New Zealand Coastal Odyssey
A voyage from Auckland to Christchurch aboard the MS Caledonian Sky
- 2 January 2020
New Zealand is a land of contrasts and deserves more than a fleeting visit. We believe our itinerary offers the best of all worlds and has been devised on the basis that most travellers from the UK will only tour New Zealand once. Therefore the trip should be as comprehensive and as diverse as possible. Certainly, this itinerary qualifies on all these important demands. With our perfectly suited small ship, our coastal-hugging voyage around the North and South Island will allow us to drop anchor in the remote bays, navigate channels, fjords and rivers and call into harbours both large and small. With the added advantage of our Zodiac landing craft we will be able to land in otherwise inaccessible places making the most of New Zealand’s extraordinary natural attractions. During our voyage, we will admire the unique Art Deco architecture of Napier in the North Island, walk in the stunning Abel Tasman National Park as well as historic Ship Cove, hop across to Stewart Island in the south and explore the dramatic southern coast fjords. All of this is best achieved by travelling on a small ship such as the MS Caledonian Sky in preference to some of the larger resort style vessels which can only visit the larger places.
Useful links & Travel Advice
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Caledonian Sky
The MS Caledonian Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Hebridean Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world.
Itinerary
Day 1 - London to Singapore.
Fly by scheduled flight.
Day 2 - Singapore.
Arrive in Singapore and transfer to our hotel for an overnight stay. Remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 3 - Singapore to Auckland.
After breakfast in the hotel spend a relaxing morning enjoying the facilities or explore independently. An afternoon tour will include the National Orchid Garden which displays the largest collection of orchids in the world with 2000 hybrids and Chinatown. Our tour ends at the airport where we join our scheduled flight to Auckland.
Day 4 - Auckland, New Zealand.
Arrive this afternoon in Auckland and transfer to the MS Caledonian Sky where the crew will welcome us on board.
Day 5 - Auckland.
A morning tour will feature the city’s highlights including the Domain and the excellent Auckland Museum, overlooking Waitemata Harbour and housing the world’s largest collection of Polynesian artefacts. Sail in the afternoon toward the Bay of Islands.
Day 6 - Tauranga for Rotorua.
From our berth in Tauranga we drive inland to the famous thermal springs at Rotorua. Discover Wai- O-Tapu, meaning Sacred Waters, an active geothermal area with colourful hot springs, steaming ground and boiling mud pools. Marvel at the incredible palette of vibrant hues displayed in the pools, lakes and craters, and enjoy the melodic sounds of birds singing in the native forest. From here we visit a local Maori Marae where we will enjoy a traditional Maori welcome and lunch before returning to the ship in the late afternoon.
Day 7 - White Island.
Following on from the recent volcanic eruption on White Island and the tragic loss of life, we will no longer be visiting the island during your cruise. Please note that we are currently putting into place alternative arrangements and will update you once all details are in place.
Day 8 - Napier.
Arrive this morning in Napier and join a tour of this beautiful town including its charming Art Deco buildings. Totally rebuilt after the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake, Napier’s Art Deco is unique, with Maori motifs and the buildings of Louis Hay, admirer of the great Frank Lloyd Wright. We also visit a local vineyard to sample the local wines. This afternoon is free for independent exploration of the town or alternatively join the excursion to the gannetry at Cape Kidnappers where you are able to get amazingly close to the birds. The 13 hectare reserve includes the saddle and black reef gannet colonies.
Day 9 - Wellington.
Relax on board this morning as we sail to Wellington, the nation’s capital. From our central berth we will explore the city on an afternoon guided walk to see St Paul’s Cathedral, the parliament buildings, stroll through the Botanical Gardens and spend time in the excellent Te Papa National Museum of New Zealand with its impressive interactive displays and marvellous Maori collection. Enjoy a free evening to wander ashore. For those that are interested we hope to include an optional evening excursion to Zealandia where we can hear the distinctive sounds of the New Zealand bush as day becomes night.
Day 10 - Kaikoura.
Spend the day in Kaikoura, a famous whale watching area due to its nutrient rich waters. The combination of very deep waters and the mixing of cold and warm waters brings the nutrients to the top. After breakfast, there will be the opportunity to join a whale watching cruise looking out for sperm whales, pods of dusky dolphins and common seals. Spend the afternoon exploring the town independently, join one of the nature walks or maybe take a trip on one of the bird watching cruises. There is an abundance of birdlife in the area including great albatross, banded albatross, shearwater, petrels, prions and shag.
Day 11 - Resolution Bay & Meretoto / Ship Cove.
Sail through the Marlborough Sounds which divide the North and South Islands of New Zealand and arrive in the early morning at Resolution Bay on the South Island where keen walkers can enjoy a longer hike over to Ship Cove along the Queen Charlotte Track enjoying fantastic views over the archipelago of islands. Alternatively alight a little later at Meretoto / Ship Cove where Captain James Cook spent much of his time in New Zealand. View the monument dedicated to Cook or maybe walk the forest trail to the nearby waterfall. Return to the ship for lunch and we will continue our exploration of the area in the afternoon with our expedition team.
Day 12 - Nelson.
There will be a choice of excursions today. Choose to disembark after breakfast to visit Abel Tasman, New Zealand’s smallest national park, protecting over 23,000 hectares of the most easily accessible coastline in the country. Enjoy a coastal walk and scenic cruise with excellent wildlife opportunities including seal colonies and numerous aquatic birds including penguins. The tour will end in Golden Bay where you will re-embark the ship which will have sailed during the day. Alternatively enjoy a morning exploring Nelson which has for many years attracted resident artists. There are more than 350 working artists and craftspeople living in Nelson and their work is often inspired by the region’s exceptionally beautiful geography – coastal, forest and valley landscapes. Join an excursion of the area’s highlights which includes the World of Wearable Art Museum with its acclaimed visual exhibits and also the Classic Car collection. We sail at lunch time and arrive later in the afternoon to a remote harbour in Golden Bay. Golden Bay is well off the usual cruise ship route nestled into the South Island’s north-west corner with golden beaches, alpine valleys and tranquil fishing rivers.
Day 13 - At Sea.
As we cruise along the west coast of the South Island, we will hopefully be treated to views of Mount Cook on land whilst this region is also a popular spot for dolphin sightings.
Days 14 & 15 - Fiordland.
We have two days to explore the incredible wilderness of fjords in the South West corner of the South Island. This is an area rich in history, Captain Cook landed here on HMS Resolution in 1773, majestic scenery and abundant wildlife. It is only accessible by sea, making it the most remote region of New Zealand. Our schedule may include Milford Sound, Astronomers Point, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound but final itinerary decisions will be made by the Captain and Expedition Leader based on weather conditions. Zodiacs will be used daily either to shuttle from the ship to a landing site or as our transport to explore the fjords beyond the ship’s anchorage position.
Day 16 - Ulva and Stewart Islands.
New Zealand’s third island is
well off the usual beaten tourist
track. It is a wonderfully tranquil
place, the scenery of untouched
bushland is stunning. We will
enjoy a morning on the small Ulva
Island where we will use Zodiacs
to go ashore for a choice of walks
with our local guides. We will
explore the dense vegetation and
keep an eye out for the amazing
birdlife. This afternoon we land at
Oban on Stewart Island and have
the chance to wander amongst
the shops and see the museum
or join a drive along some of the
15 miles of sealed road to some
of the beauty spots including
Observation Rock with views
over Iona and Ulva Island and the beaches lining the East coast.
Please note that sea in and
around Stewart Island can be
rough so you should be prepared
for potentially difficult conditions.
Day 17 - Dunedin.
Arrive this morning in Dunedin and enjoy a guided tour including the gracious 19th century buildings and the beautiful botanical gardens, the oldest in New Zealand containing over 6,800 plant species. Alternatively choose to drive to the Otago Peninsula to take a walk at Penguin Place where we learn about the breeding and conservation programme of the rare yellow eyed penguins as well as the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head. This afternoon is free for independent exploration or maybe choose to join the optional excursion on the Taieri Gorge Railway through the rugged and spectacular scenery of inland Otago.
Day 18 - Dunedin to Christchurch Overland.
Disembark after breakfast and travel north by coach to Christchurch enjoying stops along the way. We will visit Moeraki Beach to see the fascinating boulders formed on the sea floor millions of years ago some of which and which extend up to 13 feet in diameter. We continue to Oamaru where we plan to visit the Blue Penguin Centre. The blue penguin, normally active at night, is the world’s smallest penguin and we will see the day time viewing facility where we hope to see the penguins close up in their burrows. After a local lunch we drive through the undulating sheep lands of North Otago stopping at the historic town of Geraldine where we have time to wander and see the boutique and speciality shops. Arrive in Christchurch in the early evening at the Crowne Plaza (or similar) for our two night stay. Enjoy dinner in the hotel this evening.
Day 19 - Christchurch.
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a morning tour of this most English of cities where we enjoy an overview of the city showing how it is recovering from the devastating earthquake of February 2011. We will view the Southern Alps from the Port Hills, ride a restored tram and tour the Canterbury Museum with its acclaimed Antarctic collection. Perhaps enjoy morning tea at a private home and garden. The afternoon and evening are free for independent exploration. Alternatively, join an optional full day tour on the Tranz Alpine Express Train to Arthur’s Pass in the heart of the Southern Alps, one of the world’s most famous train journeys. Wonderful views are revealed from the train’s huge windows as we pass snow-capped mountains and mountain beech forests. On the return journey by coach, we enjoy lunch at a farm before returning for an evening of leisure.
Day 20 - Christchurch.
After breakfast in the hotel transfer to the airport for our scheduled indirect flight to London.
Day 21 - London.
Arrive this morning.
Dates and Prices
Prices per person based on double occupancy2 to 22 January 2020 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Price | |
Castle Deck Standard Suite | £9995 | |
Caledonian Deck Superior Suite | £10295 | |
Promenade Deck Premium Suite | £10495 | |
Bridge Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite | £10995 | |
Promenade Deck Premium Balcony Suite | £11295 | |
Promenade Deck Owner's Corner Suite | £12495 | |
Castle Deck Standard for sole use | £11995 | |
Caledonian Deck Superior for sole use | £12295 |
Tour Reference Code: SCCSK020120
PRICE INCLUDES: Economy class scheduled air travel • Overnight hotel accommodation in Singapore on a bed and breakfast basis • 14 nights aboard MS Caledonian Sky on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Two nights hotel accommodation in Christchurch on a bed and breakfast basis • Shore excursions • Gratuities • Group transfers • Permits • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance, visas, optional shore excursions.
SHIP TO SHORE
This voyage is a combination of both expedition style cruising and small ship destination cruising. Whilst we will be alongside in some ports, on many days we will be at anchor and the vessel’s Zodiacs will be utilised to transport passengers ashore and for Zodiac cruising to explore the more remote regions we will be visiting. The use of the Zodiacs will be key to the operation of the itinerary as shown. If you have any queries pertaining to the use of Zodiacs or the level of fitness required for this voyage please do not hesitate to ask one of our experienced travel consultants.
IMPORTANT VISA INFORMATION: From the 1st October 2019, travellers to New Zealand require an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). From July 2019, travellers can request their ETA via the ETA mobile app or the Immigration NZ website. Once issued, an ETA is valid for up to two years and can be used for multiple visits to New Zealand. The current cost per person for the ETA is $9 New Zealand Dollars via the mobile app and $12 New Zealand Dollars via the Immigration NZ website. Further details will be provided in your pre-departure information.
Caledonian Sky
The MS Caledonian Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Hebridean Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world.
Video Library
Travelling with You
-
Professor James Higham
James Higham is a professor with 25 years of research and teaching experience at the University of Otago (New Zealand). His PhD in Geography explored aspects of wilderness management in New Zealand, leading to a research career in environmental management and sustainable development. His research focusses on tourism and sustainability, national parks management, wildlife conservation, the protection of marine mammals, and climate change. He has extensive field-based experience of New Zealand’s national parks and marine protected areas, as well as Antarctica’s Ross Sea Region, including sites such as Scott’s huts as Cape Evans and Hut Point, Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds, McMurdo Sound and the Trans-Antarctic Mountains. James is active in a range of outdoor sports particularly mountain biking, competing in various adventure races in New Zealand, in part to fund raise for his chosen charity, ‘So They Can’, which funds rural African primary school education.
Professor James Higham will be on the following tour dates: 2 to 22 January 2020
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Itinerary at a glance
- Seoul / Palau / Pamilacan Islands / Coron Islands / Apo Reef / Vigan / Babuyan Islands / Batan Island / Hualien / Keelung / Taipei /
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Itinerary at a glance
- Singapore / Auckland / Bay of Islands / Rotorua / Wellington / Picton / Christchurch / Dunedin / Te Anau / Milford Sound / Te Anau / Queenstown / West Coast Glaciers / Christchurch
Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000