Day 1: Auckland, New Zealand

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Parnell Rose Gardens
Some 5,000 rosebushes of every conceivable color and variety bloom November through March in this formally landscaped park, a quick bus ride from the center of town. Paths winding through the fragrant blooms lead to a lookout over Judge’s Bay.

Sky Tower
At 1,076 feet, the “tallest man-made structure in New Zealand” didn’t claim any world records, but it does have two high-adrenaline attractions. On SkyJump, you can leap off a ledge while attached to a wire and come to a smooth landing 630 feet below; on SkyWalk, you’re harnessed and tethered to an overhead rail as you stroll the tower’s walkway—no guardrail in sight.

Waiheke Island
Forty minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland, this bucolic little isle makes a peaceful daytrip. You can laze on its white-sand beaches; tour local artists’ studios; or learn about New Zealand’s prolific wine production at one of Waiheke’s dozen-plus vineyards.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.

Day 2: Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Those who love beaches consider these some of the world’s finest, with their perfect white sand and crystal-clear water. And as tempted as you’ll be to pull up a lounge chair and soak in the surroundings, many consider this the ideal place to partake in more active pursuits, such as kayaking, mountain-biking, parasailing, swimming with dolphins and scuba-diving.

Day 3: Tauranga, New Zealand

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Intimate Rotorua and Thermal Experience
Whakarewarewa geothermal valley, the village of Te Puia, and the Lady Knox Geyser—which erupts at 10:15 a.m. daily—make up the itinerary on this daylong excursion through the North Island’s Taupo Volcanic Zone. At lunchtime, board the elegant Lakeland Queen steamboat for a meal on tranquil Rotorua Lake.

Rotorua Maori Village Encounter
Get a front-row seat to the Maori’s ancient cultural traditions on this five-hour excursion to the fortified village of Tamaki Pa. After the tribesmen’s powhiri, or formal welcome, travelers join villagers for a hangi: a large lunch cooked on hot stones. Song and dance performances commence while you dine.

Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park
Pick up a trail map at the visitors’ center and head out on the well-marked paths that line this lush park, spread along miles of pristine coast. The Waitewheta trail, which passes giant kauri trees, mining relics, and farmland, is one of the best walks within the 200-mile network of trails. Look for birds such as the tomtit and fantail while en route.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.

Day 4: At Sea

Try a bold collection of both familiar and unknown wines from around the world in this inviting wine bar. To help you explore, we feature the state-of-the-art Enomatic^® wine-by-the-glass dispensing system. It will pour your choice directly from the bottle in a 1-ounce, 2.5-ounce or 5-ounce portion as you swipe you SeaPass^® card. Our Sommeliers will offer further insight into the fine art of wine selection.

Day 5: Wellington, New Zealand

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
There’s a lot more than artifacts behind glass cases at New Zealand’s national museum. The focus here is on interactive exhibits such as OurSpace, a 46-foot floor map of the country loaded with sensors that, when you step on the touch-screen-like hotspots, bring up information on local culture and geography.

Makara Walking Track
This four-mile cliffside loop passes scenic Pacific overlooks and a handful of compelling historic sites. A Maori fortress keeps watch over Fisherman’s Bay, while gun emplacements mark the perimeter of Fort Opau, once occupied by World War II soldiers.

Wellington Botanic Garden
Take the Wellington Cable Car up to this 44-acre park, established in 1844. It’s home to some of the oldest exotic trees in the country, as well as a heritage rose garden and a Begonia House full of tropical plants. The most serene place: the Peace Garden, thanks to its waterfall and placid pond.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.

Day 6: Akaroa, New Zealand

Nestled in the heart of an ancient volcano, Akaroa is rich with beautiful bays, French and English colonial history, even the largest little penguin colony on the mainland. It's also home to the rarest and smallest marine dolphin and lots of water sports-kayaking, sailboats, also hiking paths and cycle tours. Pick up a unique souvenir from one of the many local craft shops and boutiques.

Day 7: DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND

Were it not for the absence of the Scottish brogue, you might think you'd landed in Edinburgh. Both the scenery and the architecture borrow heavily from Scotland. You can even shop for kilts or dig into a piece of fresh haggis. Dunedin is also home to New Zealand's only castle, a 15-year construction endeavor complete with the only staircase of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and magnificent woodwork.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.

Day 8: Dusky Sound

Steep cliffs that have been carved over centuries by dozens of waterfalls surround the largest and most complex of the many fjords along the New Zealand coast, Dusky Sound. It's also a wildlife paradise, with seals and dolphins patrolling the water, and birds like broad billed prions, mottled petrels and sooty shearwaters floating on the overhead thermals.

Day 8: Doubtful Sound

As cold mountain water cascades from the cliffs above Doubtful Sound, it creates an unusual phenomenon-a dual-layered marine ecosystem of fresh and saltwater. This serves as a playground for a number of species, including fur seals and two types of penguins - the fiordland crested and blue penguin.

Day 8: Milford Sound, New Zealand

As we sail into the narrow fjords of the Milford Sound, even your massive ship seems to shrink in comparison to the towering cliffs topped by lush mountain terrain. Situated within Fiordland National Park, this natural wonder is part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site and is protected by its natural geography, which makes it a haven for all types of wildlife.

Day 9: At Sea

Don't just appreciate art, experience it. Witness the incredible, gorgeous art of glassblowing with intimate live demonstrations. Watch and learn from professional glassblowers in this popular, one-of-a-kind exhibition from the renowned Corning Museum of Glass.

Day 10: At Sea

A subtle taste of Far East delicacies meant to share. As the first Asian restaurant in the Celebrity fleet, Silk Harvest takes you on a journey to the Far East, offering authentic Asian hospitality perfectly paired with a contemporary blend of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Here you enjoy family-style dining in a warm and friendly setting.

Day 11: Hobart, Tasmania

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Museum of Old & New Art
After a complete redesign by Melbourne architect Nonda Katsalidis, this museum opened in January 2011 in a structure built into the cliffs around Hobart’s Little Frying Pan peninsula. A bold industrial staircase cuts through dark and ominous interiors where more than 400 pieces of art—all a part of a private collection owned by professional gambler David Walsh—are on display.

Salamanca Market
At Salamanca Market, some 300 venders peddle artisanal foods and crafts down a street flanked by Georgian sandstone buildings. Visitors can sift through locally made items—beaded jewelry; blown-glass dishes; hand-stitched children’s clothes—or shop for fresh picnic provisions.

Cascades Female Factory
Australia was essentially one big prison in the 19th century, but this penitentiary is especially interesting because it was one of the few for women only, housing more than 1,200 convicts and their children between 1828 to 1856. Check out the matron’s cottage (the only original building still standing) and the memorial gardens, modeled after formal European landscapes.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.

Day 12: At Sea

Try a bold collection of both familiar and unknown wines from around the world in this inviting wine bar. To help you explore, we feature the state-of-the-art Enomatic^® wine-by-the-glass dispensing system. It will pour your choice directly from the bottle in a 1-ounce, 2.5-ounce or 5-ounce portion as you swipe you SeaPass^® card. Our Sommeliers will offer further insight into the fine art of wine selection.

Day 13: Melbourne, Australia

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Queen Victoria Market
Open since 1878, “Queen Vic” is a 1,000-plus-stall melting pot of Southeast Asian greens, Italian cheeses, and Tasmanian scallops. A two-hour market tour (from 10 a.m. to noon, four days a week) includes chats with vendors and generous food samplings. If you’ve never tried kangaroo salami, here is your chance.

National Gallery of Victoria
The oldest museum in Australia—known locally as the NGV—looks like a fortress thanks to its massive bluestone facade. Inside, however, its great hall glitters with the world’s largest stained-glass ceiling, created by artist Leonard French. Along with paintings by great masters such as Monet and Rembrandt, the museum houses a large Australian collection spanning the decorative arts, fashion, sculpture, paintings, and Aboriginal art.

Abbotsford Convent
You’ll find art galleries, restaurants, gardens, a bakery, and even a few bars in this 1861 building that was originally a convent. Try the Shadow Electric Bar, set inside the Industrial School—somehow it feels especially mischievous to grab a cocktail here.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.

Day 14: At Sea

There's absolutely nothing like it. A freshly manicured lawn on the highest deck of Celebrity Solstice. This is The Lawn Club. Enjoy casual outdoor activities in a decidedly Country Club atmosphere, and let the grass between your toes take you places no cruise has gone before.

Day 15: Sydney, Australia

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Bondi Beach
Laid-back beach culture predominates here—along the half-mile stretch of sand, in the adjacent 10-acre park, and spilling into the neighborhood beyond. When conditions are right—which is most of the time—surfers in black wetsuits provide optimal people-watching. Want to be more than a bystander? Grab your “cossie” (swimming costume) and sign up for a lesson with Let’s Go Surfing.

The BridgeClimb
At practically any hour of the day, you’ll spot what looks like a procession of ants crawling along the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s upper arch (known as “the Coathanger”). Welcome to the infamous BridgeClimb, a 3½-hour guided trek 440 feet above the harbor waters. While the climb isn’t for everyone—participants should be able to traverse catwalks and ladders—it’s perfectly safe: you’re fastened to the bridge’s struts with a safety cable.

Sydney Opera House
Under the swooping, cantilevered roofs of Australia’s most famous landmark, the Opera House contains six different performance spaces—including the 2,679-seat concert hall, which hosts everything from performances of La Bohème to ballet and aboriginal dance. Take the hourlong behind-the-scenes tour, which traces the history of Danish architect Jørn Utzon’s masterpiece.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.