Cruise
New Zealand & South Pacific Crossing Collector
Holland America Line, Noordam
Depart: 25th March 2023, for 39 nights
MM – Large/Standard Inside Stateroom
Itinerary
Day 1: Auckland, New Zealand (25th Mar 2023)
New Zealand’s biggest city deserves more than a layover. Auckland is multicultural and cosmopolitan, with sizeable Polynesian, Asian and Maori populations enriching its history and broadening the palate. Internationally known chefs and fashion designers have made neighborhoods like Ponsonby, Newmarket and Parnell world-class destinations for shopping and dining. You’re never far from water attractions in New Zealand and this is especially true in Auckland where it’s not unheard of for downtown workers to go kayaking on their lunch break. The once-gritty port has been transformed into inviting public spaces and buzzing nightclubs, with sailboat charters and regular ferry connections waiting to whisk visitors around the harbor for sightseeing. Start your day sipping a flat white while you plan your explorations: art gallery crawl, winery tour or volcano hike? It’s possible to do all three without losing sight of the Sky Tower, one of Auckland’s top tourist attractions, from which you can get a bird’s-eye view of the gateway to Aotearoa.
Day 2: Tauranga (Rotorua), New Zealand (26th Mar 2023)
Site of fierce Maori wars, Tauranga today is a peaceful city in the heart of kiwifruit-growing country. Farther afield: Rotorua, with its spouting geysers and bubbling mud pools, the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves and nocturnal kiwi houses. Sample shore excursions: Fascinating Rotorua; Longridge Park & Jetboat Ride; Maori Marae Visit.
Day 3: Napier, New Zealand (27th Mar 2023)
A city of vision, rebuilt in the striking, clean style of art deco after a devastating earthquake in 1931 and reinvented as a center for gourmet food and wines. Sample shore excursions: Napier Art Deco Highlights; Cape Kidnappers Gannet Safari; Hawke’s Bay Wineries; A Taste of New Zealand:: Epicurean Experience at Sileni Estates.
Day 4: Picton, New Zealand (28th Mar 2023)
Set in the upper reaches of Queen Charlotte Sound, Picton is perfect in every way: climate, scenery, outdoor adventure. Gateway to the largest grape-growing and wine-producing region of New Zealand. Sample shore excursions: A Taste of Picton; The Wines of Marlborough; Queen Charlotte Sound Kayaking.
Day 5: Wellington, New Zealand (29th Mar 2023)
New Zealand’s friendly capital city features gaily painted old wooden houses and a red cable car that takes you up to the Wellington Botanic Gardens and a fine view of the harbor. A must-see is the engaging Te Papa Museum. Sample shore excursions: The Best of Wellington’s Pubs; Boomrock Escape; Lord of the Rings – on Location.
Day 6: Lyttelton (Christchurch), New Zealand (30th Mar 2023)
Are you in England or New Zealand? It’s hard to tell in this city crowned by a neo-Gothic stone cathedral and set along the grassy banks of the Avon River. Nearby: the fertile Canterbury Plains and rugged high-country sheep stations.
Day 7: Port Chalmers (Dunedin), New Zealand (31st Mar 2023)
Much of New Zealand feels like England, by way of Polynesia. There are a few exceptions, though, such as the town of Akaroa, a former French settlement, and the distinctly Scottish city of Dunedin, named after the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh. After Dunedin was founded in 1848, city surveyor Charles Kettle attempted to impose Edinburgh’s New Town grid plan on the growing city. But the Otago Peninsula’s hilly landscape proved challenging for evidence, note that Dunedin has one of the world’s steepest streets (Baldwin Street). The volcanic remnants around the harbor make for a dramatic backdrop. Dunedin’s prominence during the gold rush in the late 19th century resulted in many grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Thanks to the beautiful University of Otago (the country’s oldest), there’s a large student population to keep the city vibrant and modern. But Dunedin’s heritage is always proudly on display: The magnificent Dunedin Railway Station and Larnach Castle have been restored to their full glory, and the fascinating Toitu Otago Settlers Museum provides a glimpse into the lives of early residents. Outside the city, the Otago Peninsula is lined with scenic beaches and home to rare birdlife like the royal albatross and yellow-eyed penguin.
Day 8: Cruising Fiordland Natl Park (1st Apr 2023)
Day 9: At Sea (2nd Apr 2023)
Day 10: At Sea (3rd Apr 2023)
Day 11: Hobart, Australia (4th Apr 2023)
Tasmania, once the butt of many jokes, is finally cool. The little Australian island is home to stunning landscapes, old-growth forests and exceptional local produce. Lording over all this goodness is Hobart, the island’s creative capital. Although its remoteness might once have made it feel provincial, the city has truly come into its own in recent years. It’s got one of the world’s best museums of contemporary art, vibrant markets, a cosmopolitan dining scene and eclectic music festivals. It’s also achingly beautiful, with a natural harbor setting and rugged Mount Wellington looming in the background. The city is compact enough to easily explore on foot. Start at the sandstone area of Salamanca Place with its hip galleries, artist studios and bustling cafes and bars, and then roam the quaint streets of Battery Point, one of Hobart’s oldest neighborhoods. Immerse yourself in nature at the gorgeous Botanical Gardens or head out of town to learn more about Tasmania’s dark but fascinating past. Fuel up on the freshest seafood straight from the Southern Ocean down at the waterfront, or feast on gourmet Tassie produce at one of the many excellent restaurants in town. Whatever you choose to do, we promise you won’t be bored.
Day 12: At Sea (5th Apr 2023)
Day 13: Melbourne, Australia (6th Apr 2023)
Melbourne is consistently voted one of the world’s most livable cities and for good reason. This is Australia’s cosmopolitan heart with cutting-edge art and architecture, historic galleries, attractions and museums, plus a dizzying range of restaurants, bistros, markets and bars. It’s renowned for its sporting culture, home to the esteemed Melbourne Cricket Ground and Australian rules football teams. The famous laneways of Melbourne bustle with hidden bars and eateries, while myriad beaches and parks allow for the ultimate outdoor lifestyle and active things to do. It’s a melting pot of cultures and a city of gourmands who demand excellent food and find it everywhere from modern Australian cuisine and delicious Asian fusion fare to low-key cafes serving the best coffee you’ve ever tasted. If you want to leave the city, Melbourne is the gateway to Victoria’s world-class wineries and spectacular coastline sights. Visit the famous penguins at nearby Phillip Island or feast on local produce in the picture-perfect Yarra Valley. Wherever you go in and around Melbourne, you’ll be sure to understand why so many choose to call this beautiful corner of the world home.
Day 14: At Sea (7th Apr 2023)
Day 15: Sydney, Australia (8th Apr 2023)
If you want a snapshot of Australia’s appeal, look no further than Sydney: The idyllic lifestyle, friendly locals and drop-dead natural beauty of this approachable metropolis and its attractions explain why the country tops so many travelers’ wish lists. But Sydney is more than just the embodiment of classic antipodean cool the city is in a constant state of evolution. A list of what to do in Sydney might start with the white-hot nightlife, with its new cocktail bars and idiosyncratic mixology dens. Inventive restaurants helmed by high-caliber chefs are dishing up everything from posh pan-Asian to Argentine street food, while the famous dining temples that put Sydney on the gastronomic map are still going strong too. The famed harbor is among the top sights come to twin icons the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it is the stepping-off point for some of the city’s best cultural attractions and sightseeing. In one day you can sail around the harbor, get a behind-the-scenes tour of the opera house and climb the bridge, with time to spare for people-watching over a flat white at a waterfront cafe. Speaking of water, when you plan what to do in Sydney, you will want to include the iconic beaches, where surfers, office workers and tourists alike converge on some of the most gorgeous shoreline scenery anywhere. Bondi, Bronte and Clovelly are all within easy reach of the Central Business District, as is Manly, a charming seaside town located a short ferry ride from Circular Quay. Beyond the city you’ll discover UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the chance to encounter Australia’s cuddliest wildlife a perfect way to round out your envy-inducing Sydney photo collection.
Day 16: At Sea (9th Apr 2023)
Day 17: At Sea (10th Apr 2023)
Day 18: Tadine, New Caledonia (11th Apr 2023)
At 42 kilometers long and 33 kilometers wide (26 miles long and 21 miles wide), Mare pronounced Mah-RAY is a raised coral atoll and the second biggest of the four Loyalty Islands. Something of a hidden treasure for cruise visitors, it’s less developed and busy than other Pacific islands and ports, and its undulating coastline, long, narrow beaches and rugged coral cliffs offer unspoiled pleasures for visitors. While there are few creature comforts or tourist activities, the island’s sparkling waters are full of exotic sea creatures like giant manta rays and dugongs and offer some of the South Pacific’s best diving. The interior has its own attractions too: sunken pools, gardens and grottoes, and ancient cliffs. The island’s two main towns, Tadine and La Roche, are pleasantly relaxed and incredibly welcoming: Visitors are often greeted with local women singing traditional songs as they walk along a jetty that’s been decorated with palm fronds. Tadine itself offers a few shops and practical amenities such as a gas station and a pharmacy, and it holds a market on Tuesday and Friday mornings. The island also hosts several festivals per year, mostly relating to agriculture and the celebration of Mare’s natural bounty
Day 19: Easo, New Caledonia (12th Apr 2023)
Easo is the capital of Lifou, the largest and most populated of the Loyalty Islands. Home to around 10,000 Kanak people, it’s a simple, relatively undeveloped and largely unspoiled place, famed for two things: a sandy palm-fringed beach that fans out on either side of the main dock, and a very friendly atmosphere. Cruise ships are often welcomed to this island paradise with traditional tribal dances as well as a colorful local market that pops up to sell food, drinks and crafts. The island itself offers a diverse landscape that ranges from the steep cliffs of the northern coast to the pristine white-sand beaches and stunning turquoise waters along the southern coast. The island’s many walking paths and trails take in pretty churches including the famous missionary chapel, the Chapelle Notre Dame de Lourdes and pass scenic observation points, not to mention a wide variety of wildflowers and plants. Visitors can also tour vanilla plantations to learn about this venerable spice and its production, or make day trips to the nearby island of Tiga.
Day 20: At Sea (13th Apr 2023)
Day 21: Lautoka, Fiji (14th Apr 2023)
Welcome to paradise – white sand, clear turquoise waters and 50 luxuriant acres of orchids at the late Raymond Burr’ s Garden of the Sleeping Giant. Sample shore excursions: Nausori Highland Village; Nadi Hinterland & the Garden of the Sleeping Giant; Shotover Jet Boat & Shopping.
Day 22: Savusavu, Fiji (15th Apr 2023)
Known as the hidden paradise of Fiji, the striking harbor town of Savusavu is located on the south coast of Vanua Levu Island. Backed by green hills and featuring a bustling marina and attractive waterfront, the town was originally established as a trading center for products like sandalwood, bêche-de-mer and copra. Today the town is known for its burgeoning eco-tourism infrastructure, which has spawned several luxury resorts. The surrounding waters mean an abundance of scuba diving and yachting. On land, there are historic hot springs, waterfall hikes, bird-spotting in the Waisali Rainforest Reserve and visits to traditional villages. There are several key landmarks too, including the 19th-century Copra Shed Marina, which now serves as the local yacht club, and the Savarekareka Mission, a chapel built around 1870 by the first Roman Catholic mission on Vanua Levu. Of course, it’s also possible just to relax and enjoy the palm-lined pristine beaches and the town’s assortment of restaurants, cafés and bars.
Day 22: Cross International Dateline (15th Apr 2023)
Day 23: At Sea (15th Apr 2023)
Day 24: Pago Pago, American Samoa (16th Apr 2023)
Pago Pago’s small size belies its historic stature and epic setting. The city—or more accurately, cluster of several fishing villages—lies along the shore of Pago Pago Harbor, which was carved from thousands of years of volcanic-crater erosion on Tutuila Island. The fjordlike harbor, one of the most stunning in the South Pacific, is bordered by steep and lush hills and dominated by Rainmaker Mountain.
Day 25: At Sea (17th Apr 2023)
Day 26: Crossing the Equator (18th Apr 2023)
Travelers flying or cruising across the Pacific Ocean get to experience the only-one-place-in-the-world feeling of adding or losing a day within the span of a second. The International Date Line is the longitudinal boundary between where one day starts (to the west) and another day ends (to the east). It runs roughly along the 180th meridian of longitude in the middle of the ocean—with some exceptions in the southern Pacific, where sovereign islands opted for one side over the other for commercial reasons. The Date Line was initially proposed by astronomers from 25 countries at a conference in 1884, but took until the early 1900s to become standardized globally. After a few adjustments, the position of the Date Line was formalized in 1921.
Day 27: At Sea (19th Apr 2023)
Day 28: At Sea (20th Apr 2023)
Day 29: At Sea (21st Apr 2023)
Day 30: Honolulu, United States (22nd Apr 2023)
Hawaii cruises whisk you to Oahu’s south shore. The capital of Hawaii—and gateway to the island chain—is a suitably laid-back Polynesian mash-up of influences and experiences. Away from the Waikiki crowds and glossy high-rise hotels, our Hawaii cruises give a taste of the “real” Hawaii: brick Victorian buildings, including America’s only royal palace; thriving Chinatown nightlife; sacred temple remains on distant bluffs; and the wartime memories of the attack on Pearl Harbor, including the USS Arizona Memorial.
Day 31: Honolulu, United States (23rd Apr 2023)
Day 32: Nawiliwili, United States (24th Apr 2023)
Get ready for lush fern grottos, grand canyons and the dramatic cliffs of the Na Pali Coast (experienced by helicopter and from the decks of your Holland America ship during an afternoon of scenic cruising). Sample shore excursions: Kipu Falls Zipline Trek; Kauai’s Grand Helicopter Tour.
Day 33: Lahaina, United States (25th Apr 2023)
Glamorous resorts, stunning beaches, world-class golf courses, historic Lahaina Town: This enchanting island has it all, plus a magnificent volcano and the annual migration of the humpback whales. Sample shore excursions: Haleakala Crater & Iao Valley; Adventure to Hana; Lana’i Wild Dolphin & Snorkel Adventure.
Day 34: At Sea (26th Apr 2023)
Day 35: At Sea (27th Apr 2023)
Day 36: At Sea (28th Apr 2023)
Day 37: At Sea (29th Apr 2023)
Day 38: At Sea (30th Apr 2023)
Day 39: At Sea (1st May 2023)
Day 40: Vancouver, Canada (2nd May 2023)
Once a trading post and a rough-and-tumble sawmilling settlement, today modern Vancouver, Canada is many things. Cruise to Vancouver and visit this bustling seaport. This city is a hub for outdoor enthusiasts looking for active things to do in Vancouver an ethnically diverse metropolis, and Hollywood of the North. Hemmed in by mountains and sea, Vancouver seduces visitors with its combination of urban sophistication and laid-back attitude against a backdrop of glass towers and modern sights and plentiful green spaces. Enjoy enjoy local attractions, fun filled outdoor activities, and an innovative culinary scene on a Vancouver cruise excursion. Vancouver’s culinary and cocktail scene is on the rise and its excellent restaurants and hopping bars have a distinctively local stamp on them. If you are looking for where to go in Vancouver for music, theater and the arts, they are thriving in the city’s many museums, galleries and performance venues. Beyond the downtown attractions in Vancouver, days of exploration and sightseeing await among the colorful suburbs, unspoiled islands and the vast, rugged wilderness.