Here’s a single summary post of our 2024 cruise from New Zealand to Australia, with links to my individual posts and more gory detail. You can also view it as a Google Doc or as a pdf. I have a separate summary post of our week in Sydney which was kind of a second vacation. …
Here are a few observations from our journey, some mundane, some slightly more profound but I’m not sure which is which. Previous Post NZ-Australia Trip Page
Viking Description: Dunedin and Port Chalmers lie on the 12-mile-long Otago Harbour. At the heart of the city, Dunedin is home to New Zealand’s first university, built in 1871. This lively college town is one of the South Island’s cultural capitals. Neighboring Port Chalmers has a thriving arts scene, inspired by its setting. Across the …
Viking Description: Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island. Named after Christ Church College in Oxford by English pilgrims from Canterbury, it retains much of its original British flavor, from the Gothic Revival cathedral to the punting excursion boats on the tranquil Avon River. The city embraces another English tradition: it is …
Viking Description: Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, enjoys a splendid setting and is hailed by many as the “coolest little capital in the world.” Its history is embodied in a rich collection of architecture, from classic weatherboard wooden cottages and the clean lines of art deco to Edwardian and postmodern wonders. The city’s neoclassical …
Viking Description: Napier is an impressive cityscape of art deco architecture often compared to Miami Beach for its splendor. Built after much of the city was destroyed during a 1931 earthquake, the stunning “main street” design and art deco flair combine to create a city unlike any other in the world. The National Aquarium, one …
Viking Description: Tauranga, nestled on the Bay of Plenty, is watched over by the dramatic Mt. Maunganui, an extinct volcano that helped shape this spectacular region of white-sand beaches and azure waters. The Māori arrived here in the 13th century, followed by the British 600 years later. Today, the city is home to a thriving …
We had our first breakfast buffet aboard ship and ate twice as much as we should have, which I expect is par for the course. We had to eat early to get ready for our first excursion. Each day the ship was in a port, Viking offered a range of excursions. Typically, one excursion was included …
The plan for this day was to check out of the hotel, transition to the ship and start to make ourselves at home. We could get in our cabin after 1pm and had the rest of the day free. I figured I would let Barb get herself settled while I would use the afternoon hours …
When we opened the curtains in the morning we noticed that our Viking Orion ship was already docked nearby. It arrived early in the morning on the last leg of its cruise from Sydney, the reverse of our itinerary. Passengers would have one Auckland day before they would disembark and we would board. It’s pretty …