From: $35660 $6394 From: €7810 €6088 From: £6704 £5226 From: RM35660 RM27800 From: CAD10627 CAD8284 From: SGD11376 SGD8868 From: AUD11839 AUD9230 From: HKD64616 HKD50374 Per Pax

Luxury cruise aboard to experience a truly exceptional sea voyage with a difference. Discover expeditions to the majestic landscapes of the Artic and the Antarctic. Great choice for couples, solo travelers and those who love small-ship cruising. Ponant Cruises offers exceptional bilingual service, world-class dining and elegantly-appointed accommodation and public areas in terms of the onboard experience. Choose a cruise on an Explorer Class vessel, you will benefit from several expedition-style features. Relaxing in the Blue Eye Lounge, an underwater multi-sensory environment that boasts comfortable seating and privileged views of life beneath the waves. Ponant’s expedition ships also carry a fleet of Zodiacs deployed frequently throughout each itinerary for sightseeing excursions and trips ashore.

13D12N Natural Treasures of New Zealand

Tour Deal

~ PONANT Bonus Discount up to 20%
~ First Time Cruiser EUR 250

What To Expect

On this cruise, PONANT invites you to discover New Zealand, a unique destination with a multitude of natural treasures. Set sail aboard Le Soléal for a 13-day cruise from Auckland to Dunedin. Surrounded by the blue waters of the Pacific, the twin islands of New Zealand are the promise of an incredible mosaic of contrasting panoramas.

Includes & Excludes

Whats Included

Whats Excluded

Itinerary

• Day 1: ARRIVE AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (EMBARKATION)

  Embarkation from 16h00 to 17h00. Departure at 19h00. Your cruise ship is ready for boarding.
  

  : Dinner
  

• Day 2: TAURANGA

  Located to the north of Rotorua, Tauranga stretches the length of the Bay of Plenty, sheltered from the ocean by the island of Matakana. This coastal city boasts a flourishing economy thanks to its port, and is a pleasant and pretty town with a peaceful, relaxed feel. The seafront area is contemporary and lively, dotted with cafés and restaurants. The town centre reveals more picturesque charms, while the surrounding area is packed full of natural delights. Travel on to the town of Rotorua to visit the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland: a fantastic opportunity to experience an absolutely exceptional geothermal phenomenon.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 3: GISBORNE

  Gisborne, called “Gizzy” by the locals and Teoneroa by the Maori, is located to the north of a large bay surrounded by fertile hills and long, wild beaches that attract walkers and surfers. At the southern end of the bay, the magnificent cliffs of Young Nick’s Head majestically keep watch over the ocean’s tides. In Ngatapa, a few kilometres north of the city, the Eastwoodhill Arboretum stretches out over more than 130 hectares (320 acres) and is home to magnificent exotic and native plants. In the city, you can learn about Maori culture and the local history at the Tairawhiti Museum or enjoy some of the products of this rich farming region, renowned in particular for its Chardonnay.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  

• Day 4: NAPIER

  On the east coast of the North Island, south of Hawke’s Bay, you’ll find Napier. Mostly destroyed by an earthquake in 1931, reviving from its ashes in less than two years, it grew into a magnificent Art Deco style city, very in-vogue at the time. With its pure lines mixed with traditional Maori designs, the singular New Zealand character of this city will intrigue you. You’ll discover all this extraordinary architectural heritage as you take a stroll through the city. Famous for its vineyards, wine lovers will be able to taste some of the best wines from the region.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 5: WELLINGTON

  Crowned with gentle green hills, Wellington Harbour is located in the far south of the North Island. This city offers a charming mix of traditional and modern cultures, bestowing on the New Zealand capital, a unique atmosphere, both friendly and avant-guard. Where some sites, like the large National Te Papa Tongarewa Museum, reflect the city’s Maori past, others, like the many cafés and restaurants, affirm the inhabitants’ incredible lust for life.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 6: PICTON

  A must-see entry point to the South Island, Picton is a little coastal town girded by gentle hills, located on the south side of the Queen Charlotte inlet. The cafés and restaurants which border the charming waterfront give a very lovely view of the fjord. You can also decide to get some height above sea level, and walk in the surrounding areas. However, Picton is above all an opportunity to explore the unique Marlborough Sounds. This interweaving of submerged valleys in this area, has creating numerous navigable routes, wich are among the most beautiful natural wonders of New Zealand.
  
  
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 7: KAIKOURA

  Located on the South Island of New Zealand, the small town of Kaikōura stretches between the South Pacific and the snow-capped Kaikōura mountain chain, in the heart of a natural and preserved environment that is home to rich and varied wildlife. The peninsular has spectacular limestone formations, and many marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, seals and sea lions, as well as sea birds can be found near its shores. Initially populated by the original Maori inhabitants for almost a thousand years, the rocky coastlines of Kaikōura then served as an observation post for whalers between the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 8: AKAROA

  Set on the east coast of South Island, Christchurch is New Zealand's second-biggest city. You can soak up its easy-going atmosphere in one of the many parks and gardens that give Christchurch its nickname "the garden city", or dally a while in Cathedral Square to see how the city is transforming itself after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Attractions such as the International Antarctic Centre and Christchurch Gondola ride are as popular as ever, while pop-up cafes, the Cardboard Cathedral and community art projects showcase the citizens' resilience. The beautiful port of Akaroa, where ships dock, is about 90-minute drive from Christchurch on the Banks Peninsula.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  

• Day 9: AT SEA

  During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  

• Day 10: SAILING DOUBTFUL SOUND & DUSKY SOUND

  Referred to as the Sound of Silence, there is a secluded serenity that surrounds Doubtful Sound in contrast with the better-known Milford Sound. Doubtful Sound is the deepest of the fiords with a maximum depth of 421 m. Your ship will spend time navigating around Secretary Island through both Thompson and Doubtful Sounds. You will enjoy the spectacular scenery from the outer decks. Next, sail to Dusky Sound. Dusky Sound is one of the most isolated fjords in Fiordland National Park. This huge, protected natural zone situated in the south-west quarter of New Zealand’s South Island is listed as UNESCO World Heritage. During your sailing, observe the richness of the local wildlife: cormorants, seagulls, New Zealand fur seals, but also Fiordland crested penguins, a rare and endemic species.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 11: SAILING MILFORD SOUND

  Milford Sound fjord is among one of the most beautiful natural sites in New Zealand. So much beauty will quite simply take your breath away. Located on the south-west coast of South Island, in the Fiorldland National Park, this sumptuous inlet carved out by glaciers advances over at least 15 kilometres inland, in the Southern Alps. Majestic cliffs seem to surge out of the dark waters, rising several hundred metres high: an abrupt relief from where impressive waterfalls cascade.
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 12: ULVA ISLAND

  Ulva Island (Te Wharawhara) is the largest of 20 islands within Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, with an area of approx. 270 hectares. The island has never been logged and was declared pest free in 1997, becoming one of the few predator-free sanctuaries in New Zealand. The island is now a haven for many species of birds and plants that are rare, or have died out, on the mainland of New Zealand. Bird species regularly encountered include: the flightless Stewart Island Weka, South Island saddleback, yellowhead and Stewart Island robin. Ulva Island is not only a bird enthusiast’s paradise, it is also one of the few offshore islands with a largely undisturbed podocarp forest. Well-maintained tracks offer easy walking for most people providing a unique opportunity to see rare birds and plants at close quarters in a safe environment.
  
  
  

  : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  
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• Day 13: DEPART DUNEDIN (DISEMBARKATION)

  Disembarkation at 07h00. Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
  

  : Breakfast