Auckland to Benoa (Bali) Cruise

Day 1 - Auckland

Arrive: Sat 04 March 2028 / Depart: Sat 04 March 2028 at 17:00

Auckland, “The City Of Sails”, is spread over a narrow isthmus between the sparkling waters of the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours on New Zealand’s North Island. It earns its sobriquet from having more boats per capita than any other city in the world. The first settlers here were the Maori, and are still a vibrant component of its cosmopolitan population. Auckland offers the visitor all the amenities of a world-class city. Browse the shops of Queen Street or the Parnell area with its galleries and boutiques in quaintly restored Victorian buildings. For a magnificent panorama of the city travel to Mount Eden, the city’s highest point, or visit the Skytower for loftier views. Minutes from downtown you can relax on a black sand beach, or explore the America’s Cup Yachting Village. Further afield there are the spectacular pine-clad Waitakere Mountains, the amazing Waitomo Glowworm Caves and the verdant vineyards of Kumeu River Wines.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Brisbane

Arrive: Wed 08 March 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 08 March 2028 at 17:00

Brisbane, the third largest city in Australia, is the state capital of Queensland and the most populous city of Queensland. The settlement grew from an original penal colony, established in 1825. Free settlers were permitted in 1842 and Queensland was proclaimed a separate colony in 1859. Due to its growing live music scene, Brisbane was nominated as one of the Top 5 International Music Hotspots by Billboard magazine in 2007.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Airlie Beach

Arrive: Fri 10 March 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 10 March 2028 at 16:00

Day 8 - Cairns

Arrive: Sat 11 March 2028 at 10:30 / Depart: Sat 11 March 2028 at 20:30

Cairns is the capital of Far North Queensland, and its east coastal cities rest along the Great Barrier Reef. The state of Queensland occupies a vast 667,000 square miles and much of the land remains uninhabited, covered with miles of rainforest where Australian teak, hopp, pine and fig trees abound. Before 1879, when the city of Cairns was established, the only inhabitants of this region were the Aborigines, the culture for which Australia is perhaps best known.

Day 9 - Cooktown

Arrive: Sun 12 March 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 12 March 2028 at 16:00

This quaint frontier town, scenically located on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Cooktown is the site of Australia’s first European settlement. The town is named after the famous South Seas explorer Captain Cook, and Cook’s Pillar marks the spot where his ship, the Endeavour landed ashore in 1770. Grassy Hill offers a 360° panorama of the countryside and pristine beaches. The area remains a near-wilderness offering dramatic mountains, eucalypts, mangroves and rainforests, heathlands, grasslands, and rivers for the adventurous traveler.

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - Darwin, Australia

Arrive: Wed 15 March 2028 at 11:00 / Depart: Wed 15 March 2028 at 20:00

Along the coast of the Northern Territory lies Darwin, a city isolated by the vast Australian desert. The area was sought by the French, Dutch and British, and was established as the town of Darwin in 1869. In 1942, the city was under the threat of a Japanese attack, so a major Australian military base was established. Today Darwin is the largest city of the Northern Territory, offering sights from its colonial past and excellent shopping and dining opportunities.

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - Komodo Island

Arrive: Sat 18 March 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 18 March 2028 at 16:00

Indonesia’s isolated Komodo Island is a natural wonder of tropical savanna and scrubland, home to the famed pre-historic Komodo dragon. Komodo National Park is the only place on earth that they can be found in the wild. The island of Komodo itself is about 60 squares miles in area with dramatic landscapes of 2,000 foot craggy mountains, canyons, Savannas and monsoon rain forests in the valleys. Human habitation is therefore limited to only one settlement in Slawi Bay.

Day 16 - Lombok

Arrive: Sun 19 March 2028 at 10:30 / Depart: Sun 19 March 2028 at 19:00

Lombok is an Indonesian island east of Bali and west of Sumbawa, part of the Lesser Sunda Island chain. It's known for beaches and surfing spots, particularly at Kuta and Banko Banko (in south Lombok). The motor-vehicle-free Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno), off Lombok’s west coast, offer more beaches, reefs for diving and snorkeling, and a sea turtle hatchery.

Day 17 - Benoa, Bali

Arrive: Mon 20 March 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 20 March 2028

Once a simple fishing village grown into an upscale destination, Benoa’s charms are most evident in Nusa Dua, one of the most beautiful beaches in already-legendary Bali. In this land of rice terraces, spectacular volcanoes and over 20,000 temples , the main destination is the 17th-century royal temple complex of Pura Taman Ayun in nearby Mengwi, surrounded by a lotus- filled moat, giving it the feel of a garden sanctuary. Highlights include elaborate wood carvings of Balinese deities and tranquil pavilions. Another favorite is the Sunset Temple, Tanah Lot, dramatically perched on a rocky outcrop, making for an ideal photo opportunity. And don’t miss the batik factories for that perfect gift or souvenir.