Which ships sail to New Zealand from North America?

[kaymoz]

We are starting to plan a trip to New Zealand and would appreciate arriving there without jet lag, so trying to get a handle on which ships typically sail there from the Americas.  With so many schedules disrupted over the last year or two, it's been hard to research who regularly travels this route, even if it's only once a year.  Which ships have typically done this route in the past?  We'd prefer to sail from Southern California, but anywhere in Canada/US/Mexico/Central America would probably work for us, and it doesn't have to be a fancy cruise ship.

[rkacruiser]

11 minutes ago, kaymoz said:

We are starting to plan a trip to New Zealand and would appreciate arriving there without jet lag, so trying to get a handle on which ships typically sail there from the Americas.  With so many schedules disrupted over the last year or two, it's been hard to research who regularly travels this route, even if it's only once a year.  Which ships have typically done this route in the past?  We'd prefer to sail from Southern California, but anywhere in Canada/US/Mexico/Central America would probably work for us, and it doesn't have to be a fancy cruise ship.

 

Impossible now to determine what ships will sail that route in 2022.  In the past, some of the ships would do so once their Alaska cruise season was finished.  Noordam and Carnival Spirit were regulars.  There may have been others as well.  I am not certain.  

[Markanddonna]

We are booked on a transpacific on Princess and another on Royal (our back up cruise). While they both stop at several NZ ports, their final destination is Sydney or Brisbane. That said, most on my April 2022 roll call are expecting that sailing to  be canceled as Princess will soon have to decide if they are willing to keep the ship in limbo, anticipating a short Australian cruise season at best. 

[lissie]

Princess, HAL are the ones that  spring to mind, and Royal Caribbean. 

 

Of you could cruise to Hawaii and then fly from there - its effectively only a 2  or 3 hour time difference - well its 22 hours - but your body clock doesn't care about the loss of the day - its effectively less of  a time difference than across the USA 

[Heidi13]

Viking Ocean also departs Vancouver bound for Sydney at the end of the Alaska season, but it is a Grand Voyage of about 80 days.

 

You can also find a number of World Cruises, with many of them having segments from N/America to Australia.

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

You can also find a number of World Cruises, with many of them having segments from N/America to Australia.

 

This has been true in the past, but, I wonder.  When world cruising is able to begin again, with what I think the pent-up demand will be, will many segments be available on those cruises?  

 

My experience with booking a segment on the Amsterdam, I could only book a cabin category guarantee.  And, even then, it was not when the books opened for reservations.  

[Heidi13]

17 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

This has been true in the past, but, I wonder.  When world cruising is able to begin again, with what I think the pent-up demand will be, will many segments be available on those cruises?  

 

My experience with booking a segment on the Amsterdam, I could only book a cabin category guarantee.  And, even then, it was not when the books opened for reservations.  

 

Agreed, many cruise lines are selling WC's without segments. Viking are an example with 22, 23 & at least the 1st WC in 24 not having segments. However, when I checked the Princess site, they still had segments for their WC's.

[generichandle]

Oct 22 we have Noordam 34-days San Diego to Sydney with some unusual stops. It goes to New Zealand on the way. Great itinerary. hard to beat a voyage across the Pacific. Last time I saw more flying fish than I imagined existed, as well as whales and dolphins.

 

Enjoy yours. 

[BAYA]

On 9/12/2021 at 11:01 PM, generichandle said:

Oct 22 we have Noordam 34-days San Diego to Sydney with some unusual stops. It goes to New Zealand on the way. Great itinerary. hard to beat a voyage across the Pacific. Last time I saw more flying fish than I imagined existed, as well as whales and dolphins.

 

Enjoy yours. 

I just started researching this as well. I was surprised to see that one cruise I liked on HAL's Noordam was almost sold out and it's departing Auckland on 3-25-23! I prefer to leave North America and sale to NZ but this one goes the other way. In any case, ouch! The only remaining oceanview cabins are fully obstructed and all verandahs and suites are sold out.

I need to look at Royal and not just HAL, which is where I started since they have good itineraries.

[RGEDad]

Just FYI: We were booked with a cabin on the 2022 NZ to Seattle cruise, Some months ago this was cancelled and moved to the 2023 NZ to Vancouver cruise. I still do not have a cabin assigned and am listed as Vd Guarantee - or as I say - wandering the decks looking for an empty cabin. So not such happy camper. I am thinking they are waiting for people to give up hope and cancel out - to make space for us. It does appear that the issue is the full ship from NZ to Australia segment, and not so much the Australia to Vancouver segment - at least when I did a piecewise trial booking some time ago. 

For some time there was only interior cabins available - I just noticed that they now have at least some obstructed ocean view cabins available. So I guess that is some progress at least - maybe - sort of.

[Bridge Baby]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:39 PM, BAYA said:

I just started researching this as well. I was surprised to see that one cruise I liked on HAL's Noordam was almost sold out and it's departing Auckland on 3-25-23! I prefer to leave North America and sale to NZ but this one goes the other way. In any case, ouch! The only remaining oceanview cabins are fully obstructed and all verandahs and suites are sold out.

I need to look at Royal and not just HAL, which is where I started since they have good itineraries.

Check out Princess LA - NZ on Sept 24.  They just had a reduction in pricing.

[kaymoz]

23 hours ago, Bridge Baby said:

Check out Princess LA - NZ on Sept 24.  They just had a reduction in pricing.

Thanks -- and I see that is the Majestic Princess leaving LA on 24 Sep, and then about 10 days later the Grand Princess departs on the same itinerary.  Now I'm fantasizing if Princess would allow passengers disembarking from the Majestic at one of the South Pacific stops and then reboarding on the Grand, in order to do one of those sail around Tahiti cruises -- like the one with Windstar...which departs the same day the MP arrives!   We can't do it this year now,

but it's something to dream about for 2023!!!

Edited May 20, 2022 by kaymoz

[Hlitner]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:39 PM, BAYA said:

I just started researching this as well. I was surprised to see that one cruise I liked on HAL's Noordam was almost sold out and it's departing Auckland on 3-25-23! I prefer to leave North America and sale to NZ but this one goes the other way. In any case, ouch! The only remaining oceanview cabins are fully obstructed and all verandahs and suites are sold out.

I need to look at Royal and not just HAL, which is where I started since they have good itineraries.

Not too surprising when you consider that hundreds of planned voyages (by all cruise lines) were cancelled due to COVID related issues.  Many of those previously booked passengers received future cruise credits (sometimes with generous bonuses) that came with time stipulations.  Now, you have hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of cruisers who need to use their Future Cruise Credits within the next 1-2 years.  Accordingly, advance bookings are unusually high and available space is at a premium on many cruises.  This is particularly true for areas like Australia/NZ which have been closed to travelers for several years.

 

Folks who limit their options by only looking at one or two cruise lines (or specific ships) may find themselves either out of luck or paying inflated prices.  

 

Hank

[shipgeeks]

In 2023, RC Enchantment of the Seas will be sailing from Vancouver on 9-24, arriving Auckland 10-18, Bay of Islands on 10-19, and then on to Sydney on 10-22.  Not much time in NZ, but it's a start.

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

In 2023, RC Enchantment of the Seas will be sailing from Vancouver on 9-24, arriving Auckland 10-18, Bay of Islands on 10-19, and then on to Sydney on 10-22.  Not much time in NZ, but it's a start.

 

That will be quite an itinerary change for Enchantment!  

[shipgeeks]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

That will be quite an itinerary change for Enchantment!  

Yes!  That is the end part of my fantasy cruise: Board when she leaves Baltimore (actually, she is starting in Florida), stay aboard through the Canal, up to Alaska for a season, then across the Pacific. And of course, since it is my fantasy cruise, I will stay aboard for her Australia season.

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Yes!  That is the end part of my fantasy cruise: Board when she leaves Baltimore (actually, she is starting in Florida), stay aboard through the Canal, up to Alaska for a season, then across the Pacific. And of course, since it is my fantasy cruise, I will stay aboard for her Australia season.

 

Doing so, think of the huge number of points you would rack up in the Crown & Anchor Society.  You would probably be at the very top level!  

 

It's fun to dream!  Don't know about you, but, growing up I had many dreams and imaginary trips that I planned.  I am very thankful and fortunate that many of those dreams and trips have been fulfilled.  I am still dreaming.  

[nini]

Quite some time ago, we booked the Grand Princess from Sydney to San Francisco for March 31, 2023. It has several ports in New Zealand, South Pacific and Hawaii.

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, nini said:

Quite some time ago, we booked the Grand Princess from Sydney to San Francisco for March 31, 2023. It has several ports in New Zealand, South Pacific and Hawaii.

 

You are in for a treat.  Those trans-Pacific repositioning cruises offer interesting ports.  To make your cruise even more special, may I recommend a Business Class flight to Sydney?  Pricey, yes.  But, Princess may be able to obtain a more reasonable fare for you.  HAL was able to do that for me when I flew to Auckland to embark the Volendam.