The cruise terminal could hardly be better located to explore New Zealand’s breezy, sea-gazing capital, so get walking. You aren’t short of choice. Auckland is the start or finish port for New Zealand cruises and also features on itineraries across the South Pacific or from Australia.
Cruise lines that call in include Azamara, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, Norwegian, Oceania, P&O Australia, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn and Silversea. Expedition cruise lines such as Heritage, Lindblad and Ponant visit too. Get up early.
Your ship will sail past Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula before slipping by ancient Rangitoto volcano and into Auckland’s harbour. City skyscrapers are on your left, Devonport on the right and the Auckland Harbour Bridge is straight ahead. The terminal is adjacent to busy commercial wharfs where container ships from China and South Korea have cargo unloaded in a mesmerising ballet of cranes and forklift trucks.
Most ships dock at Queens Wharf, some at adjacent Princes Wharf. You’re right at the foot of main downtown drag Queen Street and just along from lively Viaduct Harbour waterfront. Queens Wharf has a puffy white roof that looks like a series of marshmallows squashed together – or is it a long white cloud? The terminal is small and efficient, so you’ll be into the thick of Auckland in no time.
Stay on. Auckland itself isn’t that exciting, but surrounding landscapes are as gorgeous as everywher.