It's no coincidence that New Zealand was chosen to represent Middle Earth in the film adaptation of 'The Lord of the Rings'; this is a wild and unfeasibly beautiful land of jagged mountains, bubbling hot springs and plunging fjords. Thrill seekers will find the rugged South Island particularly appealing, but the beautiful beaches and bays of the North Island shouldn't be overlooked.
New Zealand Expedition Cruises
Find a cruise
Our top picks
AE Expeditions
Ross Sea Odyssey
From Hobart to Dunedin
14 Dec 2026 - 8 Jan 2027 (25 Nights)
From £27,219 per guest
Ponant Explorations
Ocean Voyage: Cairns - Dunedin
From Cairns to Dunedin
19 Dec - 28 Dec 2026 (9 Nights)
From £2,437 per guest
Ponant Explorations
Expedition to New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands
From Dunedin to Dunedin
28 Dec 2026 - 11 Jan 2027 (14 Nights)
From £14,030 per guest
AE Expeditions
Epic Antarctica: Crossing the 7th Continent
From Dunedin to Ushuaia
7 Jan - 9 Feb 2027 (33 Nights)
From £32,612 per guest
Ponant Explorations
Expedition to New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands
From Dunedin to Dunedin
11 Jan - 25 Jan 2027 (14 Nights)
From £12,320 per guest
Ponant Explorations
Scott & Shackleton’s Antarctic - Ross Sea Expedition
From Dunedin to Dunedin
25 Jan - 15 Feb 2027 (21 Nights)
From £22,870 per guest
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Expedition Semi-Circumnavigation Of Antarctica: One Of The Greatest Feats Of Our Time
From Ushuaia to Lyttelton (Christchurch)
1 Feb - 4 Mar 2027 (31 Nights)
From £33,875 per guest
Ponant Explorations
Ocean Voyage: Dunedin - Lautoka
From Dunedin to Lautoka
15 Feb - 22 Feb 2027 (7 Nights)
From £1,510 per guest
Our Insight
Exploring New Zealand
New Zealand is an incredible place, offering a wealth of unforgettable travel experiences. Sail across the majestic Milford Sound; visit Maori communities and learn first hand about their customs and traditions; hike across mountains and glaciers; and encounter the unique wildlife of this far flung part of the world, including sperm whales, Hector's dolphins, albatross and the rare yellow-eyed penguin.
The North Island is home to the beautiful Bay of Islands, an archipelago made up of 144 idyllic islands, while Rotorua, located in the middle of an active goethermal zone, is an important centre of Maori culture.
New Zealand's South Island is known as the 'adventure capital of the world', with a ruggedly beautiful landscape that rewards exploration. Divided in two by the snow-capped Southern Alps, the South Island is characterised by dramatic fjords, vast glaciers and underground rivers. If you're feeling brave you can try bungee jumping in the place where it was invented, Queenstown, or you may prefer just to watch less cautious individuals throwing themselves off the Kawarau Bridge.
New Zealand can also be combined with a trip to the subantarctic island groups, or indeed the icy wastes of Antarctica via the Ross Sea, with expedition cruises departing from Invercargill and Dunedin.
collections
You may also like
Chilean Fjords & Patagonia
Patagonia, the southernmost tip of South America, is a land of contrasts: fire and ice, heat and dust, mountains and grasslands, glacial fjords and temperate rainforest.
Norwegian Fjords & North Cape
Norway is a spectacular destination on our very doorstep: breathtaking scenery, captivating towns and villages, and the most welcoming people you could imagine.
Australasia & Pacific
The Antipodes, the ‘opposite side of the world’, has long carried an irresistible allure, from the vastness of Australia and the majestic beauty of New Zealand to the unique island cultures of the Pacific.
