With its lush greenery, scenery literally out of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and, quite possibly, the friendliest people on the planet, it’s no wonder New Zealand is such a highly-coveted travel destination.
Because it’s also on the other side of the world, planning a trip there can be challenging and expensive. So, when my friend and I heard about Air New Zealand’s sale, we decided to finally make the trip of our dreams come true and book one of Princess Cruises’ amazing New Zealand itineraries.
We’d both sailed on Princess many times and knew we’d be well taken care of, both on and off the ship. We were excited to be back on Royal Princess, the ship we had traveled on to Alaska and the one on which my husband and I had renewed our vows right before the pandemic in 2020. (Royal Princess is The Love Boat, after all.)
We felt at home as soon as we stepped onto the ship but what surprised us about this particular sailing was that the guests were almost exclusively from Australia, creating a delightful atmosphere that gave us a whole new perspective on how to live life. (Spoiler alert: less focus on work, more on fun.)
New Zealand was beyond incredible and Princess made sure every guest got to experience it in their own way, whether that meant adventure, sightseeing or a combination of both. We took advantage of everything we could and it was, ultimately, one of my favorite cruises ever.
Must-do New Zealand shore excursions
When cruising, I’m usually happy to sit out a day or two in port so I can enjoy being on the ship when everyone’s gone. In fact, one reason we chose this itinerary was because it already built in a good number of sea days. But, since it was my first time visiting and I didn’t know if/when I’d ever get back there again, I really didn’t want to miss a minute of New Zealand.
We booked shore excursions in every single port and got to see so much of the gorgeous country, from the cities to the farms to the water. Here are some of the highlights:
Auckland, New Zealand
We knew we wanted to visit Hobbiton, the site where the movies were filmed, but cruise ships are no longer allowed to include it as a shore excursion because of crowds so we booked a GetYourGuide day trip there, which I highly recommend. Although it’s a two hour drive, it’s 100% worth it. We were with a small group of people in a comfortable van with a wonderful driver. In New Zealand, all of our drivers also acted as the guides, which we had never experienced before. I don’t know how they did it but they were all knowledgeable and personable, providing interesting and often hilarious commentary while they safely got us where we were going.
Seeing Hobbiton in person is surreal and it’s impossible not to smile as you explore The Shire. The attention to detail in all the Hobbit houses is astonishing and we loved being able to actually go inside one and imagine living in it. It’s gorgeous! We didn’t have to imagine ourselves sleeping on the Hobbit-sized beds or soaking in their tub because we were allowed to try both. Kudos to my friend for being able to get in and out of that tiny tub!
We were glad we went to Hobbiton early in our trip because it’s where we discovered New Zealand pies — something we became obsessed with and tried to sample in every port. My first one, which I grabbed for a quick lunch in The Shire’s Rest Cafe before our tour, was flaky, savory and filled with delicious brie and pesto. If I lived in New Zealand, I would eat one of them every day.
Because we had two days in Auckland, we were also determined to see the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. A one-of-a-kind experience — these Arachnocampa luminosa glowworms are unique to New Zealand, making this a must-do — there’s a mystical feeling to taking a quiet boat ride through the dark caves where the thousands of glowworms are the only source of light.
Before we actually got down to the boats, our guide asked if anyone would volunteer to sing in the cave, which supposedly boasted superior acoustics. My friend, who has a beautiful voice and is always up for anything, started singing Hallelujah, which everyone joined in on, and it was one of those spontaneous moments I wish I had on video because it still gives me goosebumps.
Tauranga, New Zealand
Tauranga was our busiest day as we covered a lot of ground in Rotorua and learned so much about New Zealand and the indigenous Maori people. We started out at Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland, a fascinating area naturally created by thousands of years of geothermal activity, where we ooh-ed and ah-ed over the Champagne Pool, the Lady Knox Geyser, volcanic craters and lots of bubbling mud. It was like walking on another planet.
From there we headed to Te Pā Tū to visit Tamaki Māori Village and enjoy a traditional Maori Hangi lunch. We got to talk with some of the Maori people, who shared pieces of their culture with us, participated in a meaningful welcome ceremony and watched a gorgeous performance as they sang, danced and showed us what it means to be Maori. It moved me to tears.
After lunch, we headed out to two other sites that Princess is testing out for permanent shore excursions. I hope they keep them both because all the guests who sampled them agreed they were magical.
The first was a breathtaking walk through the magnificent redwoods at Redwoods Treewalk. As we slowly meandered across suspension bridges high above the forest floor, the views were stunning. This was such a great way to connect with nature — something New Zealand is especially good at.
In keeping with the calm, relaxation vibe, our last stop was Secret Spot (that’s the actual name!), where guests could soak in their own private cedar hot tub outdoors, surrounded by thick ferns and overlooking Whakarewarewa Forest and Puarenga Stream. This was forest bathing at its best.
Our day in Rotorua was just fantastic and we were glad the next day was one at sea so we could really think about and appreciate all we got to experience.
Wellington, New Zealand
Although we’ve never seen any of the movies, we booked a full day Lord of the Rings tour because we knew the scenery would be gorgeous and the stories fun. We made the right decision because our driver/guide, Dixie, actually works on the films and gave us an insider’s look at the making of the blockbusters. Her enthusiasm was so infectious, we can’t wait to watch the trilogy before the next one comes out. Also, we knew she was going to be our kind of guide just from her t-shirt, which I ordered for myself as soon as we got back to the ship.
We also got to visit Weta Workshop, where artisans painstakingly create the lifelike special effects and props were immediately recognizable from some of the biggest movies and TV shows on the planet.
Although Dixie works for Oscar-winning director, Peter Jackson, she’s never met him in person. So, when she drove us past his office at the end of the day and joked about possibly seeing him there, it was shocking that he was actually outside, walking to his car. She screamed in joy and we all laughed and laughed. Seeing him may have been the highlight of her day but seeing her reaction was the highlight of ours!
Christchurch, New Zealand
When traveling, I love visiting the homes of local residents whenever possible so in Christchurch, we signed up for the Canterbury Sheep Farm Experience. Manderley Farm is idyllic, with its picturesque rolling hills filled with sheep. Ross and Mary showed us the joys and challenges of owning and operating a working sheep farm during a time when there is little demand for wool. Ross explained that, in the 1970s, there were 66 million sheep in New Zealand and today there are only 28 million. If they had sold skeins of yarn there, I would have stocked up and learned to knit.
Ross demonstrated how his dogs have been trained to round up the sheep and it was a pretty impressive feat. Mary then hosted a lovely tea for all of us, which was equally impressive.
Dunedin, New Zealand
Because it’s always enlightening to see how other people live, we signed up to visit Olveston House & Larnach Castle in Dunedin. Both had histories worth a deep dive but we were especially intrigued by Larnach Castle, where we took in the architecture and design, heard the family’s tragic stories and were treated to high tea in the ballroom and a stroll through the lovely gardens. My favorite part? The eclectic gift shop, where I went to town, supporting the local economy. (Note: My best purchase was the board book version of Hairy McClary from Donaldson’s Dairy, a local children’s classic, which my two year old grandson can’t get enough of.)
Our driver, Stu, was a hoot and snuck in a couple of impromptu stops at Baldwin Street, the world’s steepest street, and the historic Dunedin Railway Station, an architectural landmark considered to be the most photographed building in New Zealand. With its colorful gardens and an interior featuring conversation piece tiles and stained glass, it’s easy to see why.
Because George Street, Dunedin’s main street, is located just a few minutes from the port, we were able to get off the bus and do some shopping before walking back to the ship at the end of the day. I found an adorable sheep door stopper that TSA almost tossed because of the sand in its foundation. In order to keep it, I had to go back through security and check my carry-on. Lesson learned.
Fjordland, New Zealand
Although we didn’t have a port stop to visit Fjordland, the largest National Park in New Zealand, we spent a scenic cruising day viewing the magnificent scenery from various parts of the ship and listening to the expert commentary as we sailed through different Sounds.
It’s hard to get anything done on a day like this because you don’t want to miss the dramatic entrances into some of these spots, especially Milford Sound. This is one reason I always opt for a balcony — so I always have a view.
Why Princess to New Zealand?
There are so many reasons we chose Princess for our first time in New Zealand, starting, of course, with the specific itinerary. But, because so much of cruising is about the journey, not just the destination, and there are so many features about Princess that we love. Here are a handful:
MedallionClass service. This is such a great idea and it continues to improve with each cruise. Princess provides you with a small wearable device that automatically opens your stateroom door as you approach and also acts as your ID when you get on and off the ship and when you make a purchase or place a food order. My friend and I bought rubber watchbands so we could wear them around our wrist rather than around our neck and it was so much easier than having to carry a card key. Our favorite thing was ordering food on the app and having it quickly delivered to us anywhere on the ship, thanks to our medallions.
The food. I seem to gravitate toward different venues on every cruise, and, although in the past I could usually be found at the buffet, this time around it was breakfast at the International Cafe, where I fell in love with the almond croissants, and lunch at the poolside Trident Grill, with its juicy hamburgers and crispy fries, or at the Symphony dining room, when I craved fresh fish and chips. Because our package included the Gelateria and all the non-alcoholic beverages we wanted, we indulged in more sundaes and iced chai lattes than I care to admit. We had lots of pizza at Prego Pizzeria, which has deservedly been named Best Pizza at Sea. And, of course, we enjoyed decadent dinners at Crown Grill and Sabatini’s. Needless to say, we were not surprised when, on our Lord of the Rings tour, Dixie told us that, in order for Sean Aston to gain back the weight he had lost for his Hollywood debut, the filmmakers sent him on a cruise!
The activities. Luckily, we were able to offset all those calories with everything from pickleball to morning dance exercise classes. There is so much going on at any given moment — we especially loved the Princess version of The Voice — that you can keep busy all day if you want to. Or you can find a comfortable spot in one of the many lounges to just sit and relax over coffee and conversation.
The spa. I always make time for a spa treatment when I’m sailing and am a big fan of Royal Princess’ Lotus Spa, where I take advantage of the thermal suite. On this cruise, I opted for a 75 minute Coconut Poultice Massage which could just as appropriately been called Heaven.
The library. Ships with libraries get extra points from me and, although the Royal Princess library was pretty sparse on my Alaska cruise, the shelves were filled to the brim this time with so many books I wanted to read. I got through three of them and left a couple of my own there to pay it forward.
This was such a spectacular cruise that I’m already considering a return trip to New Zealand. Princess has a number of different New Zealand itineraries and, to quote Gandalf himself, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”