Tag Archive: celebrity cruises


Cruising in New Zealand 2024

Filed under: Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Travel, travels — 1 Comment
November 23, 2024

This wraps up my pre-sailing jitters and excitement and the 12 nights enjoyed cruising on Celebrity Edge. Not my first cruise but my first on Celebrity Cruises. Just learned it’s been acquired by Royal Caribbean and that’s good. I’ve sailed with Royal Caribbean before with my family and that’s one of my memorable trips to this day. I must say they sure know their business and I couldn’t complain, really.

The Celebrity Edge. Docked in Auckland.

Ready To Sail

Bay of Islands

Auckland

Tauranga

Christchurch

Dunedin

Dusky, Doubtful & Milford Sounds of New Zealand

Aboard Celebrity Edge

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The Sounds of Tranquility

Filed under: cruise, cruising, Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
November 18, 2024

On a single sea day, our cruise ship passed the Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound. The first was allegedly teeming with wildlife and I had my fingers and toes crossed we’d have the luck to spot an albatross or a pod of dolphins. Or even fur seals. Not so lucky in that department but the 3 fiords are all so beautiful especially the last. We cruised passing snow-capped and rocky mountains and verdant rainforests alongside smaller boats out with tourists waving from their decks. The whole “sound visits” started at 8am till 4pm but we were slightly delayed leaving Milford Sound as one of the passengers on our ship had a medical emergency. I appreciate that the Celebrity crew was most efficient in handling the emergency and that Captain Matt Karandreas even went on the P. A. system to update us that all’s well. 

Milford Sound

Of the 3, Milford Sound is the crown jewel. We felt welcomed by a panoramic view of majestic waterfalls and rocky peaks. Because the ship actually cruised in and turned around to exit out, we saw both sides of the sound from our cabin’s verandah. We decided against going up the viewing points from the poolside deck or the solarium to avoid the cold breeze and splashes from the sea waves and even from the swimming pools! Crossing the Tasman Sea into and out of New Zealand can be an ordeal but we were in luck cruising from Sydney towards New Zealand.  This time around, the return trip met higher, wilder swells and fiercer winds. Our Captain Matt Karandreas (from the beautiful country of Greece) gave a talk on how the ship navigates the waters and more interestingly, about himself. What a charming man especially as he articulated what really happens while cruising and the decisions only the Captain can make. His self-confidence, competence and seeming decisiveness reassured us that The Edge has “the edge” in this maritime industry. It is my first cruise with Celebrity Cruises so that is comforting.

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