Northern Explorer - Auckland to Perth (Fremantle) Cruise

Day 1 - Auckland

Arrive: Thu 15 August 2024 / Depart: Thu 15 August 2024 at 19:00

Straddling a narrow isthmus created by 60 different volcanoes, New Zealand's former capital boasts scenic beauty, historical interest and a cosmopolitan collection of shops, restaurants, museums, galleries and gardens. Rangitoto, Auckland's largest and youngest volcano, sits in majestic splendor just offshore. Mt. Eden and One Tree Hill, once home to Maori earthworks, overlook the city. One of New Zealand's fine wine districts lies to the north of Auckland. Auckland served as New Zealand's capital from 1841 until 1865, when the seat of government moved to Wellington.

Day 2 - Bay of Islands

Arrive: Fri 16 August 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 16 August 2024 at 16:00

The Bay of Islands offers more than broad vistas of sea and sky, more than beaches, boating, and fabulous water sports. The Bay is the birthplace of modern New Zealand. Here the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, establishing British rule and granting the native inhabitants equal status. Rich in legend and mystery, the Bay of Islands has age-old ties to the Maori and to whalers, missionaries and New Zealand's early settlers. The Bay of Islands has lured explorers for countless centuries. The Maori say that Kupe, the great Polynesian adventurer, came here in the 10th century. Captain Cook anchored offshore in 1769, followed by assorted brigands, traders, colonists and missionaries. Note: Bay of Islands is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender.

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Sydney

Arrive: Mon 19 August 2024 at 06:00 / Depart: Mon 19 August 2024 at 18:45

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Brisbane

Arrive: Wed 21 August 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 21 August 2024 at 17:00

Once considered the "country cousin" among Australian cities, Brisbane is today the nation's third-largest metropolis - and one of the most desirable places to live in the country. Lying on the banks of the meandering Brisbane River, this cosmopolitan city boasts elegant 19th-century sandstone buildings, a lively cultural scene and superb parklands. Brisbane is also your gateway to uniquely Australian adventures, be it the theme parks of the Gold Coast or Queensland's dazzling beaches. The beaches south of Brisbane form Queensland's Gold Coast. Travel tip: Brisbane is pronounced "Bris-bin."

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - Willis Island, Australia

Arrive: Fri 23 August 2024 at 14:00 / Depart: Fri 23 August 2024 at 15:00

This tiny island measures in at just 1,600 feet long by 490 feet wide, though it is the only permanently inhabited island in the Coral Sea Islands Territory. You won't find any neighborhoods, schools or homes here, however. The only structures on Willis Island comprise a weather monitoring station hosted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, where just a handful of weather observers reside at any given time. Willis Island is one of several tropical islands sitting beyond the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea Islands Territory, and is surrounded by thriving reefs where many creatures make their homes. Numbering into the thousands, Willis Island itself caters to many species of seabirds, including Masked, Brown and Red-footed Boobies that cry out nearly 24 hours a day. It is also an important nesting ground for turtles.

Day 10 - Cairns

Arrive: Sat 24 August 2024 at 11:00 / Depart: Sat 24 August 2024 at 20:00

Cairns is one of Australia's hottest vacation destinations. Cairns boasts three of Australia's great natural wonders. Just offshore, immense bastions of living coral form the Great Barrier Reef. Sixteen miles of superb beaches stretch to the north of the city - the famed Marlin Coast. And inland lays the immense Daintree National Park. Cairns itself basks in tropical sunshine, balmy breezes waft in from Trinity Bay. The city's graceful, tree-lined esplanade was once the gateway to the gold fields of North Queensland. Cairns graceful, tree-lined esplanade was once the gateway to the gold fields of North Queensland. A travel tip - Cairns is pronounced "cans."

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Darwin, Australia

Arrive: Wed 28 August 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 28 August 2024 at 22:00

Closer to Indonesia than to any other Australian city, Darwin is the capital of the "Top End" - the remote, vast Northern Territory. Home to more than half of the territory's population, the city reflects the rugged endurance and individualism required to survive the Outback. Darwin also boasts a colorful history to add to that heritage. During World War II the Japanese bombed the city and threatened invasion. In 1974, Cyclone Tracy cut a destructive swath through the region. In addition, man-eating crocodiles, tropical monsoons, searing heat and bush fires that burn for weeks are all part of everyday life. Locals in the Top End consume over 60 gallons of beer a year. All those empties don't go to waste: Each year Darwin residents compete in the Beer Can Regatta, a race with boats, rafts and other vessels manufactured out of beer cans.

Day 15 - At Sea

Day 16 - Kuri Bay

Arrive: Fri 30 August 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 30 August 2024 at 19:00

Kuri Bay is a remote coastal bay in the far north of Western Australia in the Kimberley region, about 370 km north of Broome. It is a designated point on the Western Australian Forecast Areas, utilised by the Bureau of Meteorology as a boundary for the North Kimberley Coast area from the West Kimberley Coast.

Day 17 - Kimberley Coast Scenic Cruising

Day 18 - Broome, Australia

Arrive: Sun 01 September 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 01 September 2024 at 18:00

In the 1870s, pearl fishermen discovered the rich waters of Roebuck Bay. A decade later, Broome was founded as a base for the pearl trade and was soon described as "the pearling capital of the world." Japanese, Chinese and Aborigine divers toiled in arduous, dangerous labor to harvest oysters from the seabed. For all its importance to the pearling industry, Broome remained a remote outpost on Australia's Kimberley Coast until its discovery as a travel destination. The legacy of its pearling days can be seen in the town's colorful mix of 19th- and early 20th century buildings. Broome also boasts Cable Beach - a 13-mile strand of white-sand that stretches along the azure waters of the Indian Ocean.

Day 19 - At Sea

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - Geraldton, Western Australia

Arrive: Wed 04 September 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 04 September 2024 at 17:00

The capital of the Batavia Coast was founded in 1850 as a commercial port serving the Northampton lead mine some 30 miles to the north. While Geraldton remains one of Western Australia's major ports, the city has become a magnet for vacationing Australians. Located between the Chapman and Greenough Rivers, Geraldton boasts a superb Mediterranean climate, scenic beauty and pristine beaches. Coronation Beach has become an international destination for windsurfers. In 1692 the Dutch East India Company Batavia was shipwrecked on the offshore Abrolhos Islands. Calamity was followed by mutiny and murder. The lurid tale ensured this portion of Western Australia would be named the Batavia Coast. Note: Geraldton is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender.

Day 22 - Fremantle

Arrive: Thu 05 September 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 05 September 2024

Lying at the mouth of the Swan River, historic Fremantle - founded in 1829 - is your gateway to Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Situated on the banks of the Swan River some 15 miles upriver from Fremantle, Perth is a bustling city where soaring high-rises co-exist with elegant sandstone buildings from the colonial era. Life here moves at a slower pace, so during your visit, relax and savor the bounties of Western Australia, from the wonders of the bush to the wineries of the Swan Valley, from excellent shopping to a leisurely cruise on the Swan River.