New Zealand Cruise: 7 Things We’d Do Differently Next Time
Auckland PortNew Zealand CountryCelebrity Cruises Cruise LineBay of Islands PortFiordland PortMilford Sound PortPort Chalmers PortSydney PortTauranga PortCelebrity Edge Cruise Ship
Planning a New Zealand cruise? After spending 12 nights sailing from Sydney through New Zealand on Celebrity Edge, we’re sharing the 7 things we would do differently if we booked the same cruise again. From Tauranga, Bay of Islands, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland to the unpredictable weather at Milford Sound, these are the New Zealand cruise mistakes, planning decisions, excursions and port-day choices we learned from firsthand. In this video, we talk about why Rob wishes he had booked white-water rafting in Tauranga earlier, why Kim would spend more time exploring the port itself, what we would change about our Bay of Islands beach day, and what happened when our ship reached the entrance to Milford Sound but weather prevented us from going in. We also compare Celebrity Cruises Private Journeys with the local transportation we used in Christchurch and Dunedin, including our approximately NZ$280 private cab day in Christchurch. Plus, we share a souvenir mistake we somehow made more than once, what we would do differently with our Celebrity Edge Villa and Retreat benefits, and why our biggest lesson from cruising New Zealand was simple: we wanted more time in the ports we already visited. If you are planning a New Zealand cruise from Sydney or deciding which New Zealand cruise ports and shore excursions are worth your time and money, we hope our experience helps you plan yours. Ports and experiences featured include: Tauranga and Lake Rotoiti Hot Pools Bay of Islands Milford Sound Doubtful Sound Dusky Sound Christchurch and Riverside Market Christchurch Gondola Dunedin and Baldwin Street Auckland Celebrity Edge Celebrity Edge Villa The Retreat Luminae Fine Cut Steakhouse We’ve also created individual videos from these New Zealand cruise ports and experiences, so check out our New Zealand cruise playlist for a deeper look at each stop. If you’ve already cruised New Zealand, we’d love to know: Which New Zealand port would you give yourself more time in? 0:00 7 Things We’d Do Differently on a New Zealand Cruise 0:44 #1 Book Must-Do Excursions Early | Tauranga 2:54 #2 Come Prepared for Bay of Islands 5:04 #3 Don’t Count on Milford Sound 7:28 #4 Compare Cruise Excursions With Local Private Tours 9:51 #5 Check Where Your New Zealand Souvenirs Are Made 11:34 #6 How We’d Use Our Celebrity Edge Villa Differently 14:02 #7 Choose More Time, Not More Ports 15:17 What We’d Absolutely Do Again in New Zealand 16:06 Planning Your Own New Zealand Cruise #NewZealandCruise #CelebrityEdge #NewZealandTravel #CruiseTips #CelebrityCruises