The full New Zealand circuit without driving a kilometer: both islands, the fjords at scenic-cruising pace, and a Tasman crossing thrown in. Twelve to thirteen nights, southern summer only, and one of cruising's great scenery itineraries.
The route at a glance
Roundtrip from Auckland. Princess's Royal Princess sails thirteen nights in March 2027: the Bay of Islands, Tauranga for Rotorua's geysers, Picton in the Marlborough Sounds, Lyttelton for Christchurch, Dunedin via Port Chalmers, scenic cruising through Fiordland (Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds), then Hobart in Tasmania before the two-sea-day haul home. Celebrity's Edge offers a twelve-night one-way version ending in Sydney. An Australia-plus-New-Zealand combination sits in our library at Australia and New Zealand, 13 days.
Who this route suits
Best for scenery travelers, Lord of the Rings fans, hikers and photographers - Fiordland from the deck is the cruise moment of the southern hemisphere. Long port days and walkable towns (Picton, Dunedin) suit independent travelers. Less ideal if you get restless on sea days: the Tasman crossing adds several, and the season is strictly October to April. One-way Auckland-to-Sydney versions suit travelers adding time in Australia.
What it costs
Royal Princess's December 2026 sailing lists cruise-only fares from £1,919 interior and £2,639 balcony per person; the one-way Celebrity Edge twelve-night starts around A$3,098. Expect $100-180 per port for marquee excursions (Hobbiton, Rotorua geothermal parks, Dunedin's Taieri Gorge railway). The honest budget line is airfare: Auckland is a long flight from everywhere, so the fare is rarely the biggest number in the trip.
The five-minute version
- Twelve to thirteen nights, roundtrip Auckland, October to April.
- Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Wellington area, Christchurch, Dunedin, Fiordland.
- Fiordland scenic cruising is the headline.
- Cruise-only from about £1,900; one-ways to Sydney from about A$3,100.
- The southern hemisphere's great scenery cruise.
- Tourism New Zealand's official site (newzealand.com) maps the port-day staples - Bay of Islands, Tauranga for Rotorua and the Fiordland scenic cruising are the route's anchors.