New Zealand - Q309A Queen Elizabeth departing 14 Feb 2023

Flower gardens and graceful, tree-lined boulevards add a refined air to Melbourne, regarded as the hub of Australia’s cultural, intellectual and financial life – at least by Melbournians! Modern skyscrapers mingle comfortably with Victorian homes, and an aura of upper-class elegance pervades. If you find country pleasures more appealing, ride the historic steam train “Puffing Billy” past forests and farms, before having lunch at a Yarra Glen vineyard.

As you sail through parts of Fiordland National Park, you will appreciate how it has mesmerised and intrigued travellers and tourists over the centuries, with its graceful and mostly untouched beauty.
Amongst and beyond the glacier-carved fjords of Doubtful and Milford Sound, stand impressive snow-capped peaks, luscious green slopes and forests that are home to unusual and unique species.

Dunedin is the second-largest city on New Zealand’s South Island and principal of the Otago region. Its population boomed during 1865, with a steady stream of new settlers arriving in search of gold.
During your time here, the outstanding Dunedin Railway Station is a must-visit, and a ride on the world famous Taieri Gorge Train is a scenic experience you’ll cherish for years to come.

Nestling on the lower slopes of a steep sided extinct volcano, the historic port town of Lyttelton is overflowing with trendy cafés and quirky shops. It’s also the gateway to nearby Christchurch.
Lyttelton has a long, colourful history and was the point where the first European settlers, bound for Christchurch, came ashore in 1850. Today the centre of Christchurch is just over seven miles away, thanks to the 1.2-mile-long Lyttelton road tunnel, which burrows through the Port Hills.

The entire Canterbury area was devastated in the 2011 earthquake, but is gradually being rebuilt, with new shops and buildings opening everyday. The small Lyttelton museum is maritime themed and boasts a fascinating Antarctic gallery, as the city was the launching point for South Pole expeditions at the turn of the last century.

Perched in the hills surrounding a sparkling bay, Wellington has the beautiful setting (and crispy weather) of San Francisco. White sails mingle with cargo ships in the Harbour. Charming Edwardian architecture blends into a contemporary skyline of concrete and glass. Culturally the city even surpasses Auckland. And Wellington’s nightlife is the most vibrant anywhere in Kiwiland.

In a nation where stunning scenery is taken for granted, this water wonderland sparkles like a freshly polished jewel. Over 48 extinct volcanoes cloaked in wild mountainous scenery encircle the “City of Sails”. An undulating succession of bays and inlets stretch along its endless shores. Even the downtown area with its expansive, farm-like parks exudes a sense of spacious beauty.