Ocean Discovery – Auckland, Tauranga & Napier

About this cruise

Somewhere around day five the ship stops being transport and starts being home. This 12-night sailing from Auckland on March 20, 2027 visits Tauranga, Napier and Timaru, with additional stops along the Australia & New Zealand. Disembarkation is in Sydney. There's a stretch of back-to-back port days, so those days are busy, but the sea days around them give you time to recharge. The distances are huge, which makes the sea days feel earned, and the ports feel worth it. Most ports give you about 9 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Norwegian Spirit takes the food seriously, with 13 restaurants to choose from. 6 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. 12 nights is long enough to build a routine on board: favourite restaurant, favourite deck chair, favourite people. It starts to feel like a floating village. A proper voyage for people who like to take their time and hate rushing through destinations. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Auckland has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. A spring departure helps too: decent weather and a calmer feel at each port. You start in Auckland and come back with stories from New Zealand and Australia.