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Auckland to Melbourne

Aboard Silver Nova with Silversea Cruises

Departure Date

21 January 2025

Duration

16 Nights

Fly Cruise From

£11,300pp

Cruise Reference

ART-7AUSI17

Cruise Overview

Auckland is called the City of Sails, and visitors flying in will see why.

On the East Coast is the Waitemata Harbour—a Māori word meaning sparkling waters—which is bordered by the Hauraki Gulf, an aquatic playground peppered with small islands where many Aucklanders can be found "mucking around in boats."Not surprisingly, Auckland has some 70,000 boats.

About one in four households in Auckland has a seacraft of some kind, and there are 102 beaches within an hour's drive; during the week many are quite empty.

Even the airport is by the water; it borders the Manukau Harbour, which also takes its name from the Māori language and means solitary bird.According to Māori tradition, the Auckland isthmus was originally peopled by a race of giants and fairy folk.

When Europeans arrived in the early 19th century, however, the Ngāti-Whātua tribe was firmly in control of the region.

The British began negotiations with the Ngāti-Whātua in 1840 to purchase the isthmus and establish the colony's first capital.

In September of that year the British flag was hoisted to mark the township's foundation, and Auckland remained the capital until 1865, when the seat of government was moved to Wellington.

Aucklanders expected to suffer from the shift; it hurt their pride but not their pockets.

As the terminal for the South Sea shipping routes, Auckland was already an established commercial center.

Since then the urban sprawl has made this city of approximately 1.3 million people one of the world's largest geographically.A couple of days in the city will reveal just how developed and sophisticated Auckland is—the Mercer City Survey 2012 saw it ranked as the third-highest city for quality of life—though those seeking a New York in the South Pacific will be disappointed.

Auckland is more get-up and go-outside than get-dressed-up and go-out.

That said, most shops are open daily, central bars and a few nightclubs buzz well into the wee hours, especially Thursday through Saturday, and a mix of Māori, Pacific people, Asians, and Europeans contributes to the cultural milieu.

Auckland has the world's largest single population of Pacific Islanders living outside their home countries, though many of them live outside the central parts of the city and in Manukau to the south.

The Samoan language is the second most spoken in New Zealand.

Most Pacific people came to New Zealand seeking a better life.

When the plentiful, low-skilled work that attracted them dried up, the dream soured, and the population has suffered with poor health and education.

Luckily, policies are now addressing that, and change is slowly coming.

The Pacifica Festival in March is the region's biggest cultural event, attracting thousands to Western Springs.

The annual Pacific Island Secondary Schools’ Competition, also in March, sees young Pacific Islander and Asian students compete in traditional dance, drumming, and singing.

This event is open to the public.At the geographical center of Auckland city is the 1,082-foot Sky Tower, a convenient landmark for those exploring on foot and some say a visible sign of the city's naked aspiration.

It has earned nicknames like the Needle and the Big Penis—a counterpoint to a poem by acclaimed New Zealand poet James K.

Baxter, which refers to Rangitoto Island as a clitoris in the harbor.The Waitemata Harbour has become better known since New Zealand staged its first defense of the America's Cup in 2000 and the successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in early 2009.

The first regatta saw major redevelopment of the waterfront.

The area, where many of the city's most popular bars, cafés, and restaurants are located, is now known as Viaduct Basin or, more commonly, the Viaduct.

A recent expansion has created another area, Wynyard Quarter, which is slowly adding restaurants.These days, Auckland is still considered too bold and brash for its own good by many Kiwis who live "south of the Bombay Hills," the geographical divide between Auckland and the rest of New Zealand (barring Northland).

"Jafa," an acronym for "just another f—ing Aucklander," has entered the local lexicon; there's even a book out called Way of the Jafa: A Guide to Surviving Auckland and Aucklanders.

A common complaint is that Auckland absorbs the wealth from the hard work of the rest of the country.

Most Aucklanders, on the other hand, still try to shrug and see it as the parochial envy of those who live in small towns.

But these internal identity squabbles aren't your problem.

You can enjoy a well-made coffee in almost any café, or take a walk on a beach—knowing that within 30 minutes' driving time you could be cruising the spectacular harbor, playing a round at a public golf course, or even walking in subtropical forest while listening to the song of a native tûî bird.
Auckland is called the City of Sails, and visitors flying in will see why.

On the East Coast is the Waitemata Harbour—a Māori word meaning sparkling waters—which is bordered by the Hauraki Gulf, an aquatic playground peppered with small islands where many Aucklanders can be found "mucking around in boats."Not surprisingly, Auckland has some 70,000 boats.

About one in four households in Auckland has a seacraft of some kind, and there are 102 beaches within an hour's drive; during the week many are quite empty.

Even the airport is by the water; it borders the Manukau Harbour, which also takes its name from the Māori language and means solitary bird.According to Māori tradition, the Auckland isthmus was originally peopled by a race of giants and fairy folk.

When Europeans arrived in the early 19th century, however, the Ngāti-Whātua tribe was firmly in control of the region.

The British began negotiations with the Ngāti-Whātua in 1840 to purchase the isthmus and establish the colony's first capital.

In September of that year the British flag was hoisted to mark the township's foundation, and Auckland remained the capital until 1865, when the seat of government was moved to Wellington.

Aucklanders expected to suffer from the shift; it hurt their pride but not their pockets.

As the terminal for the South Sea shipping routes, Auckland was already an established commercial center.

Since then the urban sprawl has made this city of approximately 1.3 million people one of the world's largest geographically.A couple of days in the city will reveal just how developed and sophisticated Auckland is—the Mercer City Survey 2012 saw it ranked as the third-highest city for quality of life—though those seeking a New York in the South Pacific will be disappointed.

Auckland is more get-up and go-outside than get-dressed-up and go-out.

That said, most shops are open daily, central bars and a few nightclubs buzz well into the wee hours, especially Thursday through Saturday, and a mix of Māori, Pacific people, Asians, and Europeans contributes to the cultural milieu.

Auckland has the world's largest single population of Pacific Islanders living outside their home countries, though many of them live outside the central parts of the city and in Manukau to the south.

The Samoan language is the second most spoken in New Zealand.

Most Pacific people came to New Zealand seeking a better life.

When the plentiful, low-skilled work that attracted them dried up, the dream soured, and the population has suffered with poor health and education.

Luckily, policies are now addressing that, and change is slowly coming.

The Pacifica Festival in March is the region's biggest cultural event, attracting thousands to Western Springs.

The annual Pacific Island Secondary Schools’ Competition, also in March, sees young Pacific Islander and Asian students compete in traditional dance, drumming, and singing.

This event is open to the public.At the geographical center of Auckland city is the 1,082-foot Sky Tower, a convenient landmark for those exploring on foot and some say a visible sign of the city's naked aspiration.

It has earned nicknames like the Needle and the Big Penis—a counterpoint to a poem by acclaimed New Zealand poet James K.

Baxter, which refers to Rangitoto Island as a clitoris in the harbor.The Waitemata Harbour has become better known since New Zealand staged its first defense of the America's Cup in 2000 and the successful Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in early 2009.

The first regatta saw major redevelopment of the waterfront.

The area, where many of the city's most popular bars, cafés, and restaurants are located, is now known as Viaduct Basin or, more commonly, the Viaduct.

A recent expansion has created another area, Wynyard Quarter, which is slowly adding restaurants.These days, Auckland is still considered too bold and brash for its own good by many Kiwis who live "south of the Bombay Hills," the geographical divide between Auckland and the rest of New Zealand (barring Northland).

"Jafa," an acronym for "just another f—ing Aucklander," has entered the local lexicon; there's even a book out called Way of the Jafa: A Guide to Surviving Auckland and Aucklanders.

A common complaint is that Auckland absorbs the wealth from the hard work of the rest of the country.

Most Aucklanders, on the other hand, still try to shrug and see it as the parochial envy of those who live in small towns.

But these internal identity squabbles aren't your problem.

You can enjoy a well-made coffee in almost any café, or take a walk on a beach—knowing that within 30 minutes' driving time you could be cruising the spectacular harbor, playing a round at a public golf course, or even walking in subtropical forest while listening to the song of a native tûî bird.
The population center of the Bay of Plenty, Tauranga is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities.

Along with its neighbor, Whakatane, this seaside city claims to be one of the country's sunniest towns.

Unlike most local towns, Tauranga doesn't grind to a halt in the off-season, because it has one of the busiest ports in the country, and the excellent waves at the neighboring beach resort of Mount Maunganui—just across Tauranga's harbor bridge—always draw surfers and holiday folk.

Cruise Itinerary

Aboard Silver Nova

Launch Year: 2023 Length: 244 Width: 30 Currency: USD Capacity: 728 Crew Count: 556 Deck Count: 9 Cabin Count: 364

Silver Nova is more than a new ship by Silversea, it is a Nova way of luxury travel.

Introducing Silver Nova – the eleventh ship to join our fleet. Our newest vessel will join us in summer 2023, and will be a home away from home for up to 728 guests. Silver Nova’s innovative asymmetrical design introduces the world like never before, offering an immersive destination experience to our guests. With a gross tonnage of 54,700 tons she will offer a space-to-guest ratio of 75 GRT-per-passenger becoming one of the most spacious cruise ships ever built. What’s more, Silver Nova will be our most environmentally friendly, and thanks to her groundbreaking technological solutions, she will propel Silversea into a new era of sustainable cruising. It’s the Nova way to travel.

Silver Nova preserves all our trademarks and delivers a new way of luxury cruising. Her revolutionary horizontal design ensures outstanding public areas, which fuse seamlessly together. Silver Nova will introduce a brand new selection of superb, spacious suites, many of which promise a 270˚ view from sea to sky. Eight restaurants and an unprecedented choice of bars complete the experience, offering delicious drinking and dining at any time of the day.

Optimising a new vision of luxury

Enter a new world of cruising aboard Silver Nova. Her revolutionary asymmetrical design, vast open areas and more space than ever before is just the beginning. Her pioneering structural innovations, make sure that every outdoor area aboard Silver Nova brings sweeping, unobstructed views, so you can enjoy that wow moment time after time. If it’s deep destination connection you want, coupled with extreme elegance and luxury, then isn’t it time you enjoyed the Nova way of travel?

Silver Nova Facilities

Silver Nova Includes

Cabin Details

Fusing outstanding craftsmanship with luxurious soft furnishings and cutting edge design, Silver Nova offers our widest collections of suites yet. Thirteen categories highlight our hallmark luxury and guarantee exceptional comfort at sea. What’s more, Silver Nova’s forward-thinking suite design ensures you make the most of every inch of coast. Every suite enjoys floor-to-ceiling windows with a private glass balcony, guaranteeing an openness to your destination, whether you’re at the tip or toe of the world.

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