Pacific Islands and New Zealand

Sail the lush waters of the Pacific towards a country famed for its friendly locals and ruggedly beautiful landscapes: New Zealand, or Land of the Long White Cloud. With tourism surging in recent years, the Department of Conservation (DOC) has shrewdly introduced a booking system for its nine great walks such as the Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Abel Tasman Coast Track. This ensures visitors can enjoy New Zealand’s mesmerising beauty without encountering overcrowding.

For a unique cultural experience, sail to Akaroa: a charming harbour-side township surrounded by majestic volcanic hills. Akaroa boasts excellent French cuisine, friendly locals, and a range of opportunities to swim with resident dolphins in their natural habitat.

As New Zealand boasts around 15,000 kilometres of coastline and over 25 marine reserves, the country is perfect for visiting by cruise and offers bountiful swimming, surfing, sailing and fishing opportunities. Particularly captivating is the North Island, featuring active volcanic regions and geothermal areas around Rotorua and Taupo filled with fumaroles, craters and geysers.

For city splendour, disembark your cruise at the charming city of Christchurch. Renowned as the Garden City due to its impressive range of parks and public gardens; Christchurch’s highlights include the stunning Daffodil Lawn in the Botanic Gardens. The country’s capital, Wellington, meanwhile, boasts a plethora of fine dining options, world-class boutiques and a famed inaugural dining festival: Wellington On A Plate.