au) atop the tallest structure in the city. Those with acrophobia get another chance to overcome their fears at the Melbourne Skydeck (melbourneskydeck.com.au). The observation deck and VR experience are worthwhile, but the star attraction is the Edge, which has the brave standing 88 floors above the ground in a cube made of transparent glass.
From jitters to critters, visiting Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary (bonorong.com.au) in Hobart is a must for animal lovers and on nearly every cruise line’s list of tours. The 24-acre, nonprofit facility cares for over 200 native Australian animals, including the cute and not so cuddly Tasmanian devil. With jaws five times stronger than that of a pit bull, this carnivorous marsupial isn’t among the four animals available for upcharged personal encounters. That’s a job for the wombat, ringtail possum, echidna and tawny frogmouth. (It’s a bird.) Hanging out with the roos is included with admission.
Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Viking have the most cruises going to New Zealand to or from Australia through winter 2027. Sails of 10 to 14 days is the sweet spot, but those looking to really flex their sea legs might want to consider one of Holland America’s five “Collectors’ Voyages” that combine back-to-back, nonrepeating itineraries for one seamless cruise to multiple geographies. These dream vacations are four to seven weeks long, and first up on the calendar is the 41-day “South Pacific Crossing & New Zealand” journey out of Seattle in October.