Day 1 Bluff (Invercargill), New Zealand Day 2 Milford Sound Day 3 Dusky & Doubtful Sounds Day 4 Dusky & Doubtful Sounds Day 5 Stewart Island Day 6 Snares Island Day 7 Auckland Islands Day 8 Campbell Island Day 9 At sea Day 10 Macquarie Island Day 11 Macquarie Island Day 12 At sea Day 13 At sea Day 14 At sea Day 15 Hobart, Australia
* Ports of call may vary based on itinerary and departure dates selected
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Ports
Invercargill
Bluff (Invercargill), New Zealand Latitude: 46°35'S Longitude: 168°18'E The largest urban centre in New Zealand's Southland is Invercargill, a city of 49,000 people. Visitors come to admire the elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings, gardens and landscaped parks. The fishing port of Bluff is a half hour drive south from Invercargill and is home to the famous Bluff oyster and a lively annual seafood festival. From Bluff, visitors can catch a ferry to Stewart Island - a haven for native bird life and the only place in New Zealand where you can readily see kiwi in their natural habitat.
Snares Island
Snares Islands, New Zealand – Scenic Zodiac Cruising Latitude: 47°60'S Longitude: 166°35'E Two small rocky islands, North East and Broughton, comprise The Snares, the closest sub-Antarctic islands to New Zealand. The islands are covered with heavy tussock grass and wind-beaten forests of tree daisies. Weather permitting we'll launch our Zodiacs for an exploration of the sheltered eastern coastline as the island's wildlife protection program precludes landings. The Snares are home to huge numbers of breeding birds, 99 recorded species including albatross, Antarctic Terns and Snares Crested Penguins.
Auckland Islands
Journey in Zodiacs in Sandy Bay on Enderby Island at the northern end of Auckland Island. Here you can view a large Hooker Sea Lion colony with pups all jostling for position. You may also see the rare Yellow-Eyed Penguin as they move to and from their nests in the forests beyond the beach.
Campbell Island
Campbell Island Latitude: 52°33'S Longitude: 169º09'E
Campbell Island was first discovered in January 1810 by Captain Frederick Hasselburg, master of the sealing brig, Perseverance. He named the island after his employers Robert Campbell and Co. of Sydney and sadly drowned later that year after a boat capsized in Perseverance Harbour. Campbell is a volcanic island with fascinating rock formations. 50 years ago, between 2 and 3 million Rock Hopper Penguins were nesting on the island but since then 90% have been decimated by bacterial infection. Erect Crested Penguins are found here in small numbers and less than 20 pairs of Wandering Albatross nest. Approximately 8,500 pairs of Royal Albatross and about 74,000 pairs of Black Browed Mollymawk also call the island home. Over 40 other breeds of birds including the Southern Royal Albatross have also been observed on Campbell Island.
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island Latitude: 54°29'S Longitude: 158°56'E
Often described as one of the "wonder spots" of the world, the sub-Antarctic island of Macquarie has been said to rival South Georgia in its magnificence, scenic diversity and prolific wildlife. Designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1933 and a World Heritage Site in 1977, Macquarie now operates a full-time manned station where biological and meteorological research is conducted. The station, located on the isthmus at Buckles Bay, is from where we will collect the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife rangers who will be our guides.
Sandy Bay, situated halfway down the island's eastern seaboard, is our planned landing site. The Zodiacs will traverse breakwaters of giant kelp before reaching rocky beaches where landing conditions can best be described as "wet and challenging". Once ashore you'll find the bay, with its rugged backdrop of mountains and tussockcovered headlands, is home to 20,000 breeding pair of royal penguins, king penguins, rock hopper penguins, gentoo penguins and elephant seals. This profusion of wildlife wasn't always so protected, the rusting remains of machinery used by whalers being stark reminders of the exploitation which took place on the island during its early history.
Hobart
Hobart is Australia's second oldest city and state capital of Tasmania. Home to more than 90 National Trust buildings, Hobart combines colonial character with a metropolitan lifestyle. It is the gateway to Tasmania's other scenic attractions and a range of shore activities lets you experience the best of both worlds.
Explore the historic core at the colonial village of Battery Point, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, as well as Theatre Royal, the country's oldest theater. There's also wine-tasting and pub-hopping to enjoy.
Country - Australia Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from port to Airport - 17kms Currency - Australian Dollars (AUD)
Places of Interest Port Arthur, Salamanca Place, Bonorong Wildlife Park
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Orion Expedition Cruises
Founded in early 2004, Australian owned and operated, Orion Expedition Cruises has developed voyages to encourage guests to become a part of the region they are discovering.
Orion is a purpose built vessel designed to access the inaccessible, all in 5-star luxury. The ship combines the best and the latest in design with maritime and environmental technology, comfort and casual elegance. From the ice-strengthened hull to the chilled champagne and superb cuisine, this is expedition cruising at its finest.
Described as the latest in the quest to build the perfect expedition vessel * , all Orion’s staterooms feature ocean views and offer internet access, flat-screen TV, DVD/CD, a choice of twin and queen sized beds, a sitting area and marble bathrooms. Other on board amenities include a health spa with gymnasium, sauna, sun deck Jacuzzi and a stern marina platform.
Orion offers a range of included and optional Shoreside Expeditions designed to enhance the destination exploration for our guests. From Mallard sea plane flights and outback 4WD tours, to snorkeling over pristine coral formations, there are many unique opportunities for guests to visit areas of Australia that even most Australians don’t get to see. As part of our commitment to offering guests an enriching experience, on board speakers have been selected for their knowledge and expertise on the regions they visit. Guests are invited to attend presentations in the 90 seat Lecture Theatre.
Our innovative expeditions are year-round and vary with the seasons: - Winter (May to September) in the Kimberley, Top End, East Timor, Arnhem Land and Komodo - Spring (October, November) and Autumn (March, April) in remote and unspoilt parts of the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait Islands and Papua New Guinea - Summer (December, January and February) in the Tasman Sea, Tasmania and Antarctica.
We would be delighted to have you join us on a voyage to some of the most wonderful but rarely seen places on earth.
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Orion
Orion is a purpose built vessel designed to access the inaccessible, all in 5-star luxury. The ship combines the best and the latest in design with maritime and environmental technology, comfort and casual elegance. From the ice-strengthened hull to the chilled champagne and superb cuisine, this is expedition cruising at its finest.
