What's a Cruise to New Zealand Like? (2025)

I flew all the way from North America to Australia to take a cruise to New Zealand. Why? Well, because I had to. The only other option was to sail from the West Coast which would have taken nearly a month to get there, and I didn’t have that kind of time to kick around. Besides, it also gave me a chance to visit Australia, where I hadn’t been to either.

Which Cruise Lines Sail to New Zealand?

Lyttelton (Christchurch) New Zealand on Azamara Quest (Photo: Tim Faircloth)

Many big cruise ship lines sail to New Zealand, including Celebrity, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean. P&O Australia also sails there, and some itineraries will be taken over by Carnival when the line absorbs two P&O ships into its fleet in March 2025.

Princess and P&O/Carnival tend to have a longer season to serve the local market, so their ships will be there earlier than the others and stay later.

Azamara, Oceania, and Viking sail to New Zealand too, and so do luxury cruise lines Crystal, Regent, Seabourn, and Silversea.

Expedition ships from Ponant and Scenic, are there as well, but those would be a very different experience from traditional cruising.

Royal Princess Is A Good Choice For New Zealand; the Sailing is Full of Australian Quirks

The sailaway from Sydney is not to be missed (Photo: Ming Tappin)

Royal Princess was launched in 2013 and went through a major refurbishment in 2018, nothing has been done to her since then. But I was happy to see that the ship still shows very well. Other than the deck chairs and the balcony furniture being weathered - which is expected since the ship sails nonstop year-round – the interior furnishings, floors, and upholstery all looked great.

Of course, Royal Princess can’t be compared with today’s newest ships that have a lighter color scheme and fancy technology, but for a ship that’s over 10 years old, it’s still a beautiful ship and delivers an excellent cruise experience.

This was the first time I took a cruise from Australia, and I noticed a few things that are done differently Down Under than when the ship is cruising from North America and other parts of the world.

The onboard currency onboard Princess ships normally is US dollars, but during the Australian season, everything is charged in Australian currency (AUD). Drinks, spa treatments, specialty restaurants, and gift shop items are all tagged in AUD.

I also noticed that the prices have been adjusted to reflect the stronger US dollar. For example, I sailed on Sun Princess to the Bahamas in October, the cost for a Tony Gemignani specialty pizza in Alfredo’s was USD 12, it was AUD 18 on the Royal Princess. Glasses of wine were USD11-12 on Sun Princess, and AUD15 on the Royal. So when you convert the AUD prices back to USD, it’s about the same or in some cases even a little less.

At the end of your cruise, your shipboard account will be charged in AUD. Another unexpected item: it is common for businesses in Australia to charge a transaction fee for credit card purchases, and Princess is following suit. If you settle your onboard account with a credit card, you’ll pay a surcharge - mine came up to just under 1%.

Your Fellow Passengers on a New Zealand Cruise Will Mostly Be Australians

Royal Princess Piazza is a great spot to hang out and people-watch. There are casual eateries, shops, and entertainment going on all the time (Photo: Ming Tappin)

The majority – 63.5% – of passengers on my Royal Princess cruise were Australians, which was fairly typical of cruises in this region. Most Aussies I met said this was their third or fourth time cruising to New Zealand because it is so convenient for them - especially those who live in Sydney or can get there easily, and they probably get good resident discounts too. If you’re curious, just under 20% of passengers were North Americans. The rest were from the UK, Europe, Asia, and other Pacific countries.

The Aussies are a fun bunch. Many were traveling with groups of family and friends, having a great time. This certainly made the ship’s atmosphere quite lively, as many were keen to participate in the Piazza activities, games shows, and dance parties. Their casual demeanor also made it a very relaxed ambiance onboard. “How you going?” and “You’re alright?” were common phrases heard everywhere, and it was easy to start a conversation with those sitting next to us in the lounge, dining room, and theater.

New Zealand Cruises Have a More Relaxed Dress Code Onboard

Passengers on a sightseeing cruise excursion through Queen Charlotte Sound from Picton (Photo: Ming Tappin)

The dress code was quite an eye-opening experience for us as we’re used to traditional cruising where (most) passengers follow the dress code in the evenings.

But things are not the same Down Under. Aussies are relaxed, and the dress code is reflected accordingly. People wore shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops (I saw Crocs too) to dinner and were not turned away. And, there were only two formal nights on my 14-day cruise - that alone says a lot, because in another other destination, a two-week cruise would have three formal nights.

This is not to say that no one dressed up for dinner, but the overall trend leaned way toward casual. Just as many men wore jeans and shorts to dinner as those wearing dress pants and khakis. We spotted a few suits, tuxes, and long dresses during formal nights, but they were definitely the exception rather than the norm.

So if you’re cruising with Princess in Australia and New Zealand, you can leave your fancy clothes behind and save some luggage space.

There Were Australia and New Zealand-focused Enrichment Programs Onboard

Cultural ambassadors taught passengers how to play traditional Maori games in the Piazza (Photo: Ming Tappin)

Besides the regular daily activities, Princess also includes cultural enrichments in their cruise program that are tailored to the destination the ship is in. During our cruise to New Zealand, on sea days, there were lectures that included interesting topics like the history of New Zealand and the European settlement of Australia. Several times during the cruise, there were also ukulele lessons.

Two Maori ambassadors sailed with us and in the afternoon in the Piazza, they taught passengers traditional Maori songs and games The events were well attended and garnered quite the audience participation.

New Zealand has Stringent Biosecurity Laws

Signs like these were all over the ship to warn passengers against bringing food ashore in New Zealand (Photo: Ming Tappin)

Passengers are typically not allowed to bring any food ashore from a cruise ship, but many do it anyway especially since they’re going on a long tour or are exploring the port independently. In New Zealand, it was strictly forbidden, and we were constantly reminded of it through the Princess Patter (the ship’s daily newspaper), our cabin TV, PA announcements, and signs in the buffet and on the ship’s digital displays.

We weren’t allowed to bring any food (like sandwiches, salads, chips, cookies, rolls, etc.), fruit, meat, flowers, plants, and animal products into any New Zealand port. Short of pre-packaged granola bars, everything else is off-limits. We were warned that officials have the right to examine our bags (although we never encountered it or saw anyone get searched), and any offenders are subject to an instant NZD400 fine.

What Cruising to New Zealand Was Like Onboard

We have sailed with Princess often enough to have earned Elite status - the top level of Princess’ Captain Circle loyalty club, which came in handy on embarkation day. We arrived at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal at noon, and the lineup to check it was huge, with more than 100 people in line. With our Elite status, we walked right up to the next available check-in agent. While many people took a long time to get onboard, we were onboard the ship in minutes.

A standard balcony cabin - there are only two American plugs at the desk. (Photo: Ming Tappin)

Our standard balcony was satisfactory, but here’s where we noticed the ship’s age. There were only two North American electrical outlets at the desk, the other two were European plugs, and there weren’t any USB plugs. Back in 2013, the use of mobile devices was nowhere near as prevalent as it is now, so travelers today will find this setup inadequate. If you have multiple devices, make sure you bring adapters with USB ports. The bathroom still had the annoying shower curtain. (Princess finally got rid of the shower curtains when it launched Sun Princess in 2024.)

The sailaway from Sydney is one of the most scenic departures in the world, with the city skyline and its signature Harbor Bridge and opera house in the background. There was plenty of open deck space for everyone to enjoy this special moment. Royal Princess spun around in the harbor and played The Love Boat theme on its horn as people on the shore and in other boats waved and cheered.

It took two days to cruise to New Zealand’s South Island and three days to cruise back from the North Island. New Zealand is two hours ahead of Australia, so we lost an hour each night on the way there, but got them back on the way home.

On sea days, there were plenty of things to keep everyone busy. The Piazza constantly had things going on - from Zumba and line dance classes, bean bag toss competitions between passengers and the ship’s officers, and live music. The pool decks were busy, and the boutiques offered all kinds of sales, raffles, and free champagne to attract shoppers. The casino and the spa were in full swing. In short, sea days in Australia and New Zealand were pretty much the same as those in other destinations.

Princess Theater has unobstructed views from every seat.

The production shows onboard Royal Princess were excellent. The four headline vocalists were outstanding, and along with a troupe of dancers, they performed four production shows during our 14-day voyage. In between are comedians, illusionists, guest vocalists, and one evening featured the Princess Orchestra, performing music from around the world. Princess is one of the few cruise lines that still employs a live orchestra to accompany the production shows, which is a nice throwback to the good old days of cruising. The only act we really didn’t care for was twin brothers from Argentina whose juggling acts and jokes were amateurish and really didn’t fit in - many people walked out, and we nearly did.

What Cruising to New Zealand Was Like: The Ports

Although it was a blustery day, the visit to Milford Sound at Fjordland National Park was still a highlight of our cruise (Photo: Ming Tappin)

Royal Princess spent a day scenic cruising Fjordland National Park, the highlight of our cruise, on New Zealand’s South Island. The UNESCO World Heritage Site spans nearly 3 million acres, made up of glacier-carved fjords, pristine lakes, and dense rainforests, and was the must-see on my list.

Unfortunately, our day was hampered by heavy spring rain. It was foggy and extremely windy when we sailed into the 9.6-mile-long Milford Sound – the most impressive of the three areas visited - but we were able to get up to the top deck to enjoy the towering fjords and gushing waterfalls.

But by the time we reached Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound in the afternoon, the constant downpour prevented us from enjoying the scenery on the open deck. Luckily for us, we could still sit outside our balcony to watch everything go by. Even in the rain, the national park was beautiful, and we can only imagine what it would be like on a sunny day.

My cruise also visited Port Chalmers (for Dunedin), Lyttelton (for Christchurch), Picton, Tauranga, Auckland, and The Bay of Islands.

At the first three ports, Royal Princess docked at lumber yards which had stringent rules. Since large machines and trucks were constantly moving and loading/off-loading lumber, passengers weren’t allowed to walk freely in the port area. If you didn’t book an excursion, the shuttle to get into Dunedin was NZD35 per person while the one to Christchurch was NZD25 per person. It’s something to keep in mind and budget for if you want to explore independently. The shuttle in Picton was complimentary, and we were docked in Tauranga (actually a community called Mount Maunganui) and Auckland. We tendered into The Bay of Islands, which if you didn’t have a tour booked, required getting a number and waiting for your turn to go ashore.

The Heritage train station in Dunedin is one of several sites that can be reached by walking from the shuttle drop-off point (Photo: Ming Tappin)

I found the ports interesting, with a lot of European history mingled with Maori ones. Coupled with the onboard lectures, the excursions helped me learn a lot about the colonization of New Zealand and the conflicts the natives encountered with the European settlers. The ports are small communities and easy enough to wander around on your own, even the larger Auckland is easily walkable because the ship docked right downtown. However, many major attractions – such as the Marlborough wine country and the geothermal pools of Rotorua were only accessible through full-day tours, as they are located inland.

A lot of people I know who have traveled to New Zealand by land have raved about the fantastic scenery and outdoor activities, which they said would be way more appreciated by doing a self-drive or joining an organized tour. I knew this going in and was fine with the cruise because it still allowed me to see a lot of New Zealand in the short time I had there. I consider the cruise as a terrific introduction to New Zealand, and will certainly help prepare me for a return visit in the future.

Tips for Going on a Cruise to New Zealand (if You’re From North America)

If you didn’t take an excursion to Rotorua from Tauranga, you can hike up to the summit of Mt. Maunganui for spectacular scenery (Photo: Ming Tappin)

Princess is a mainstay in Australia and New Zealand, and in the 2024/25 season, Princess will have four ships serving this market. Since the seasons are reversed Down Under, cruises to Australia and New Zealand take place during their spring and summer months, from November to April. You’ll find the best selection of cruise lines and itineraries between December and March, as that is the height of summer there.

A roundtrip Sydney itinerary makes it easy for booking flights, but you’ll spend two to three more days at sea since the ship has to return to Sydney.

One-way cruises that sail between Australia and New Zealand - typically Sydney and Auckland - are popular. Since the ship doesn’t have to double back, you’ll spend more time in New Zealand and less time at sea. Also, this type of itinerary allows you to stay before or after your cruise in Auckland or add on an extended land tour around New Zealand, which isn’t possible on the roundtrip cruise.

Book early. You’re not going to find last-minute price slashes on cruises to New Zealand, because it’s a limited sailing season, and the sailings fill up with Aussies because it’s in their backyard. As I discovered, the prices will go UP closer to sailing as opposed to down.