Trying to pick best cruise to see NZ -any advice?

[GatorMomInNC]

I can either do a 10 night RT from Sydney, but not really see much of the North Island.  Or a 12 Night one way to Auckland with a stop in Melbourne and Tasmania.    The pros of the second one is that I could spend a couple days in Auckland and I would have an aft facing balcony.  The cons are the price (about doubles the cost), and that it messes up the rest of my plans for the trip, causing me to miss a 2nd cruise to Tasmania and Adelaide.  Basically I would go from B2B2B cruises to having a week on land between cruises.  Which is much more expensive and complicated as I would also have to book additional flight to get back to Sydney, and elsewhere if I want to see more of Australia. 

 

This is my dream trip to Aus and NZ that I have always wanted.  I have 5 weeks including getting there from US and back.   

 

If it matters, I am not concerned about seeing any of the LOTR or Hobbit sites that seem to be so popular in NZ.  I mainly want to see beautiful mountains and fjords and experience NZ culture. 

 

I hate to go all that way and feel like I short changed myself on my time in NZ....

Edited June 12, 2022 by GatorMomInNC

[Belmont Babe]

7 hours ago, GatorMomInNC said:

 

 

If it matters, I am not concerned about seeing any of the LOTR or Hobbit sites that seem to be so popular in NZ.  I mainly want to see beautiful mountains and fjords and experience NZ culture. 

 

I hate to go all that way and feel like I short changed myself on my time in NZ....

You will see much more of what you want to see, with the first cruise you mention.

Edited June 12, 2022 by Belmont Babe
Wrong quote.

[Chiliburn]

The only way to really see NZ is by a road tour.

I would have a stop over and see the alps and then do a cruise.

[Ozwoody]

7 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

The only way to really see NZ is by a road tour.

I would have a stop over and see the alps and then do a cruise.

I agree, if you wish to see more of NZ, then fly over, then do a drive tour around the north island ending in Auckland, then cruise a one way back.

What ever road tour you do, don't try to do it all, NZ has an incredible diversity of scenery fauna and flora, and the place is bigger than it looks to explore.

The south Island it's self is worth a trip on its own, maybe even two trips, depending on what your interests are.

I suggest do your b2bs, and do research what you would like to see, and then plan a NZ trip to do it justice. 

[Chiliburn]

6 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

I agree, if you wish to see more of NZ, then fly over, then do a drive tour around the north island ending in Auckland, then cruise a one way back.

What ever road tour you do, don't try to do it all, NZ has an incredible diversity of scenery fauna and flora, and the place is bigger than it looks to explore.

The south Island it's self is worth a trip on its own, maybe even two trips, depending on what your interests are.

I suggest do your b2bs, and do research what you would like to see, and then plan a NZ trip to do it justice. 

The centre of the South Island can’t be seen by ship but then the fiordlands can’t be seen by road.

A stop over and a cruise . Especially coming from the US ,it takes a few hours off that killer flight.

[losfp]

I've done New Zealand twice, once was an 11 day self-drive tour of the South Island which was amazing. Beautiful scenery and we still felt like we could have spent a few more days just in the South Island. The second time we went was a 13 night cruise roundtrip from Sydney. It was a more relaxing trip but you don't feel like you experienced a lot of the destination, which comes with the territory of a cruise I suppose.

 

If I was planning my first or only trip to New Zealand, I would try and combine the two by booking a one-way cruise and then spending a few days inland (you wouldn't be able to do a LOT in just a few days, but you would IMO get more out of those few days on land).

 

But I totally get that a cruise is the easiest way to get a sampler of some destinations. We are doing much the same late in 2023 with our first trip to Europe. We would get a better experience travelling by land but we have booked two cruises to give us a taster of some of the towns and culture while giving us the relaxation and predictability of a cruise with our kids. We will tackle it differently when we go back later on when the kids have grown up.

[lissie]

If you really want to see NZ nature an fjords I  highly recommend  a NZ company we  went with www.heritage-expeditions.com/ and look at options in Fiordland, Stewart Island.  Fly from Australia to Queenstown and catch up with the mountains that way 

[NSWP]

You cannot see much of NZ from a ship, land tour required. We did two cruises to NZ, a 14 day self drive trip and another year a 14 day coach trip, seen most of NZ. Preferred South Island.

[M-H-B]

Love New Zealand and its allll beautiful but after many many trips, would have to rate South Island over North Island any day - particularly for landscapes, mountains etc. Auckland is a small city that is just like any other city, you will not miss anything significant by not visiting it.  Bay of Islands is lovely in summer, Rotorua is definitely unique, Wellington is lovely despite the wind. So ideally do it all and land trips as have been recommended already but if you had to make the call, and you're sticking to the two cruise options, do the 10 night RT.

[CCC's]

I have visited NZ six times (3 times by cruise ship and 3 times doing a fly/drive).  South Island my absolute favourite,  stunning scenery,  friendly locals.   Have you considered using their train system from Auckland.  They have finally re-opened after Covid shut-down. 

 

My next NZ trip will be train from Auckland to Wellington, then ferry across Cook Strait to Picton, train from Picton to Christchurch and finally Christchurch to Greymouth on the west coast of the south Island on the TranzAlpine.  You can also hop off the train wherever you want and spend a few days there. Check out railnewzealabd.com. 

 

You could then go on a cruise from Auckland back to Sydney via Tasmania.  I am suggesting the rail journeys if you would feel uncomfortable driving on the "other" side of the road. 

[CCC's]

**Check out     www.railnewzealand.com

[GUT2407]

I give the same advice every time, but it depends on your budget, time and money wise, fly into one, spend some land time, do a one way cruise, more land time at that end, fly home. Really it is the only option in my opinion.

[vozzie]

1. Fly to Australia

2. Do Aussie Cruise

3. Do Aussie land trip

4. Do one way cruise to Auckland

5. Do NZ land trip

6. Fly out of NZ back to the States

[SinbadThePorter]

22 hours ago, GatorMomInNC said:

I hate to go all that way and feel like I short changed myself on my time in NZ....

 

I'll go against the grain here and say stick with the cruises. Land trips are very good, but when you are in an unfamiliar country they can be tiring and troublesome. Especially compared with the care free travel on board a cruise ship.

 

There is no way that everything can be seen of anything. So we are always going to get a truncated view of any place we visit. The perspective from a cruise ship is limited, but it's still worthwhile.

 

You are on vacation. Do you really want to have to worry about connecting flights and local road rules?

 

My advice is to maximise your time here with as many cruises as you can fit in. The way not to feel short changed is not to worry about the things you aren't seeing, but to focus on all the great things you are seeing.

 

I was going to add a little joke about how experiencing New Zealand culture is something that New Zealanders also aspire to, but that would be rude. 😎

[FeebeeH]

On 6/13/2022 at 11:06 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

I'll go against the grain here and say stick with the cruises. Land trips are very good, but when you are in an unfamiliar country they can be tiring and troublesome. Especially compared with the care free travel on board a cruise ship.

 

There is no way that everything can be seen of anything. So we are always going to get a truncated view of any place we visit. The perspective from a cruise ship is limited, but it's still worthwhile.

 

You are on vacation. Do you really want to have to worry about connecting flights and local road rules?

 

My advice is to maximise your time here with as many cruises as you can fit in. The way not to feel short changed is not to worry about the things you aren't seeing, but to focus on all the great things you are seeing.

 

I was going to add a little joke about how experiencing New Zealand culture is something that New Zealanders also aspire to, but that would be rude. 😎

Some valid points made here regarding driving in unfamiliar territory.  My husband & I just returned from our first NZ land trip (5 days of North Island).  Glad I wasn't the one driving, especially late at night on the ring roads near Auckland - our navigation system twice tried to send us the wrong way (luckily I was also using my phone).  I get what others are also saying about missing out on seeing more of inland NZ (which we'll be doing in 2024 after our cruise finishes) - but I think it may be my husband that'll be tackling those Auckland ring roads again!

[arxcards]

Is there a 3rd option on a different ship/line? There are a few 14 night cruises out of Sydney that only visit NZ ports, but more of them than the 10 nighter.

 

Still, the lure of a B2B2B on the same ship makes things a bit easier and cheaper to line- up. The 10 nigher will have nearly as many NZ ports as the 12 nighter.

 

Also, given your love of Disney ships, there are a few murmurs that one will be placed here for the summer in a year or two.