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Cruise for 12 nights aboard Sapphire Princess, while port-hopping, fiord viewing, and enjoying on-board activities, on this 21-day adventure to New Zealand and Australia. The New Zealand and Australia cruise is complemented by Tauck’s inclusive shore excursions, plus overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney, and Port Douglas. Highlights include geysers, wineries, a sheep farm, a 19th-century Tasmanian convict settlement, an Aboriginal performance, and a Sydney Harbour cruise. There’s a private flight to glacier-capped Aoraki/Mount Cook, and a sail to the Great Barrier Reef.
2008 Westbound Itinerary
Westbound: Departs Auckland, New Zealand
Click here for Eastbound itinerary.
• Indicates day of cruising
Day 1: Auckland agenda
Your New Zealand and Australia cruise is preceded by a visit to Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Tour begins: Langham Hotel, Auckland. A transfer is included from Auckland Airport to Langham Hotel, Auckland. Explore Auckland, highlighted by Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World; ride the moving walkway in a clear tunnel through the reef fish and shark tanks. Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner this evening.
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Lodging: Langham Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand
Day 2: Vineyards and wineries
Take a ferry to Waiheke Island, hosting vineyards, olive groves, pristine beaches, and art studios. Tour boutique wineries, taste award-winning wines, and view artistic renderings of the picturesque landscape.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Langham Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand
• Day 3: Maori moments and setting sail 
Head to the Auckland War Memorial Museum to see ancient Maori artifacts, and take in the Maori music and dance performance. Peruse additional collections of Pacific island artifacts, extinct wildlife, and interpretive history exhibits. Board the Sapphire Princess for a memorable voyage.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 4: Geysers and sheep
Dock in Tauranga, and take the Tauck private shore excursion to Rotorua. See shooting geysers, mineral springs, and bubbling mud pools on a walking tour through Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. Visit Longlands Farm, a working dairy farm, and the Agrodome, a working sheep and cattle farm.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 5: Activities at sea
During this day at sea, participate in the ScholarShip@Sea™ enrichment series, get pampered in the luxurious Lotus Spa®, or simply enjoy the four swimming pools and the views.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 6: Christchurch plus Mount Cook private charter flight
Tour the quintessentially English city of Christchurch, where sights include the Gothic Revival Christ Church Cathedral; the Botanic Gardens; and the Bridge of Remembrance. Take Tauck’s private charter flight to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in the Southern Alps.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 7: Dunedin & Queenstown
Arrive in Dunedin, known for its rich Scottish heritage. Take a charter flight to Queenstown, set on the shores of Lake Wakatipu at the base of the Remarkables mountain range; explore the town, then return to the ship.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 8: Fiordland National Park
Spend the day cruising Fiordland National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ice-age glaciers carved fiords flanked by steep mountains, making the area impenetrable except by water. There are snow-capped mountains, rivers gushing from ice floes, and plunging waterfalls. View Milford Sound, a highlight on any Australia cruise.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Days 9 & 10: Across the Tasman Sea
Enjoy on-board activities while cruising to Tasmania; shop in the boutiques and art gallery, work out in the fitness center, or relax in the library. There’s a variety of cuisine, from Asian-fusion to Italian and American Southwest. For evening entertainment, take in a Broadway musical, try your luck in the casino, see a first-run film, relax in the piano bar, or go dancing in a nightclub with an ocean view.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner on both days
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 11: Tasmania’s charm and infamy
Dock in Hobart, and travel the Tasman Peninsula to the Port Arthur Historic Site, an infamous 19th-century penal colony. Gain insight into the harsh convict life, and dine in the Junior Officer’s home, with servers in period dress. Set sail for the mainland tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 12: Sailing the seas
Select among a host of on-board activities while cruising. Learn new skills at a computer class, send messages home in the Internet Café, attend an art auction or go to a wine tasting. Or you may want to test your knowledge in a quiz show, take a yoga class or head to the sports deck.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 13: Magnificent Melbourne
Dock in Melbourne for a city tour, highlighted by the High Victorian architecture of Parliament House; the Gothic Revival architecture of St. Patrick’s Cathedral; and the varied collections of the Melbourne Museum.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
• Day 14: Coastal Australia cruise
On your final day at sea, take the opportunity to indulge yourself with a spa treatment, a spin of the roulette wheel, a bidding number at the art auction, an interesting class, or a decadent dessert you’ve been denying yourself.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Aboard Sapphire Princess
Day 15: Disembark and journey to the Coral Sea
Disembark the Sapphire Princess in Sydney. Fly to Cairns, and travel to Port Douglas at the edge of the Coral Sea. Enjoy your beachfront, five-star hotel with pools and saltwater lagoons for swimming.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, Port Douglas, Australia
Day 16: Great Barrier Reef cruise
Take a catamaran cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, the longest coral reef system in the world. Learn about the fragile coral ecosystem from a marine biologist, and observe it first-hand from a glass-bottom boat. Swim or snorkel over the underwater coral gardens.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, Port Douglas, Australia
Day 17: Tjapukai performance
Learn about the cultural significance of song and dance to the Tjapukai, the region’s Aboriginal people, during a performance by the award-winning Tjapukai Aboriginal Dance Troupe.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, Port Douglas, Australia
Day 18: Sophisticated Sydney at leisure
Fly to vibrant, cosmopolitan Sydney, and explore the waterfront, historical districts, boutiques, and sights at your own pace. Enjoy dinner in sparkling Sydney tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Australia
Day 19: Tour Sydney Opera House
A city sightseeing highlight is the famous Sydney Opera House; tour this architectural masterpiece with a billowing sail roof design. Also see the Sydney Harbour Bridge, historic districts, and expansive beaches.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Australia
Day 20: Visit Taronga Zoo and take a Sydney Harbour cruise
Get acquainted with some of the more than 2,000 endangered or rare animals that reside at the award-winning Taronga Zoo. Then enjoy the farewell reception on a cruise in Sydney Harbour, followed by a waterfront dinner facing the impressive night skyline.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Australia
Day 21: G’day, Mate
Tour ends: Sydney, Australia. A transfer is included from Four Seasons Hotel Sydney to Sydney Airport. Allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
Dates & Prices
Jan 19
Feb 12
Mar 7, 31
| 2008 Price Per Person |
Land / Cruise Price |
+ | On-Tour Air (2 flights) |
= | Total per Person |
| Category JJ – Caribe Deck: Interior, two lower beds | |||||
| Double | $7995 | + | $495 | = | $8490 |
| Single | $10,395 | + | $495 | = | $10,890 |
| Triple | $7215 | + | $495 | = | $7710 |
| Category EE – Plaza Deck: Oceanview, two lower beds | |||||
| Double | $8320 | + | $495 | = | $8815 |
| Single | $11,130 | + | $495 | = | $11,625 |
| Triple | $7430 | + | $495 | = | $7925 |
| Category BC – Baja Deck Oceanview with Balcony | |||||
| Double | $8545 | + | $495 | = | $9040 |
| Single | $12,450 | + | $495 | = | $12,945 |
| Triple | $7580 | + | $495 | = | $8075 |
| Category AB – Dolphin Deck Mini-suite with balcony | |||||
| Double | $9055 | + | $495 | = | $9550 |
| Single | $13,720 | + | $495 | = | $14,215 |
| Triple | $7920 | + | $495 | = | $8415 |
| Category VS – Dolphin, Emerald Decks Vista-suite with balcony | |||||
| Double | $10,885 | + | $495 | = | $11,380 |
| Single | $19,095 | + | $495 | = | $19,590 |
| Triple | $9,140 | + | $495 | = | $9635 |
| Penthouse Suite – Caribe Deck Penthouse suite with balcony | |||||
| Double | $11,585 | + | $495 | = | $12,080 |
| Single | $20,985 | + | $495 | = | $21,480 |
| Triple | $9610 | + | $495 | = | $10,105 |
52 meals included.
Land / cruise price includes private Tauck shore excursions, cruise fare, port charges, gratuities to ship staff, and a $240 credit for wine with dinner aboard Sapphire Princess.
International Airfare is additional. Call Tauck for special rates on international air, in coach or business, for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability).
Note: Due to the popularity of this journey, you may be traveling with a group of up to 80 Tauck guests. Larger group departures will be hosted by two Tauck Directors.
Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before your cruise begins and about our comprehensive Cruise Protection Plan.
All prices are per person in U.S. dollars.
- 11450
- Ocean
- 01 Jan 00
- Australia & New Zealand
- 07 Jun 16
- Tauck Cruising
- Cruise Only
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Important Terms
- * This product is priced in USD (USD), AUD rates can fluctuate depending on exchange rates, final rates in AUD will be confirmed by your consultant at time of booking.
- Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes any bonus nights, special offers or discounts listed in the inclusions.
- Surcharges may apply due to demand, Christmas & New Year's Eve, school or public holidays, trade shows, special events & other unforeseen circumstances.
- Prices may be based on Dynamic Rates and as such, may fluctuate at anytime without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases, or at the property's discretion.
Cruise Line
Tauck Cruising
Go beyond the ordinary and experience cruise travel at its best with Tauck. What makes Tauck’s Small Ship Cruising and River Cruising unique is the focus on the destination. Each scenic ports of call connect you with people and places, which will give you a moving, compelling and heart-warming experience both onboard and ashore.
Time ashore is enriched by in-depth cultural exploration and insider access that ensures up-close-and-personal connections with the locals and daily life. Tauck’s cruise travel adventures include guided sightseeing with local experts such as naturalists, historians, and accomplished lecturers. You’ll dine on regional cuisine on land at aboard ship that showcases specialties of the destination. After a day of extraordinary sightseeing, Tauck welcome you back onboard the hand-picked vessels for warm camaraderie and lively conversation that’s inherent on every Tauck cruise travel experience. The stories are endless, the memories are timeless and the connections priceless.
You can expect to see the sights a bit differently than you would with anyone else. Tauck explores Europe’s great waterways from the Rhine and the Danube to the Rhône and the Seine in France. Their luxurious riverboats are spacious and comfortable, welcoming you to an onboard experience characterized by the Tauck. Discover river cruises that go beyond the ordinary!
Tauck Voted World’s Best River Cruise Line
For the second time in three years, Tauck has been named the “World’s Best River Cruise Line" by the readers of Travel + Leisure, one of the world’s most authoritative and respected publications for travellers. The World’s Best Awards from Travel + Leisure are selected by the magazine’s readers. Every year, T+L holds a survey for readers to fill out on their main website. The survey remains open until April.
Winners are announced in the August/September issues of Travel + Leisure. These awards are given in categories such as hotels, resorts, spas, cruises, airlines, travel companies, tour operators, cities, islands, family travel, and more.
River Cruising
The heart of history meets the art of sophisticated river cruise travel aboard Tauck’s river cruises. Experience the Tauck difference on cruise travel days along great European waterways from the Rhine to the Danube, from the canals of the Netherlands to the Rhône, from the Main to the Danube and the Moselle…
You’ll cruise aboard spacious riverboats that have been custom designed to meet American standards with well appointed outside facing cabins and suites, a choice of on-board dining venues, complimentary wine with dinner, fitness centers and attentive personal service from Tauck’s staff and the ship’s crew.
Ancient civilizations beckon on cruise travel days along the River Nile in Egypt and China’s Yangtze River on Tauck’s Exotic journeys, where 3- and 4-night river cruise travel enhances land journeys.
Small Ship Cruising
The difference in Tauck’s small ship cruise travel lies in the choreography of the total cruise travel experience – the combination of personalized cruising with cultural land exploration. How you spend your days ashore – where you go, what you do, who you meet – that’s the Tauck difference. From the moment you step ashore, with 85 years of expertise on land ensures that on every cruise travel day, every moment of your shore excursions (all included in the price) count! Smaller ships hold fewer passengers, which means more personal attention from the captain and the crew – you’ll find the on-board atmosphere to be both club-like and comfortable. The pace is more relaxed, the conversations are richer, and the day-to-day experiences are shared with like-minded travelers.
