2027 Australia and New Zealand
Ocean Cruise

Arrive and transfer to your hotel. Relax or explore the city after a Welcome Briefing. A Viking Host is on hand to help you plan your visit.

Accommodation: Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay

Walk through The Rocks with an Aboriginal guide. Learn the district's history — known as Tallawoladah — and the culture of Australia's Aboriginal people. Today the area blends historic buildings with restaurants, pubs, and homes. (B)

Step aboard your ship and settle into your stateroom.Sydney was founded as a penal colony in 1788. Since then it has grown into Australia's major cultural center, loved for its open, free-spirited nature.

At the heart of it all sits the Sydney Opera House. This UNESCO World Heritage Site rests on the harbor like a gleaming white bird taking flight. Next door, the Royal Botanic Garden holds one of the world's most important plant collections across 70 acres of garden paths.

In the heart of Sydney, The Rocks is the city's district of restaurants, galleries, and shops. Its streets were not always so welcoming, though. During the 19th century, they were the haunt of ex-convicts and sailors who wandered among buildings made of clay, wood, thatch, or local sandstone (the district was named for the latter) looking for trouble.

Many of the original buildings have been torn down and replaced, but one that has survived is the Lord Nelson, Sydney's oldest pub brewery, serving drinks since 1841.

Trace one of Australia's most scenic regions along the southeastern shore of the continent on the Bass Strait. As you sail today, enjoy a range of international cuisine on board. So choose from a variety of flavors at the World Café, dine outdoors on the Aquavit Terrace, or try regional specialties in The Restaurant.

Melbourne has been called the world's most livable city, and it sits on the large bay of Port Phillip. Soon after Queen Victoria declared it a city of the Crown in 1847, a gold rush in its rivers made it one of the world's largest and wealthiest cities.

Since then, it has stood as the country's cultural capital of the arts, with a rich British flair running through its narrow shopping lanes and the ornate Victorian buildings along Collins Street. Also, even a small slice of England can be found within the 64 acres of blooms at Fitzroy Gardens.

Separating mainland Australia from the island of Tasmania, the Bass Strait was discovered by British explorers George Bass and Matthew Flinders in 1798. Because of this discovery, merchants and explorers could cut 700 miles off their voyages from Europe or India. To the east, the Furneaux Islands, the largest group of islands in the strait, once formed a land bridge between Tasmania and Australia.

Meanwhile, in the strait's western region, King Island holds several settlements and sits on the migration route of several bird species.

Tasmania, Australia's smallest state, was named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, and its capital, Hobart, was founded as a penal colony for around 300 inmates. Today, the city has the world's second-deepest natural harbor, a mild climate, and a scenic setting on the banks of the Derwent River.

Its well-preserved buildings date to Georgian and Victorian times, while traditional pubs still carry visitors back to Old England. Nearby, Port Arthur is an open-air museum that tells the story of convicts brought here by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries.

"Cross the ditch" as you sail today, a phrase used for a voyage on the Tasman Sea, much like many Americans and Europeans call a trans-Atlantic trip "hopping the pond." So take in the views as you sail and enjoy dining outdoors, where the Aquavit Terrace serves a range of international dishes and casual favorites, along with cocktails inspired by our destinations.

The narrow Foveaux Strait separates New Zealand's South Island from Stewart Island, also known as Rakiura, or "the Land of Growing Skies," after its Māori name. On one side, the small town of Bluff sits below Bluff Hill as the South Island's southernmost settlement. On the other, and with fewer than 400 permanent residents, Stewart Island is New Zealand's third-largest island, ringed with bays and covered in dense forest.

Dunedin and Port Chalmers sit on the 12-mile-long Otago Harbour. At the heart of the city, Dunedin is home to New Zealand's first university, built in 1871, which makes it one of the South Island's liveliest cultural capitals. Nearby, Port Chalmers has a thriving arts scene shaped by its setting, while across the water, the distinctive Harbour Cone summit rises on the Otago Peninsula.

Together, this unspoiled region offers a striking view of mountains and sea, and also it's home to seals, penguins, and seabirds, including the only mainland albatross colony in the world.

Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand's South Island. Named after Christ Church College in Oxford by English pilgrims from Canterbury, it still keeps much of its original British character, from the Gothic Revival cathedral to the punting boats on the calm Avon River.

Beyond that, the city carries on another English tradition: it has so many green parks that it's nicknamed the "Garden City." Its Botanic Gardens rank among the most important in the world, with plants from six continents, a rock garden, and a water garden of lilies and irises.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, sits in a striking setting and is called by many the "coolest little capital in the world." Its history shows in a rich mix of architecture, from classic weatherboard cottages and clean art deco lines to Edwardian and postmodern buildings.

Among these, the city's neoclassical Parliament House stands out and is listed as a Heritage New Zealand building for its history and cultural importance. Beyond its buildings, the city is also home to a range of arts and cultural institutions, including museums, a symphony, ballet, and film.

Napier is a striking stretch of art deco architecture, often compared to Miami Beach for its style. That's because, after much of the city was destroyed in a 1931 earthquake, it was rebuilt with a "main street" design and art deco details that make it a city unlike any other.

Napier is also home to the National Aquarium, one of the finest in New Zealand, while nearby, Hawke's Bay has more than 70 vineyards, the first planted by French missionaries in the mid-19th century. On top of that, the city holds the title of the largest wool center in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tauranga, set on the Bay of Plenty, sits below the dramatic Mt. Maunganui, an extinct volcano that helped shape this region of white-sand beaches and blue water. The Māori arrived here in the 13th century, followed by the British 600 years later, and since then, the city has grown into a thriving cultural scene with striking views of mountains rising from the water.

Above all, Tauranga is best known as the gateway to the bubbling mud pools and hot springs of Rotorua, a region the local Māori believe is a gift of fire from the gods.

Cultural capital of New Zealand's North Island, Auckland is known as the "City of Sails" for its residents' love of boating. This seafaring city has hosted three America's Cup challenges, so it's no surprise its marinas are full of world-class yachts. Further inland, in tree-lined Albert Park, flower beds and tall palms lead the way to a cast-iron central fountain, while nearby, the neoclassical Auckland War Memorial Museum tells the nation's history within its grand walls.

Finally, the observation deck of the Sky Tower offers sweeping views of Auckland's skyline.

Say goodbye to your fellow guests and head home, or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.

Enjoy a panoramic tour of Auckland's northern coastline and learn about its environment. Stop at North Head, a historic reserve, where you can take in views of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands as you explore the site. This afternoon, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. A Viking Host is on hand to help you plan your time in Auckland so you can make the most of your visit.

Accommodation: M Social Auckland

Today, enjoy a full day at your leisure. Explore the city's seafaring past and take a stroll around its two harbors. From the harbor bridge, you can take in views over Bastion Point, or wander through Parnell Village and relax at a pavement café. If you'd like to explore the country's famed wine region, your Viking Host can help arrange it. (B)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)