Welcome to our blog. We look forward to spending some time with you!
Cruising the World
Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to our blog. We look forward to spending some time with you!
Sunday-Friday, March 10-15, 2024
HAL Grand Australia & NZ Cruise
Just to recap:
The South Island of New Zealand is now behind us. We have transited Cook Strait and arrived in the North Island. Here we will visit Wellington, Napier, Tauranga (actually, the Tauranga Port city of Maunganui), Auckland, and Waitangi.
Starting with Wellington:
The Māori are said to have originally settled the Wellington area sometime in the 10th century. But hard evidence indicates the earliest human activity in New Zealand occurred about 1280. None-the-less, it is well-known that the Māori culture was fully established in the Wellington area by 1642 when Abel Tasman sighted and recorded New Zealand. But European settlement in the Wellington area did not begin until the ship, Tory, arrived on September 20, 1839, carrying the advance party of the New Zealand Company, (founded in 1839 with the distinct purpose of colonizing New Zealand.) This was followed by the Aurora on January 22, 1840, with 150 settlers. Wellington was declared a city in 1840. By February 1840, the Māori chiefs and United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Waitangi, declaring New Zealand a colony of the British empire. In 1865, Wellington was declared the capital city of New Zealand. With the Constitution Act of 1986, New Zealand achieved total independence in 1987.
And the photos:
Next, Napier:
Napier is the seat of the Hawke’s Bay region. It is known as “The Art Deco Capital of the World.” The history of this city includes the devastation and destruction of the city in a 1931 earthquake. Rebuilding the city in the 1930s resulted in a dominance of Art Deco buildings and a goodly amount of Spanish Mission architecture. As a result, Napier has become a popular tourist city. Thousands of people come to Napier every February for the Tremains Art Deco Weekend, a celebration of its Art Deco heritage and history. In addition, Napier is also popular for the food and wine events of the Hawke’s Bay wineries. As a matter of fact, on this adventure, we spent the day visiting several wineries in the area!!!
Here are the photos:
Now on to Tauranga:
Tauranga is in the Bay of Plenty Region. It is about 2 ½ hours south of Auckland and is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing areas due to its wonderful sunshine and beautiful beaches. The original settlers of Tauranga were the Maori who arrived in the 13th century. The first European ship to enter Tauranga Harbour, the Herald, arrived in June of 1826. The Herald returned in December 1826, and again in March 1827, to obtain supplies from the locals. By 1838, a church mission station was established.
Today, cruise ships dock at the Port of Tauranga. Mount Maunganui (a suburb of Tauranga) is within walking distance of the dock. There are beaches, water sports, and hiking trails nearby. Shopping and dining opportunities are plentiful. This is where we spent the day.
Here are the photos:
And then, an overnight stay in Auckland:
Auckland is a large and interesting city; it is the major area within the Region; 33% of New Zealand’s population is here; and the Auckland Region has the largest economy in New Zealand. Cruise ships dock within easy walking distance of the downtown area. Shopping, dining, museums, and attractions are all nearby.
Here are some photos:
And finally, Waitangi:
Waitangi is in the Bay of Islands in the Northland Region. It sits on the Waitangi River and is a dockage for tenders coming from cruise ships anchored in the Bay. Passengers are then shuttled from the Waitangi Wharf to the town of Paihia, the main tourist town. Waitangi is famous for the Treaty of Waitangi, the document that established New Zealand as a colony of the United Kingdom. Paihia is known for its central location, shops, restaurants, lodging, ferry service, and delightful waterfront.
And the photos:
We are now leaving the Australasia.
Australia and New Zealand are behind us. We will go back thru Polynesia as we return to San Diego and end this Grand Australia & New Zealand Cruise through Oceania. We will visit Tonga, Bora Bora, Moorea, Huahine, Fakarava, Tahiti, and Nuku Hiva along the way. We will continue sailing along Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica,The Panama Canal, Colombia, and The Bahamas as we return to Florida. But will not be posting as these islands and countries have all been recorded earlier—some several times!!!
Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey.
It has been an amazing adventure and it’s been our pleasure to share it with you!!!