New Zealand Cruise with Australia
New Zealand Cruise with Australia
Sail with Brent Top as he enlightens and uplifts our group with his informational lectures on sea days. Join our private tours at the ports to make the most of this incredible journey.
Explore Auckland Museum with its amazing Polynesian artifacts as well as Harbour Bridge, Viaduct Basin and Westhaven Marina. Learn about the earthquake that destroyed the city of Napier in 1931 and discover the unique Art Deco style they used to rebuild this unique city. From Picton, visit Winterhome – a working beef and sheep farm. Along with its beautiful city center, Wellington offers Te Papa—New Zealand’s National Museum, Zealandia and the Karori Sanctuary. Savor onboard evening shows, endless gourmet delights, and private lectures from Brent. Join our adventurous LDS group as we create memories to last a lifetime.
Join us for a 2-night pre-cruise tour in Sydney, Australia.
Sydney, Australia
Pre-cruise Day 1 · ✈ Travel · Depart the US on your flight to Sydney.
Depart the US on your flight to Sydney.
Pre-cruise Day 2 · ✈ Travel · You will lose this day as you fly to Sydney.
You will lose this day as you fly to Sydney.
Pre-cruise Day 3 : Arrival - Sydney Tour
Fly into the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD). Please select a flight which arrives no later than 9:30 AM. Arrange a taxi or other public transportation to our hotel. Transfer to the hotel from the airport is not covered in this tour. We depart our hotel at noon and enjoy a walking tour of The Rocks and Circular Quay. The Rocks is a suburb of Sydney known for its historic streets and markets. We go to the Sydney Opera House and enjoy a tour. Then we are returned to our hotel and have the evening to ourselves for relaxing or more exploring.
Pre-cruise Day 4 : Featherdale - Blue Mountains
Our adventure begins with a visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park in Sydney. We see a variety of Australian creatures including Kangaroos and Koalas. We leave the city of Sydney behind as we head into the Blue Mountains. We stop at a lookout point and take a short walk in the bush. We then head to Scenic World known for its iconic scenic Skyway, the world's steepest railway and the southern hemisphere's steepest aerial cable car. We ride both and also enjoy walking on the elevated rainforest boardwalks. We go to Leura Village enjoy time on our own for lunch and exploring. We head back to our hotel.
Pre-cruise Day 5 : Bondi Beach - Board Cruise Ship
We load our luggage on the bus before we spend the morning exploring more of downtown Sydney. We learn about Sydney's history and our guide takes us to Bondi Beach for an opportunity to stroll along the shore. At the conclusion of our tour, the bus delivers us to the cruise ship.
Main trip
Day 1 : Sydney, Australia
If you are not joining us for our 2-night pre-cruise tour, meet us onboard the ship.
Day 2 : Day at Sea
Lectures by Brent Top
Day 3 : Day at Sea
Lectures by Brent Top
Day 4 : Dusky, Milford and Doubtful Sound
Free day to enjoy the Sounds and a Devotional
Day 5 : Dunedin, New Zealand
Dunedin is known as the Wildlife Capital of New Zealand. Enjoy exploring the second-largest city on the South Island. We drive along the Otago Peninsula Scenic Drive and take in all of the amazing coastal views. We stop at the Royal Albatross Center and see these majestic birds up close. We see some of the interesting sites of Dunedin as we drive back to the cruise port. Tour Price: $210 per person
Day 6 : Wellington, New Zealand
Get ready to venture into the lands of The Lord of the Rings. Even if you are not interested in the Lord of the Rings, you will want to come along and see the beautiful locations. We go into the Hutt Valley and see Helms Deep, Gardens of Isengard, Rivendell, the Legolas tree and the swinging bridge. As we head back toward Wellington, we pause briefly atop Mt. Victoria for a scenic view of New Zealand's capital city. We stop in the Outer Shire to take an easy stroll along the Hobbits Hideaway trail. We see many of the locations where well-known scenes were filmed. Even if you are not interested in the Lord of the Rings, you will want to come along and see the amazing locations. We visit Miramar and the Weta Cave. We take a look at the mini Museum that contains props from many well-known movies and take a photo or two. On our way back to the ship, we take the scenic route along the rugged South Coast and enjoy the scenery. Tour Price: $150 per person.
Day 7 : Picton, New Zealand
Picton is a land full of a wide variety of wildlife. You might take a small boat ride to see the sound or join a mail carrier on his route to deliver packages. The only downside is not having enough time to experience everything.
Day 8 : Napier, New Zealand
Today we experience the joys of Napier on our own. If art deco is something you enjoy, you can stroll the streets of Napier and take it all in. You can venture further abroad and see the Gannet Colony or take a tour of a beautiful garden.
Day 9 : Day at Sea
Lectures by Brent Top
Day 10 : Tauranga, New Zealand
Our journey takes us to Hobbiton, the famed movie set in Lord of the Rings. Along the way we see the beautiful Mount Maunganui and many other natural features. In Hobbiton, we take a tour and learn about the filming. Those who wish can grab some lunch at the Green Dragon Pub. As we return to the Tauranga port, we stop at the summit of the Kamai range to grab some photos. We visit a local honey center and learn about its production. We also pass by the beautiful beaches and large homes along the waterfront. Tour price: $330 per person
Day 11 : Bay of Islands, New Zealand
We enter the Kawiti Glow Worm Caves and enjoy its natural wonders. We see stalactites and spectacular glow work displays. We go to the Puketi Kauri Forest which is a 15,000 hectare forest full of Kauri trees and other interesting features. We wander through this area on our own. We stop and see the famous horse shoe waterfalls, Haruru Falls. These falls are located in a hidden valley on the Waitangi River. We make a final stop at the Waitangi Look-out Loop and enjoy the stunning views one last time. We also go to a chocolate shop and a Kauri Wood workshop. Tour Price: $250 per person
Day 12 · ✈ Travel · Auckland, New Zealand
If you did not sign up with Bountiful Travel for our post-cruise tour and transfer, debark and make your own way to the airport for your flight home.
Auckland post-cruise tour and transfer
Post-cruise Day 1 : Auckland - Airport Transfer
We disembark the ship and begin our exploration of the Auckland area. We see many highlights of Auckland including the Westhaven Marina, Wynyard Quarter, Mt. Eden Summit, Mission Bay, Tamaki Drive and many more. We visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum and attend the Māori cultural performance. At the end of our tour, we are dropped off at the Auckland Airport for our evening flights home. Please book a flight departing at 6:00 PM or later.
Please note that minor changes to the itinerary may occur due to local conditions and to better accommodate our group.
Celebrity Cruises · Celebrity Edge
The Celebrity Edge was the first of Celebrity's Edge-class ships, and it carries a genuine standout: the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered platform the size of a tennis court that moves up the ship's side for dining and ocean views. Its other signature is Eden, a glass-walled venue that shifts from a calm daytime lounge to an evening performance space. Dining runs across four main restaurants plus specialty tables like the Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Grand Bistro, and the open-air Rooftop Garden Grill, with the casual Oceanview Café and a full Spa nearby. The open Grand Plaza gives our group a natural place to gather each evening.
What's included
- Port charges
- Onboard lectures by Brent Top
- Onboard evening shows
- Gourmet meals
Not included
- Shore excursions
- Airfare
- Gratuities
- ID / Passport
- Check Your Invoice Names: Please check to see that your names are spelled correctly. Your first and last names must appear as they appear on your passport for International travel and Driver’s License for domestic tours. PASSPORTS ARE REQUIRED and should be valid 6 months after the end of the tour.
- Tips & Gratuities
- Terms and Conditions: Advertised rates INCLUDE port charges but DO NOT INCLUDE shore excursions, airfare, or gratuities.
- Physical Requirements
- Able to climb stairs and walk unassisted at moderate pace 4-6 miles per day
- Cancellation Policy
Land tour deposits are non-refundable. Cruise deposits are refundable with a $50 cancellation penalty. See terms and conditions for more information.
This trip follows our standard physical requirements and cancellation policies — see our Terms & Conditions. Anything specific to this trip is noted above and takes precedence.
Price per person: TBD — call 801-453-9444 for pricing details.
Reserve with a $450 deposit per person; final payment due 10/09/2026.
Optional experiences
Enhance your journey with these optional extensions. Your travel consultant will confirm pricing and help you add any of them.
 Pre-trip: Sydney, Australia (2 nights) | $800 |
 Post-trip: Auckland post-cruise tour and transfer | $200 |
Brent L. Top
Brent L. Top is Professor Emeritus of Church History & Doctrine at Brigham Young University and former Dean of Religious Education. In his thirty-five years on the Religion faculty at BYU, Brent has authored or co-authored more than 20 books and numerous articles on doctrinal, scriptural, historical, and sociological subjects. He taught Old and New Testament at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near-Eastern Studies and has led numerous Holy Land tours. Most recently, he served as mission president/site leader at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in San Diego (2022-2024) and was president of the Il…
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