March 2026

After a calm overnight crossing, at 07:00 we arrived at Lyttleton under a clear sky with a hint of sunrise. We docked near container ships, again the port was dominated by former volcanoes. Lyttleton is the port for Christchurch 10 miles away across a small mountain range pierced by a tunnel, but our coach tour […]

We arrived at Picton, South Island – Te Waipounamu, at 7:00 a.m. after the overnight crossing from Wellington. We are in a fjord about 2 ships wide which meant we had to reverse with the help of pilots into what is normally a giant lumber dock. We are in a small port at the head

Overnight the storm subsided and, as we entered the Cook Strait, all was calm. We arrived at Wellington, NZ’s capital and smallest in the world  sited within a volcanic caldera with many bays formed by differential erosion. Houses have been built upon the less steep slopes of the crater but partially hidden by the dense

We were informed yesterday today’s visit to Napier was cancelled because of a forthcoming storm system with high winds and seas that prevent tendering from the ship to shore. At breakfast time from our room it was not particularly bumpy and the waves looked rather large, but when on Deck 2 and eating breakfast we

Overnight we travelled to Tuaranga in the Rotorua region. This is an ‘elderly’ hotspot where the magma is close to the surface but volcanic eruptions are infrequent, though earthquakes are more common. Here hot springs and hydrogen sulphide-loaded steam, geysers and mud pools are common. The area has been the home of Māori people for

Boarding formalities for the cruise started for us at 12 noon after the ship Noordam had arrived and was ready to receive passengers. We are in Stateroom 10002, i.e. Deck 10 out of 12 and room 002 at the front, port side. Safety features and evacuation procedures have just finished (3:00 p.m.) and we are