January 28-February 15, 2027 | New Zealand & Australia Cruise with extra time in Sydney & Auckland

There is something about the New Zealand and Australia.  Without question, it is one of the world’s most interesting regions combining spectacular natural beauty with vibrant cities, mesmerizing countryside and fascinating history.  This tour focuses on New Zealand, while sampling the beauties of Australia and Tasmania as well. 

 There are different ways to tour this region, but the most convenient is by cruise ship.  New Zealand is comprised of two large islands.  Much of the scenery and charm is along the coasts and waterways.  Yet the country is narrow, making the beautiful interior easily accessible on day trips from our ship.  Add to that time to enjoy Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania and you have an unforgettable journey Down Under. 

 Why do we go in January/February? It never gets very hot in New Zealand and January is the middle of their summer so temperatures range from the 60’s in the south island to the mid 70’s on the north island and Tasmania. It will be a bit warmer in Sydney (mid 80’s) and Melbourne (low 80’s).  It is the perfect time to be in the region.  Webb Tours has directed many trips to New Zealand and Australia.  It has always been among our most popular tours. We know it’s a big investment.  We pledge to do all we can to make it the trip of a lifetime… We hope you can join us.

Daily Itinerary:

January 28:  This afternoon, we gather at the Salt Lake Airport (or other gateway cities) for our flight to Los Angeles. In the evening, we’ll board our flight from Los Angeles to Sydney.  Those joining us from other cities will meet us in Los Angeles and fly with us to Sydney.

January 29:  Because we cross the international dateline, we skip this day.  We’ll get it back at the end of the tour.

January 30:  Welcome to Sydney, Australia!  Our flight arrives in the morning hours today and it will be important that we stay awake.  A local guide and luxury coach will meet us to show us around this world-class city.  We’ll stroll some world famous beaches, impressive overlooks, and learn some important colonial history of the city.  We’ll then check into the hotel for a shower and a break.  This evening we’ll enjoy a dinner cruise on beautiful Sydney Harbor. We sail under famous Harbor Bridge, by the front of the Opera House, near the prestigious suburbs and more. Or you can spend time on your own enjoying Sydney. D

January 31:  This morning, we’ll see additional places that are “must sees” in the area.  We will then be transferred to the pier where we will board Holland America’s Noordam.  The Noordam is an 82,000 ton ship with about 1,900 passengers.  Holland America is famous for unmatched service, excellent cuisine and creative itineraries with stops at more ports.  It will be our floating resort for 14 days.  We sail out of Sydney tonight enjoying a delicious dinner in the Rotterdam Dining Room.

NOTE:  We highly recommend that you see Sydney.  However, if you choose NOT to see Sydney, you can depart the USA on January 29 and go straight to the ship on January 31).

February 1:  At sea today as we become familiar with our ship and enjoy the scenery.

February 2:  Today we spend all day in lovely Melbourne, Australia.  At each of the ports, you can do your own thing, chose an excursion offered by the ship or join us on our private Webb Tours excursion.  Our private excursion today takes us outside of Melbourne to enjoy native Australian animals at a fabulous wildlife sanctuary.  Our coach then takes us to charming Williamstown for a fish and chips lunch (or other options) before boarding a boat that will take us on a one hour ride into the heart of downtown Melbourne.  This is the BEST way to enter the city and enjoy the incredible skyline (you’ll see). Our guide meets us there to show us some highlights (including time to shop at the Victoria Market if open) as we make our way back to the ship.

February 3:  At sea today as we become

February 4:  Today you wake up in TASMANIA!  We dock in Burnie at the north end of the country.  Our private excursion today takes advantage of the area’s renowned natural beauty. There are forests, mountains and lakes to be explored. We drive by motor coach to famous Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park.  The views from Dove Lake are stunning. After an included lunch, we make our way back via the Sheffield, the Town of Murals. This is a mountain town where you’ll have time to browse and enjoy the setting. We then return to the ship.

February 5 & 6:  Enjoy two relaxing days at sea as we cross the Tasman Sea that separates Australia from New Zealand.  Choose from lots of activities on board, take in the fabulous entertainment or just read a book on the decks as you watch the ocean go by.  And don’t forget to watch for wildlife as whales and dolphins are often spotted in this area. 

February 7:  Today you will live in postcard scenery. The seaward edge of Fiordland National Park is a series of fourteen massive knife cuts, carved by the glaciers during successive ice ages. Towering, snow-capped peaks reflect in the midnight blue fingers of ocean that reach into the park’s thickly forested interior, where you can find trees that are more than 800 years old. For sheer drama, few places of earth can compete with this remarkable natural environment. Milford Sound, part of the park, is a natural wonder of the world.  Most visit from Queenstown which involves an arduous 3 hour bus ride, much of it on windy roads.  But we are on a cruise ship and we will simply sail into the fjords and enjoy the day taking in the incredible scenes.  Enjoy towering Mitre Peak, plunging waterfalls, bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, penguins and more.  As we leave Milford Sound, we will continue cruising in other parts of Fjordland National Park visiting Doubtful Sound which is equally dramatic.

February 8:  While we sleep, the ship makes its way around the southern tip of New Zealand and we wake up in Port Chalmers, in Dunedin, New Zealand.  They call this the “Edinburgh of the South” because of the Scottish influence here – and the scenery is similar as well.  Our private excursion is exceptional! We’ll start with a visit to the Royal Albatross Center. This is one of the few places in the world where these incredible birds in flight and on their nests. We’ll have a guided tour and time on your own. We will then take you to the top of the mountain to visit Larnach Castle and Gardens.  You have to see this place! The castle, the history, the gardens and the views overlooking the water over 1000 feet below are all stunning. We’ll have a guided tour of the castle followed by an included lunch.  Before going back, we’ll show you some things in the town of Dunedin including the world’s steepest street. The ship does NOT offer this combination and both places are a MUST SEE in my opinion. 

February 9: Today we wake up in port of Lyttelton, New Zealand at the northern part of the South Island.  We are less than an hour from Christchurch, the largest town on the South Island. Our current plan is to take our group to beautiful sheep farm for lunch. While there, we’ll have a sheep dog demonstration. The mountains are visible in the distance and the landscapes are beautiful. We’ll enjoy a stroll on the Avon River before going back to the ship. 

February 10:  Today we are in Wellington – New Zealand’s capital city.  Our private tour takes you via cable car to enjoy the amazing panoramic views from Mt. Victoria.  We’ll also make a brief visit to Kelburn Rose Gardens which overlook the city below. After lunch, we’ll make our way to the Weta Workshop to enjoy an interesting tour in the studios where they filmed much of Lord of the Rings.  It’s a bit like a mini Universal Studios in New Zealand.  Whether a fan of the epic movies or not, the tour here is very interesting.  We’ll take you by Parliament and some other highlights before giving you some time in town before getting back on the ship.

February 11: Today our ship docks in Picton. Picton is the gateway to the South Island, set in the lovely Queen Charlotte Sound. Our 1/2 day private tour today will show you some highlights in Picton before driving about 30 minutes to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Site. This was conceived and designed by Sir Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings fame). It is an amazing collection of WWI and WWII displayed in a very unique and lifelike way. 

February 12: Today we continue north on the North Island of New Zealand.  We will be in the port of Napier today until about 2:00.  There is no private excursion today. We suggest you take the free cruise ship shuttle into Napier to enjoy this interesting town. Napier was almost entirely built in the 1920’s (after being destroyed by an earthquake).  The whole town looks like a movie set from the 20’s with everything built in that distinct Art Deco style.  It is unlike any other town in the world. We will have a chance to see a short movie about the history of the earthquake that is quite interesting. You can come and go as you please. 

February 13:  Today we are docked in Tauranga on the North Island.  One of New Zealand’s most famous attractions is in Rotorua which is like the “Yellowstone” of New Zealand.  We’ll drive about 40 minutes to Te Puia Park.  It is sacred ground for the Maoris and you will enter with one of their chiefs.  We’ll learn much about the Maori’s and witness an authentic Hangi performance which is always fun.  We will also have a delicious buffet lunch while we are there. We’ll then give you some free time in the fun town of Rotorua for shopping and lunch.  On the way back, we’ll make a stop at New Zealand’s Redwood Forest. Just like the ones in northern California, these giants are beautiful to see. We’ll have about 45 minutes to stroll through the trees and breathe the fresh air. We then return to the ship in Tauranga.  

February 14:  Happy Valentine’s Day and welcome to Auckland where our cruise comes to an end.  You can transfer to the airport for flights home, or you can extend one day to see more of this area. Our excursion today will take us to some BEAUTIFUL and interesting places.  The scenery between Auckland and Hamilton is comprised of green, rolling hills and sheep farms.  We’ll drive about 2 hours from Auckland to the south through the hills. We will visit the famous Waitomo Caves known as Glow Worm Grotto.  We board a small boat for a short ride inside these natural caves that are lit (from the ceiling) by glow worms!  It is a very interesting sight to see.  Lunch is included while there.  We then go to nearby Hamilton where we stay in a lovely hotel on the Waikato River.   

*NOTE: If you prefer to visit Hobbiton on this day instead of the Waitomo Caves, this can be arranged as well. In either case, the countryside and landscapes on this part of the north island are magnificent and getting to your destination is as enjoyable as the destination itself.

February 15:  Today, we board our plane for our flight through Los Angeles back to Salt Lake.  Because we cross back over the dateline today, we retrieve the day we lost, so we get home mid day on the same day. 

Registration Information:

A $400 deposit is required to reserve your space. To make a reservation, simply register online by completing the booking form above. Your deposit will be charged to your credit card. If you prefer, you can call us and we will take your reservation information and credit card details over the phone.  When we receive your reservation, we will email you a receipt confirming that you are registered for the tour.  A letter with instructions, hotel itinerary, flight information (if applicable) and luggage tags will be sent roughly 110 days prior to departure. The balance will be due roughly 90 days prior to departure.  You do not need to pay the balance until after you receive that package.  We prefer final payments in the form of a check.  Webb Tours also accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. A 3% fee applies to final payments made by credit card to cover a portion of the credit card company fees (which are now around 4%)

Cancellation Policy:

We understand that you may need to cancel your trip for unforeseen reasons.  If cancellation occurs 180 days or more before departure, your deposit is refundable.  If airline tickets are purchased prior to that time (with your permission), they are the responsibility of the traveler. In most cases, airlines will allow the value of airline tickets to be used for future travel.  If it is within 180 days, your deposit and other committed funds are non refundable.  

Travel Protection:

In today’s changing travel environment, it is important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we offer Travelex Insurance Services 360° Group Premier Protection Plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected.

Premium for this insurance depends on your age and trip cost and is priced as follows:

Trip Cost (per person)        Ages 0-59                 Ages 60-74                      Ages 75+

For coverage details and explanation of benefits, you can view or download the policy by going to  https://policy.travelexinsurance.com/GPZ-1023.

If you are interested in the travel insurance, please contact Webb Tours any time up until final payment for the tour.  You must be medically fit at the time you buy the insurance.  The insurance goes into effect once purchased.

This is intended as a general description of certain types of insurance and services available to qualified customers through the companies of Zurich in North America, provided solely for informational purposes.  Nothing herein should be construed as a solicitation, offer, advice, recommendation, or any other service with regard to any type of insurance product underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company, 1299 Zurich Way, Schaumburg, IL 60196. Your policy is the contract that specifically and fully describes your coverage, terms and conditions. Travelex Insurance Services Inc. CA Agency license #0D10209. Insurance coverages underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC # 16535).

Insurance includes the following items:

• Trip interruption up to 150% of the cost of the trip (if you have to leave in the middle of the trip)
• Trip interruption – return airfare only – $1,000
• Trip Cancellation – 100% of insured trip cost (up to $20,000)
• Trip delay: $1,000 (minimum delay of 5 hours)
• Missed Connection: $1,000 (with a minimum delay of 3 hours)
• Baggage (for lost luggage): $1,500
• Baggage Delay: $250 (minimum of 12 hour delay)
• Emergency medical: $50,000
• Emergency Dental: $500
• Emergency Medical Evacuation: $250,000 (including $25,000 for escort expenses)
• Accidental death/dismemberment during travel: $10,000

For benefit and rate information, please review the Group Premier product flyer at https://partner.travelexinsurance.com/docs/premier

Unexpected flight cancellations or weather delays:  Webb Tours works diligently to cover all of the details associated with your travel. We make sure that all ground transportation, lodging, local tours, restaurants, specialists, etc, are in place and awaiting our arrival. We ensure that our directors are well prepared to provide you with an experience that exceeds your expectations.  One thing we do NOT control are the airlines. Significant problems can arise on a group tour due to canceled flights, weather delays or missed connections. In the case of a flight cancellation, Webb Tours will do all we can to work with the airline to move people to the next available flights. Any portion of the tour that is missed due to flight delays or cancellations is NOT the financial responsibility of Webb Tours. Refunds will not be given for hotels, ground transportation, activities or meals that are missed due to flight interruptions. This is another good reason to purchase the travel insruance which has a provision for missed connections (see Group Premier product flyer referenced above for details).  Your participation in the tour signifies that you understand and accept this policy.

Mail deposit and enclosed reservation form to:

 WEBB TOURS

2378 Evergreen Avenue

Salt Lake City, UT  84109

Tel. (801) 278-3101

or Toll Free 1-800-658-8519