Australia & New Zealand
Cruise Tour
Enjoy the very best of New Zealand and some of Australia’s favourite cities on this amazing cruise holiday aboard Holland America Line’s ms Oosterdam. On board enjoy live entertainment, great dining venues, the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, gym and even learn some culinary skills at a hands on workshop with America's test kitchen.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Set sail from Sydney as you sail out of the stunning Darling Harbour
- Sail the magnificent 15km Milford Sound at Fiordland National Park
- Spend two days exploring the "City of Sails" in Auckland with an informative city tour included
Your Itinerary
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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Day 5
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Day 6
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Day 7
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Day 8 & 9
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Day 10
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Day 11
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Day 12
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Day 13
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Day 14
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Day 15
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Day 16
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Day 17&18
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Day 19
Day 1 : Arrive Sydney
Arrive into Sydney and make your way to your downtown hotel for a two night stay. Spend the rest of the day exploring this cosmopolitan city.
Day 2 : Sydney
See the city highlights on an included city tour before exploring on your own.
Day 3 : Embark Ship
A free morning before making your way to the cruise terminal to board the ms Oosterdam early afternoon. Be on deck as the ship sets sail and see the Harbour Bridge and Opera House disappear in the distance.
Day 4 : At Sea
Enjoy the ship facilities as you cruise the Tasman sea
Day 5 : Melbourne
Melbourne is consistently voted one of the world's most liveable 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 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 cafés serving the best coffee you’ve ever tasted.
Day 6 : Day at Sea
Enjoy a day at sea as you sail towards Tasmania
Day 7 : Hobart
Hobart has 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 harbour setting and rugged Mount Wellington looming in the background.
Day 8 & 9 : At Sea
Relax and enjoy your onboard facilities as you head for New Zealand
Day 10 : Milford Sound & Fiordland National Park
Milford Sound, or Piopiotahi (its name in Maori), sits on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island and was first called the Eighth Wonder of the World by none other than Rudyard Kipling, who had seen some pretty wonderful places. As you sail up the 15 kilometre sound, with soaring snowtopped peaks looming above you'll understand Kipling's enthusiasm. The natural wonders continue offshore: Seals, dolphins and whales frequent these waters.
Day 11 : Dunedin
This is a city with a distinctly Scottish feel. 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 to see in the magnificent Dunedin Railway Station and Larnach Castle.
Day 12 : Akaroa
With a distinctly continental flair, which stands out against the country's Maori roots and British colonial history, Akaroa is New Zealand's only town to have originally been established by the French and is the oldest European settlement on the South Island. The harbour of Akaroa sits along the Banks Peninsula, about 50 miles south of Christchurch, sheltered by the crater of an extinct volcano.
Day 13 : Picton
Tucked into the north-eastern end of the South Island, the petite and picturesque port town of Picton is your starting point for exploring the region of Marlborough.This seaside gateway connects the majestic maritime beauty known as Queen Charlotte Sound to the luscious wine country of Marlborough, heaven for sauvignon blanc lovers.
Day 14 : Wellington
New Zealand's capital is at the southern tip of the North Island, with a beautiful waterfront and fresh seafood. Politics is a hot topic too, with government workers buzzing about the Beehive, as the distinctive Parliament building is colloquially known. Learn about Maori history and Kiwiana at Te Papa, the national museum; go behind the scenes of the Lord of the Rings movies in Wellywood; and wash down a plate of chilled bluff oysters with a crisp sauvignon blanc at a Cuba Street restaurant.
Day 15 : Napier
Art Deco Napier is a perfect mix of natural and manmade beauty. The historic district, which was mostly constructed after a massive earthquake and subsequent fires destroyed the city in 1931, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Surrounded by the rolling vineyards of the Hawke's Bay wine region and edged by pristine waters, Napier has attracted a host of culinary innovators that has put it on the foodie map over the past two decades.
Day 16 : Tauranga
The curved shoreline of the Bay of Plenty is home to incredible surfing, white-sand beaches and New Zealand's only active marine volcano. Tauranga, is the largest city on the Bay of Plenty and a great starting point for the world-famous geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.
Day 17&18 : Auckland
Arrive in the “City of Sails” this morning and after disembarking make your way to your hotel for a two night stay. 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, from which you can get a bird's-eye view of the gateway to Aotearoa. You’ll enjoy the sights on an included city tour.
Day 19 : Depart Auckland
Today your tour ends, leave Auckland behind as you head to the airport for your flight home.
