A journey through past and present, explore the South Pacific Coast from New Zealand to Australia. Go from the glacier-capped mountains of New Zealand to the historic highlights of Sydney, Australia, with plenty of surprises in between. Relax, and cruise the seas in luxury on board the Crystal Symphony, voted into a Top 2 spot of best ships in the world. Walk the 360 degree promenade deck, enjoy the sun while reclining with a cocktail at the pool deck, test your luck at the Crystal Casino, or simply indulge in delightful cuisine- there is always plenty to do in between calls to port. Find yourself in the heart of New Zealand, in the vibrant city of Auckland. See Rotorua's geothermal wonderland and the vineyards in Napier. Navigate the glacier-capped Southern Alps in a 4x4 vehicle, and see the prosperous mercantile past of Dunedin. Visit Sydney's historical village, the Rocks, and see world famous surf zone Bondi Beach. Experience Melbourne with your private guide. An enriching experience awaits you.

Cruise Departure Dates (2012):
Dec 20

Auckland is the largest city in the country, and has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. It is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two separate major bodies of water. Auckland is popularly known as the "City of Sails" because the harbour is often dotted with hundreds of yachts, in fact over 135,000 are registered in the city. Many national treasures are displayed at the Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland War Memorial Museum, the National Maritime Museum, or the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). Exotic creatures can be observed at the Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World.

A private vehicle with driver will provide a transfer between the Auckland Airport and Hotel.

Centrally located in Auckland, this property is near Queen Street Shopping District, Sky Tower, and Auckland City Hall. Additional nearby points of interest include Auckland War Memorial Museum. Guestrooms have premium bedding, air conditioning, and slippers; rooms also include refrigerators, separate bathtubs and showers, and bathrobes. At Stamford Plaza Auckland recreational amenities include an indoor pool, a spa tub, and a sauna. The property also provides a business center, a concierge desk, and a porter/bellhop.

Overnight at Stamford Plaza (5*).

The open waters of the South Pacific surrounding Australia and New Zealand offer cruise guests a perfectly luxurious and relaxing avenue to visit major ports of call including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. In these vibrant waters you can find the world's most sizeable and well-known coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef, often included within a ship's cruising vicinity. Feel the southern sun as you walk the deck of your cruise vessel en route to the many dazzling shore excursions which await you.

Travel by way of the wine growing areas of Kumeu and Huapai, to Muriwai Beach on the rugged West Coast with private vehicle. On the cliff tops overlooking the beach take a short walk through the native plants to the lookout point to see the gannet colony. Leaving Muriwai through rural farming districts, you will come to Haumoana Farm (or similar ) — a 200-acre cattle farm situated on the South Kaipara Peninsula. You will be warmly welcomed by your hosts, Greg and Barbara Ross. The farm runs 300 Romney sheep for prime lamb and wool production, 200 cattle, and a small fallow deer unit. See the mustering of sheep by trained sheep dogs, a skilled shearing demonstration, which illustrates just how quickly a sheep can be shorn of its wool, and other typical farm activities. You will be invited to the house for morning tea. Your return drive to Auckland will be through the farming areas of Waitoki and Dairy Flat and on to lunch in the Parnell district of Auckland. Return to pier afterward.

Welcome on board Crystal Symphony! Embarkation time starts in the afternoon. New Zealand's largest city is along the shores of an extinct volcanic cone known as Rangitoto, often visible to the east. Auckland's population of over one million people represents almost a third of the country's total.

With a sleek silhouette, the Crystal Symphony finds a natural home in the world's most glamorous harbours and idyllic ports of call. The luxurious 50,000-ton, 922-guest ship is one of the most spacious cruise ships at sea, joining Crystal Serenity in the top two spots among Condé Nast Traveler’s best ships in the world. Onboard amenities include grand lounges, full-service fitness facility, Crystal Casino, Feng Shui-inspired spa, 360° teak Promenade Deck, lap pool, Jacuzzi, acclaimed cuisine and spectacular entertainment.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Auckland is the perfect city from which to experience most of what New Zealand has to offer. The city lies astride a narrow isthmus between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean on two harbours, the Waitemata and Manukau. Auckland and New Zealand's geographic and cultural treasures beckon for your discovery

Drive from central Auckland to the beautiful suburb of Devonport, with its unsurpassed views of the city across the harbour with a private vehicle. Enjoy a guided tour of the Devonport Peninsula’s colonial architecture and the peaceful tranquility of this historical village. There are plenty of opportunities for photo stops—Mt Victoria and North Head, where the magnificent panoramas of the Hauraki Gulf, Takapuna Region and Rangitoto Island can be admired. Devonport is most noted for its timber colonial "villa" architecture, glass art gallery and confectioners shops. 

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Sprawling along the sweeping bay, Tauranga is a popular summer resort and one of the country's most important ports for the export of kiwi fruit, timber, and dairy products. It is also the gateway for Rotorua, the geothermal wonderland that is one of New Zealand's most famous attractions.

Experience the unique Maori culture as you visit Te Puia Geo-Thermal Village. Everywhere you look you will see hissing fumaroles, mud pools, boiling waterways and houses balancing on rocky, inhospitable ground. Your guide, a direct descendent of the Tuhourangi-Ngati Wahio tribe, will tell you how people from the village have learned to adapt to this volatile environment, including how they use the thermal activity for cooking. Enjoy morning tea before continuing Whakarewarewa Village, this Maori settlement is set among a beautiful native forest with towering 200-year-old tawa trees. After a traditional greeting or powhiri, walk through the forest with crackling open fires in front of traditional whare (houses)—hear traditional Maori instruments and watch activities of days gone by. Step inside the wharenui or meeting house where a cultural group offers a powerful display of haka, song and dance. You will then be invited into the wharekai (dining room) for a traditional hangi feast where food has been cooked beneath the ground in ovens. After the poroporoaki (closing ceremony) depart for the final stop of the day—the Jade Factory. Here you can watch the ancient art of pounamu (greenstone) carving and learn why this beautiful stone holds such powerful significance to Maori who believe each piece absorbs the mana or spirit of the wearer. You’ll receive a small gift of this captivating stone and have some time to shop if you wish. Admission to Te Puia, geothermal reserve & Kiwi flightless bird nocturnal house, to Whakarewarewa Village including concert, plated Hangi lunch entry to the village, Maori Concert are included. Return to ship.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Adjust the compass of your mood and design your day exactly as you wish:  pamper yourself at the Feng Shui-inspired Crystal Spa, work-out at our state-of-the-art fitness center or Walk-on-Water along our 360 grades Promenade Deck; teach yourself something new with complimentary language lessons by Berlitz or piano instruction with Yamaha; enhance your computer skills or learn about art, history and worldly destinations with engaging lecture series; sneak away to watch recently-released movies in the Hollywood Theater, shop our luxury boutiques, or simply relax by one of our tranquil pools. From Tai Chi and yoga to PGA golf instruction and paddle tennis on full-size courts, today is all about you. As evening arrives, dine on the inspired cuisines of Nobu Matsuhisa, Piero Selvaggio and Crystal’s own acclaimed chefs, enjoy special wine-makers dinners, lavish Broadway-style productions, intimate lounges, a pulsing dance club or our action-packed Crystal Casino.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Northeast of the capital city of Wellington is Napier, a town with much to boast about. Napier is known for producing wool, growing fruit, cultivating grapes and making wine. The natural setting that helps in its agricultural pursuits also makes Napier popular among retirees and tourists; after all, who can resist picturesque countryside with an air of sophistication-and not a whiff of pretension. Add to its bucolic charms a rich Maori history and tales of explorer Captain Cook and you have a destination worthy of your own discovery.

Puketapu with its lovely rolling hills and picturesque valleys is quintessential Hawke’s Bay countryside at its best. From the ship you will drive with private vehicle through the picturesque Hawke’s Bay countryside to a boutique winery where you will participate in a tasting, then head through the Puketapu/Dartmoor countryside where you will view the farming and wine growing regions. There will also be an opportunity to visit an historic local church and learn its history. You will meet local resident Hamish Prins and his wife Diane and visit their home and beautifully landscaped garden, called Horsford Downs. Enjoy light refreshments served in their garden and take time to wander around the garden and orchard. Leaving Horsford Downs, relax for a scenic drive back to Napier via Taradale, with spectacular views of the Heretaunga Plains and the Hawke’s Bay coastline. Return to ship.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Relax on board while you enjoy the cruise ship amenities.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Just 30 minutes from the pier at Lyttelton lays Christchurch, New Zealand's spectacular "Garden City."  Founded as a model church settlement in 1851, Christchurch is now the South Island's premier metropolitan center. The planner's dream of creating an English town is reflected in its well-tended gardens, fine Victorian architecture and ivy-covered stone homes, set beside the meandering River Avon.
Fine craft shopping, excellent restaurants and a wealth of nearby sightseeing attractions, including flight seeing to snow-capped Mount Cook and drives into the gently rolling Canterbury Plains, abound. You may also choose to view the country's Southern Alps by train, visit the International Antarctic Centre or venture farther afield for an overland experience in Queenstown.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

The charming city of Dunedin lies in south-eastern New Zealand, less than ten miles from our pier in Port Chalmers. Its name means Edinburgh in Gaelic and to this day it has retained enduring reminders of its Scottish roots. Adorning the streets of Dunedin is a wealth of Victorian and Edwardian buildings, richly festooned with spires, gables and gargoyles. These architectural landmarks are imposing reminders of a more prosperous era. Surprisingly, the surrounding area is also home to prolific local wildlife, animals rarely found so close to a major city. The choice is yours: explore impressive city architecture, take a rail journey through unspoiled wilderness or venture out to view albatrosses and a country estate.

Today take a fully guided award winning, informative and interactive tour through The Speight's Brewery and heritage centre. During the tour you will see, touch, smell and taste the ingredients going into making the legendary South island Speight’s beer. Learn the history of beer making, the brewing process and how to make the traditional wooden beer casks. Please wear covered shoes on this tour. Alcohol will not be served to under 18yr olds. Continue with the major architectural landmarks of Dunedin. You will see splendid stone buildings in Victorian and Edwardian style, built by wealthy merchants when Dunedin was New Zealand’s most prosperous city. You’ll see ornate stonework at Otago University, New Zealand’s first university and the Railway Station—a marvelous construction of iron latticework and bluestone, emblazoned with heraldic lions. You’ll also have a chance to admire the First Church of Otago, Municipal Chambers, Law Courts, the brick Victorian police station, several old bank buildings and the Otago Museum. Then it’s on to a stop at Olveston—a magnificent Edwardian-era mansion built in Jacobean style, offering you a glimpse at the life of a prosperous local merchant at the turn of the century. Return to the ship.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Adjust the compass of your mood and design your day exactly as you wish:  pamper yourself at the Feng Shui-inspired Crystal Spa, work-out at the state-of-the-art fitness center or Walk-on-Water along the 360 degree Promenade Deck; teach yourself something new with complimentary language lessons by Berlitz or piano instruction with Yamaha; enhance your computer skills or learn about art, history and worldly destinations with engaging lecture series; sneak away to watch recently-released movies in the Hollywood Theater, shop the luxury boutiques, or simply relax by one of the tranquil pools. From Tai Chi and yoga to PGA golf instruction and paddle tennis on full-size courts, today is all about you. As evening arrives, dine on the inspired cuisines of Nobu Matsuhisa, Piero Selvaggio and Crystal’s own acclaimed chefs, enjoy special wine-makers dinners, lavish Broadway-style productions, intimate lounges, a pulsing dance club or our action-packed Crystal Casino.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Relax on board while you cruise Milford Sound.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Cruise The Tasman Sea located in the south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean today. Relax on board and enjoy the ship facilities.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Sydney is an energetic and exciting metropolis whose nightlife, shopping and fine restaurants compare favourably with the finest the world has to offer. Despite its modern advances, Sydney has lovingly cherished its heritage, for this was the birthplace of the Australian nation.

Travel back in time to Sydney’s oldest village—the Rocks. This historic enclave sits in the shadow of the dazzling Harbour Bridge. Traveling through central Sydney, watch for the Sydney Tower, the magnificent Queen Victoria Building, the modern Darling Harbour Complex, magical Chinatown and Mrs Macquaries’ Chair. The most sought-after residential areas in Sydney are Darling Point and Watson’s Bay. You’ll also stop at Bondi—the world-famous surfing beach where delightful cafés and restaurants line the main street. Return to the city via Paddington, with its narrow streets whose houses are lined with picturesque verandahs framed by wrought iron railings. After the tour concludes you will be transferred back to the ship.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Combine Sydney's boundless attractions with its superb harbour side location, and you have that certain magic that few other cities can rival. The ship will stay in the port for the whole day.

Sydney's zoo - Taronga Zoo - is situated on Bradley's Head and enjoys one of the most spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and the city. Learn about wildlife from a real zookeeper who will take you on an exclusive tour and provide close encounters with some of Australia’s most remarkable creatures. You will receive an introduction to Australia's unusual wildlife including excellent photo opportunities with koalas, kangaroos and echidnas. Venture into the wilderness of the Australian bush, enter the underground burrow of the endangered Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat and explore the mysteries of the platypus. Your keeper will explain the special adaptations that enable these animals to live in harmony with the Australian environment. This experience include: a round-trip on the Sky Safari cable car - discover why Taronga is known as "The Zoo with a View", visit a working “animal kitchen“ and see how the food is prepared, venture behind-the-scenes in the Australian Nightlife house and enjoy encounters with nocturnal creatures, hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, meet hand-raised native animals, morning or afternoon tea and an Aussie animal souvenir. Return to ship.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Your ship will depart later in the afternoon today.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

Today enjoy  a day on board while you cruise the Tasman Sea.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

This morning arrive to Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria. It maintains an air of old-world grace and refined dignity with spacious tree-lined boulevards and expansive parks. The prosperous lifestyle of its people is both cosmopolitan and sophisticated. Quaint trams rumble through the downtown area past verdant gardens and impressive high-rises, in a city that has never lost its endearing charm. The heritage of more than 100 different cultures has contributed to Melbourne's richly international character. This diverse ethnic mix is exemplified by its range of 15,000 dining venues which offer more than 50 different kinds of cuisine. Melbourne's sightseeing is as diverse as it is composition and beckons for your discovery.

Take in the scenic highlights of Melbourne on a narrated panoramic drive with private vehicle through the city. This will include viewing of the beautiful Princess Theatre, the Arts & Cultural Center, Melbourne Cricket Grounds, and Melbourne Park. Stops will be made at Queen Victoria Market and the Royal Botanic Gardens. There will also be a stop for "morning tea" at the traditional Hopetoun Tea Rooms (escort to pay) in busy Collins Street. Visit Cook`s Cottage, located in the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens since 1934, originally built in England in 1755, by the parents of Captain James Cook. Come and wander through the cottage and gardens, trying to imagine what life might have been like for Captain Cook’s family, as well as the other tenants of the cottage during its 178 years in Yorkshire.  Return to ship afterward.

Overnight at Crystal Symphony (B,L,D).

This morning disembark Crystal Symphony.

Just over an hour's drive from Melbourne lays the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. It offers visitors a huge variety of natural and manmade attractions and a magnificent wine region with more than 170 wineries. Nowhere in Australia are the vineyards back dropped by such breathtaking seascapes. The climate and rich soil have combined to make the Peninsula one of Australia's great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay regions. Continue to Dromana located in Victoria, south of the capital city, Melbourne, between Mornington and St Andrews Beach. Overlooking Dromana from the south, Arthurs Seat is the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula. Visit Heronswood House and Garden a breathtaking historic property situated on two hectares of formal gardens and home to the Digger's Club. The gardens comprise of stunning perennial and annual borders as well as kitchen and vegetable parterre gardens, providing inspiration to cooks and gardeners. At the end you will be transferred at your hotel in Melbourne.

Within the heart of Melbourne and close to the fantastic shopping and dining available along Collins and Bourke Streets is The Hotel Windsor (5*). The hotel is directly opposite the historic Victoria Parliament House and the Old Treasury Building and is also near to many of the city’s other famous and historic sites as well. The 180 rooms and suites are also opulently decorated, but full of all the modern amenities required by travelers. The hotel was built in the 1880s and still retains its period charm and elegance, but has been refurbished to allow for many modern facilities and conveniences. These include a gourmet restaurant, lounge and bar.

Overnight at Windsor .

Take a private airport transfer in Melbourne with a private vehicle and driver.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).