Auckland New Zealand

New Zealand

Sails everywhere: midday regattas, ferries rushing by, pleasure schooners. Auckland lives up to its nickname, the "City of Sails," and the ship weaves through this floating ballet to dock right downtown, at Queens Wharf or the nearby Princes Wharf. From the gangway, the observation tower piercing the skyline points the way; New Zealand's largest city begins just thirty metres from the dock, with no shuttle and no waiting around. Māori call it Tāmaki Makaurau, "the one desired by many," a reference to the tribes who once competed for its fertile isthmus.

Downtown Within Easy Reach

Everything around the terminal is walkable. The red-brick Ferry Building, opened in 1912, still stands at the ferry terminal; the Britomart district blends repurposed brick warehouses with New Zealand designer boutiques and cafés where the flat white is practically a local religion. A little further west, Viaduct Harbour and the Wynyard Quarter line up their terraces around the marinas, with volcanic peaks as a backdrop. Higher up on the ridge, the Victorian streets of Ponsonby offer galleries and well-regarded restaurants for a leisurely afternoon. The Sky Tower, about a fifteen-minute walk away, rises 328 metres: its observation deck offers the best overview of the city's geography, set between two seas and roughly fifty dormant volcanoes.

Devonport, a Victorian Getaway

From the ferry terminal right next to the cruise dock, it takes about twelve minutes to cross the harbour to Devonport, a village of Victorian villas and secondhand bookshops. The verandah-fronted buildings along the waterfront hide tea rooms, bookshops and a century-old cinema; up on the hill, old coastal gun batteries have left behind tunnels and gun platforms that visitors can freely explore. The climb up Mount Victoria, a nearby volcanic cone, rewards the effort with a sweeping view over the harbour, the city and the Hauraki Gulf. The back-and-forth of the ferry is part of the fun: Auckland makes more sense once seen from the water.

Volcanoes, a Museum and Māori Culture

The volcanic field the city was built on gives it a landscape all its own: Mount Eden, the highest natural point in the city at 196 metres, opens its grass-covered crater just a few kilometres from downtown. On a clear day, the view stretches all the way to Rangitoto, the youngest volcano in the field, which rose from the sea only about 600 years ago. Up in the Domain, the Auckland War Memorial Museum holds one of the country's richest collections of Māori and Pacific art and artifacts, including a war canoe and a carved meeting house; the daily cultural performances offer an excellent first introduction to Māori culture.

Waiheke for Longer Port Calls

If the ship stays for the full day, Waiheke Island is well worth the forty-minute crossing: gently sloping vineyards, golden sand beaches and tasting rooms with views over the gulf. It's the favourite excursion of locals themselves, which says a lot.

Auckland Port Call at a Glance

At departure time, the ship backs away into the sunset as sailboats head home to harbour and the tower lights up for the evening. Auckland leaves an unusual impression for a major city: that of a metropolis that has never turned its back on nature, with volcanoes for neighbourhood parks and the sea always close at hand. Many passengers make a note of it for a future land trip; New Zealand tends to have that effect.