Small Ship Cruises in Australia and New Zealand
Fiordland, the subantarctic islands and the Tasman crossing.
Get Free Small Ship QuotesNew Zealand’s Wild South
Small ship cruises in Australia and New Zealand often save the best for the southern end of the journey. Fiordland, in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island, is a maze of deep sounds and rainforest walls; Stewart Island lies just south of it; and beyond that, scattered across the Southern Ocean, are the subantarctic islands, home to albatross, penguins and sea lions and visited by only a few small ships each year.
Large ships do sail past Milford Sound and the other fiords on New Zealand itineraries, but usually only for a few hours of scenic cruising. A small ship can anchor overnight, launch kayaks and Zodiacs and spend days exploring the sounds that big ships do not enter.
Who Sails These Waters
Heritage Expeditions, a family-run New Zealand company based in Christchurch and founded in 1985, is the name most closely tied to the subantarctic islands. Its Heritage Adventurer carries about 140 guests and holds a high polar ice-class rating. Its voyages from Bluff visit the Snares, Auckland and Campbell islands, and it also runs coastal trips around Fiordland and Stewart Island. International expedition lines add New Zealand to longer Pacific and Antarctic itineraries.
The subantarctic islands are protected nature reserves with strict landing rules, which is why visits are limited and voyages sell out well in advance.
Stewart Island, reached in a few hours from the South Island coast, is quieter still: most of it is national park, and its birdlife, including the chance of seeing a kiwi in the wild, draws naturalists from around the world. Small-ship itineraries often pair it with the southern fiords, Dusky and Doubtful Sounds among them, for a week of almost uninterrupted wilderness.
Combining Australia and New Zealand
| Combination | How it works |
|---|---|
| Kimberley, then New Zealand | Sail the Kimberley in the southern winter, return for New Zealand in its summer |
| Trans-Tasman voyage | Some ships sail between Australia and New Zealand, often including Fiordland |
| Land tour plus small ship | Tour by road or rail on one side, cruise on the other |
The seasons do not line up neatly: the Kimberley is best in the Australian dry season, roughly April to September, while New Zealand’s small-ship season runs through its summer, around November to March. Many travelers plan two separate trips; others choose a voyage that crosses the Tasman Sea in late spring or early autumn.
Before You Book
- Expect rough water. The Southern Ocean can be lively; bring seasickness remedies.
- Pack for four seasons. Fiordland is wet, and the subantarctic is cold even in summer.
- Check fitness requirements. Landings are by Zodiac and walks can be muddy.
- Arrange insurance early. Remote voyages require cover for evacuation; read ${INS}.
Small ship cruises in Australia and New Zealand reward travelers who value nature over nightlife. For the expedition side of things, our sister site Explorer Cruising explains how an expedition day runs.
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