TOP

Treasures Of Captain Cook

Aboard Regatta with Oceania Cruises

Departure Date

25 January 2025

Duration

16 Nights

Fly Cruise From

£11,289pp

Cruise Reference

ART-7TROC15

Cruise Overview

Sydney belongs to the exclusive club of cities that generate excitement.

At the end of a marathon flight there's renewed vitality in the cabin as the plane circles the city, where thousands of yachts are suspended on the dark water and the sails of the Opera House glisten in the distance.

Blessed with dazzling beaches and a sunny climate, Sydney is among the most beautiful cities on the planet.With 4.6 million people, Sydney is the biggest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia.

A wave of immigration from the 1950s has seen the Anglo-Irish immigrants who made up the city's original population joined by Italians, Greeks, Turks, Lebanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thais, and Indonesians.

This intermingling has created a cultural vibrancy and energy—and a culinary repertoire—that was missing only a generation ago.Sydneysiders embrace their harbor with a passion.

Indented with numerous bays and beaches, Sydney Harbour is the presiding icon for the city, and urban Australia.

Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the 11-ship First Fleet, wrote in his diary when he first set eyes on the harbor on January 26, 1788: "We had the satisfaction of finding the finest harbor in the world."Although a visit to Sydney is an essential part of an Australian experience, the city is no more representative of Australia than Los Angeles is of the United States.

Sydney has joined the ranks of the great cities whose characters are essentially international.

What Sydney offers is style, sophistication, and great looks—an exhilarating prelude to the continent at its back door.
The Tasman Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east meet at thetop of North Island at Cape Reinga.

No matter what route you take, you'll passfarms and forests, marvellous beaches, and great open spaces.

The East Coast,up to the Bay of Islands, is Northland's most densely populated, often withrefugees from bigger cities—looking for a more relaxed life—clustered aroundbreathtaking beaches.

The first decision on the drive north comes at the footof the Brynderwyn Hills.

Turning left will take you up the West Coast throughareas once covered with forests and now used for either agricultural orhorticulture.

Driving over "the Brynderwyns," as they are known,takes you to Whangarei, the only city in Northland.

If you're in the mood for adiversion, you can slip to the beautiful coastline and take in Waipu Cove, anarea settled by Scots, and Laings Beach, where million-dollar homes sit next tosmall Kiwi beach houses.An hour's drive farther north is the Bay of Islands, known all over theworld for its beauty.

There you will find lush forests, splendid beaches, andshimmering harbors.

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed here in 1840 betweenMāoriand the British Crown, establishing the basis for the modern New Zealandstate.

Every year on February 6, the extremely beautiful Waitangi Treaty Ground(the name means weeping waters) is the sight of a celebration of the treaty andprotests by Māori unhappy with it.

Continuing north on the East Coast, theagricultural backbone of the region is even more evident and a series ofwinding loop roads off the main highway will take you to beaches that are bothbeautiful and isolated where you can swim, dive, picnic, or just laze.

.The West Coast is even less populated, and the coastline is rugged andwindswept.

In the Waipoua Forest, you will find some of New Zealand's oldestand largest kauri trees; the winding road will also take you past mangroveswamps.

Crowning the region is the spiritually significant Cape Reinga, theheadland at the top of the vast stretch of 90 Mile Beach, where it's believedMāori souls depart after death.

Today Māori make up roughly a quarter of thearea's population (compared with the national average of about 15%).

The legendaryMāori navigator Kupe was said to have landed on the shores of Hokianga Harbour,where the first arrivals made their home.

Many different wi (tribes) livedthroughout Northland, including Ngapuhi (the largest), Te Roroa, Ngati Wai,Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngaitakoto, Ngati Kahu, and Te Rarawa.

Many Māoriherecan trace their ancestry to the earliest inhabitants
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.

Cruise Itinerary

Aboard Regatta

Launch Year: 1998 Length: 181 Width: 25.5 Currency: USD Capacity: 656 Crew Count: 400 Deck Count: 8 Cabin Count: 342

Better than new, Regatta is the flagship of the Oceania Cruises fleet and features a beautifully re-inspired ambiance. Each luxurious suite and stateroom is entirely new from floor to ceiling, including the bathrooms. Her decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work, and her lounges, suites and staterooms showcase designer residential furnishings. Regatta offers four unique, open-seating restaurants, the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, eight lounges and bars, a casino and 333 tony suites and sleekly redefined staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature private verandas. With more than 400 crew to serve a maximum of 656 guests, it’s no wonder these small and luxurious ships are more than acclaimed – they are legendary.

In a dramatic re-inspiration process, Regatta has become a completely redesigned ship without peer. Every surface of every suite and stateroom is entirely new, while in the public spaces, a refreshed colour palette of soft sea and sky tones surrounds tasteful renewal of fabrics, furnishings and lighting fixtures that exquisitely encompasses the inimitable style and comfort of Oceania Cruises. From the bejewelled new chandeliers in the gracious Grand Dining Room to the beckoning Reception Hall, Regatta celebrates a rejuvenation so sweeping, you will find it positively unimaginable to resist her welcoming embrace.

Sleek and elegantly charming, Regatta is the flagship of the Oceania Cruises fleet. Her decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work, and her lounges, suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical furnishings. Regatta offers every luxury you may expect on board one of our stylish ships. She features four unique, open-seating restaurants, the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, eight lounges and bars, a casino and 342 lavish suites and luxurious staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature private verandas. With just 656 guests to pamper, our 400 professionally trained European staff ensure you will wait for nothing.

Regatta Facilities

Regatta Includes

Cabin Details

The generous dimensions of our suites and staterooms afford the ultimate in luxury. A fashionable colour palette blends sea, sky and comforting earth tones to create a soothing environment that invites relaxation. Every suite and stateroom on board will be imbued with an even more luxurious ambiance, featuring designer residential furnishings, fine fabrics and plush draperies, chic lighting and much more.

Suites Add Another Dimension

All of our suites are uncommonly spacious for added comfort. The Suites are adorned in designer fabrics and furnishings echoing the serene seas and expansive skies, becoming calming and tranquil oases of quietude and relaxation. Penthouse Suites offer oversized living and dining areas, and marble and granite-clad bathrooms with a shower.

Our palatial Owner’s Suites and Vista Suites offer everything you would expect in a world-class hotel, elevating sea-going opulence to new levels. Resplendent with custom Empire-style furnishings from Italy on board, each has its own bedroom, dining area and so much more.

Suite & Stateroom Amenities

  • Ultra Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises exclusive
  • Free and unlimited soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • Free still and sparkling Vero Water®
  • 24-hour Butler service in all suites
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Free room service menu 24 hours a day
  • Signature Belgian chocolates with nightly turndown service
  • Wireless Internet access
ULTRA TRANQUILITY BED

Awaken refreshed and revitalised from the new custom-designed Ultra Tranquility Bed, featured in all of Oceania Cruises’ suites and staterooms.

  • Custom-designed mattress featuring 3,000 encapsulated micro-springs, which ensure a peaceful night's sleep with zero noise upon movement
  • Quilted with advanced silver-threaded fabric and specially designed thermo-fibre for luxurious comfort
  • Plush down comforter
  • Hand-quilted throws

All Suites and Staterooms are Smoke-Free

You don't have permission to register