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Day by Day Summary and Map
Land Segment of Itinerary
Friday - Jan 2, 2026
Day 1
Dunedin, New Zealand
Arrive in Dunedin, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred with your fellow expeditioners to your assigned pre-voyage hotel. If you are already in Dunedin, please make your way to your hotel. This afternoon, visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby to collect your luggage tags. Please clearly label the tags with your name and ship cabin number. The expedition team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions, and provide you with information on where to dine or purchase last-minute items. That evening, enjoy light refreshments as you meet your fellow expeditioners at a Welcome Reception and Pre-Embarkation Briefing. Afterwards, enjoy your evening in New Zealand's southernmost city. You may like to indulge in a meal at one of Dunedin's fine restaurants, or perhaps enjoy a leisurely stroll along the picturesque Otago Harbour. Assigned accommodation: To be advised ... Read More
Land Segment of Itinerary
Saturday - Jan 3, 2026
Day 2
Dunedin, New Zealand
Cruise Segment of Itinerary
Day 2 - Saturday - Jan 3, 2026
Day 2
Cruise Begins
Port Chalmers, New Zealand
This morning, enjoy breakfast and check-out. Please ensure your cabin luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labeled with your name and cabin number. By 11 am, take your cabin luggage to hotel reception, prior to, or at check-out. Your luggage will be stored and transferred directly to the port for clearance, to be placed in your cabin ahead of your arrival onboard. Please keep any valuables or personal items with you throughout the day. Your morning is at leisure to explore Dunedin. Settle into your cabin, where each detail was designed with your comfort in mind. This luxurious vessel is yours to explore! As we throw the lines and set sail, join your expedition team on deck before tucking into a delicious dinner, and toast to the voyage ahead. ... Read More
Sunday - Jan 4, 2026
Day 3
Oban, New Zealand
Ulva Island, New Zealand
"Have a care for this island. Sanctuaries such as these are imperative. There is no song of Bellbird or Tui on the moon". - Olga Sansom (curator at the Southland Museum and Stewart Islander), 1970. Stewart Island (Rakiura) is the northernmost of the New Zealand subantarctic islands and a sanctuary for many rare and endemic species. We plan to visit the quaint fishing village of Oban, the southernmost settlement in New Zealand, where humans are outnumbered by brown kiwis (southern tokoeka). As you wander along the beach, keep an eye out for blue penguins (korora) and yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) waddling along the rocky coast, and New Zealand white-capped albatross soaring overhead. In the afternoon, land on Ulva Island to experience New Zealand as it may have been centuries ago, before humans arrived. A series of successful pest eradication programs have made the island a sanctuary for endangered and endemic birds, including some 18 natives. Meander through cool forests of ferns, mosses, and ancient conifers, where birdsong abounds. Scan the understory for the elusive endemic South Island rifleman (titipounamu), yellowhead (mohua), and South Island saddleback (tieke). ... Read More
Monday - Jan 5, 2026
Day 4
Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Delight in the company of inquisitive cetaceans as you cruise the deep glacial sounds of Fiordland. Rug up and find a spot on deck as we wend our way through the many uninhabited islands scattered across the area. Bottlenose dolphins, playful fur seals, and humpback whales are frequent visitors, and keen observers may be rewarded with a rare sighting of the Fiordland crested penguin (tawaki). ... Read More
Tuesday - Jan 6, 2026
Day 5
Snares Islands, New Zealand
The cluster of craggy islands and islets that make up the Snares is the most untouched of the antipodean subantarctic groups. Despite their relative proximity to New Zealand's South Island, the Snares have remained free from introduced land predators, making them an invaluable sanctuary for millions of shearwaters, petrels, and other seabirds. Rug up, hop into a Zodiac, and experience the bustling coastline of the Snares from sea level. Keep watch for endemic Snares crested penguins and Buller's albatross (toroa) with their distinctive black-and-yellow beaks. You may spot sea lions dozing in grassy glades, or perhaps catch a glimpse of the tiny Snares Island tomtit flitting amongst tree daisies. Embrace the spirit of exploration as your expedition team designs your voyage from day to day, bringing decades of experience to selecting the ideal sites based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities. ... Read More
Wednesday - Jan 7, 2026
Day 6
At Sea
After several busy days of subantarctic exploration, relax and unwind your way, perhaps meeting newfound friends at the bar, treating yourself to a sauna, or editing some images in the comfort of your cabin. Join your expedition team in the lecture room to hear about the fascinating human history of Macquarie Island and learn how to identify the unique and charismatic creatures that call it home. Of course, the best place onboard is out on deck, in the company of petrels and albatross soaring effortlessly with the wind. ... Read More
Thursday - Jan 8, 2026
Day 7
At Sea
Friday - Jan 9, 2026
Day 8
Macquarie Island, Australia
"Penguins were in thousands on the uprising cliffs, and from rookeries near and far came an incessant din ... seabirds of many varieties gave warning of our near approach to their nests" Douglas Mawson, 1911. As they sailed towards Antarctica, Mawson and his men encountered 'an exquisite scene'. Macquarie Island (known affectionately as Macca) rises steeply from the Southern Ocean in a series of emerald summits: a beautifully fierce, elemental landscape teeming with life. Keep your binoculars handy because this subantarctic refuge is home to 3.5 million breeding seabirds, including no less than four species of penguin! Alongside boisterous colonies of tuxedoed kings, charming gentoos, robust rockhoppers, and endemic royal penguins, you'll find three types of fur seals and a large proportion of the world's elephant seals. Layer up and head out on deck to experience the sound and sight (and smell!) as you approach one of the largest concentrations of life in the Southern Ocean. Remember to keep an eye out for Macca's kelp forests-these remarkable underwater ecosystems are quite mesmerizing as their fronds sway back and forth on the water's surface. In addition to being a globally recognized and protected wildlife refuge, Macquarie Island played an important role in Antarctic history. It was here, in 1911, that five men disembarked Mawson's Aurora and established a radio relay station which would transmit the first communication from Antarctica to the outside world. ... Read More
Saturday - Jan 10, 2026
Day 9
Macquarie Island, Australia
Sunday - Jan 11, 2026
Day 10
At Sea
We leave the grandeur of Macquarie Island - and our southernmost destination - behind, but our voyage is far from over. There's still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the seabirds that call it home. Grab a cuppa and duck into the lecture room to learn about the unique wildlife and historic sites ahead and meet your new travel mates in the bar to reminisce on your experiences so far. As you approach Campbell Island it's worth heading out on deck to watch for the rare Campbell, Salvin's, and white-capped albatross, which may accompany us as we sail their home waters. ... Read More
Monday - Jan 12, 2026
Day 11
New Zealand Subantarctic Islands, New Zealand
First visited by Maori navigators centuries ago, these islands are of great significance to Ngai Tahu, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand's South Island. Their natural beauty and astonishing biodiversity have now been recognized globally, but few have had the privilege to visit these far-flung shores, which are now yours to explore. ... Read More
Tuesday - Jan 13, 2026
Day 12
New Zealand Subantarctic Islands, New Zealand
Wednesday - Jan 14, 2026
Day 13
New Zealand Subantarctic Islands, New Zealand
Thursday - Jan 15, 2026
Day 14
At Sea
As your journey draws to a close, take some time to reflect on the experiences of the past two weeks. You may like to review your photos, jot some notes in your journal, or simply relax and soak up the ambiance onboard as you farewell your travel mates ... until next time! Become ambassadors for the great Southern Ocean, advocating for its conservation and preservation, and share your experiences with your loved ones, so they might visit and become ambassadors themselves. ... Read More
Friday - Jan 16, 2026
Day 15
Port Chalmers, New Zealand
After breakfast, farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature. Note: At the conclusion of the voyage, booking flights departing prior to 12 pm on the day of disembarkation is not recommended in case there are delays. ... Read More
Cruise and Land Value Offers that combine with this sailing.
Pricing Terms and Conditions
Unless otherwise indicated above, all cruise rates are per person, double occupancy, cruise-only without airfare, do not include government taxes and fees and quoted in in U.S. dollars. Ponant Cruises rates are based on foreign currencies that are converted to USD based on today's exchange rates. Rates are subject to availability, can vary by ship and sailing date, and for new bookings only. Fares are capacity controlled, and subject to change without notice. Port charges are included. Prices do not include additional service charges; Travel Insurance; and applicable government taxes & fees unless otherwise specified in the offer. Surcharges and fees implemented by a travel supplier, even after the reservation is made, will be the sole responsibility of each traveler and is due and payable in full prior to departure. Certain promotions which may include amenities like shipboard credits, pre-paid gratuities, drink packages or other packages may be available by category, room type or fare code and may not be combinable with other promotions. For any questions, please consult one of our cruise specialists for applicability and verification. All prices, inclusions & promotions listed on the web-site are current at the time they we published and are subject to change without advance notice. Arrivia, Inc., its subsidiaries, and partners are not responsible for last minute changes to price or itinerary by cruise lines, or for any errors or omissions in the content of this website.
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