By
Rebecca Gibson |
Carnival Cruise Lines is to offer new Australia and New Zealand cruises in winter 2015 and spring 2016.
Acting on guest feedback, the line will return to New Zealand for the first time since 2013.
“Clearly New Zealand is a destination that has captured the hearts of our guests,” said Jennifer Vandekreeke, Carnival’s vice president, Australia. “We’ve been inundated with requests to sail to New Zealand again so we’ve decided to offer two great new summer itineraries for New Year 2015 and February 2016.”
Carnival Legend will depart the Australian port of Sydney on 20 December, taking guests on an 11-day Christmas cruise to Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. The ship will call at Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday Islands and Yorkey’s Knob in Cairns, as well as Brisbane. Christmas Day will be spent in Port Douglas.
Departing Sydney on 30 December, Carnival Legend will then cross the Tasman to New Zealand as part of her ten-night New Year cruise. Guests will visit the Bay of Islands, Auckland, Tauranga and Napier.
Meanwhile, Carnival Spirit will depart Sydney on 12 February 2016 to sail an 11-night cruise to New Zealand, calling at the nation’s capital Wellington, as well as Napier, Tauranga, Auckland and Bay of Islands.
“Our guests will get to the heart of New Zealand with shoreside experiences such as hearing about Maori legends while paddling a traditional canoe, exploring Middle Earth with a visit to the Lord of the Rings set and tasting the latest vintages on the Auckland wine trail,” said Vandekreeke.