*Bookings must be made at least 7 days before cruise departure date. Contact the merchant in advance to check space & hold a room while you purchase your coupon.
*Please note there is a GrabOne room allocation per cruise; these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Available Departure Dates:
- 1st May 2024
- 7th May 2024
- 19th May 2024
Accommodation Details
Wandering Cabin (Solo Cabin)
Located on the Lower Deck, Wandering cabins feature one lower single berth, ample storage with wardrobe and drawers, TV, private en suite and a porthole.
Buller's Cabin (Twin Share)
Located on the Lower Deck, the Buller's cabin features one bunk (one upper and one lower berth), ample storage with wardrobe and drawers, TV, private en suite and a porthole.
Salvin's Cabin - Twin or Double (Twin Share)
Located on the Lower Deck, Salvin's cabins have the option of either a double bed or two lower berths. Both feature ample storage with wardrobe and drawers, TV, private en suite and a picture porthole.
Royal Suite (Twin Share)
Located on the Bridge Deck, the Master Suite features a spacious bedroom with a queen-sized bed, ample storage with wardrobe and drawers, mirror and washbasin, private en suite, personal climate control, TV, window and French doors opening out on to the covered Bridge Deck.
Inclusions
- Landing fees
- Pre/post cruise transfers
- All on board ship accommodation
- Gourmet meals
- House drinks - house wine, beer, cider and soft drinks (Additional drinks package can be purchased at time of booking, payable direct to merchant)
- All expedition shore excursions
Itinerary
Day 1: Blenheim
Make your way to the designated meeting point in Blenheim for your transfer to Heritage Explorer in Picton (times and meeting point will be confirmed with your voyage documents). The captain and expedition team will be waiting to welcome you aboard Heritage Explorer and show you to your cabin. You will have the opportunity to familiarise yourself on board then join fellow travellers and your expedition team as we set sail along Queen Charlotte Sound this afternoon. ***Note: Some voyages will operate the itinerary in reverse.***
Days 2 to 3: Queen Charlotte Sound
First sighted in 1642 by Abel Janszoon Tasman while seeking shelter for his ships Heemskerck and Zeehaen from a storm near d’Urville Island, it was Captain James Cook who would first set foot here aboard the Endeavour during his five visits to Ship Cove, his New Zealand base between 1770 and 1777, in what he would call Queen Charlotte Sound. Spend two full days exploring the waterways and islands of scenic Queen Charlotte Sound with opportunities to head ashore and walk a section of the Queen Charlotte Walkway as well as search for birdlife on the predator-free islands. A visit to Tory Channel brings the whaling history of the Perano Whalers to life. Plan to visit Ship Cove and learn of its history, exploring the region and visiting Captain Cook’s memorial inaugurated in 1913. Another conservation success story, Blumine Island has seen the translocation of several rare bird species including the once widespread Orange-fronted Parakeet, now New Zealand’s rarest parakeet, which were translocated to the island between 2011 and 2012. Also thriving on the island are South Island Saddleback, brought back from the brink of extinction last century from just 36 birds rescued in 1964, descendants of these birds were translocated to Blumine Island in 2009.
Day 4: d’Urville island
Sail through the iconic French Pass and the wake of French Explorer Dumont d’Urville and then explore the island named in his honour. The outermost island in the Marlborough Sounds, d’Urville Island features imposing sea cliffs along its west coast, a high mountainous backbone and the fastest moving tidal flows in New Zealand between the French Pass tempered by some of the country’s finest peninsula scenery. Dolphins and New Zealand Fur Seals are frequently seen in the waters surrounding the island and it was here that Pelorus Jack, the endearing Risso’s Dolphin who famously stole the nation’s heart, guided ships across the dangerous waters of Cook Strait between 1888 and 1912.
Days 5 to 6: Pelorus Sound
The largest in the Marlborough Sounds, Pelorus Sound’s main channel winds some picturesque 55-kilometres south between steep verdant hills from Cook Strait to Havelock. Boasting 380-kilometres of shoreline, the endless bays and sheltered coves of Pelorus Sound are perfect for exploration. Venturing into Pelorus Sound you'll head to Ngawhakawhiti Bay where nature surrounds you and it’s possible to get a glimpse of what the sounds would have been like before the native forest was cleared. The more active are able to enjoy the walking part of the Nydia Track before we explore Nydia Bay. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner and celebrate your adventure.
Day 7: Blenheim
We arrive into the inner reaches of Pelorous Sound this morning. After a final breakfast and farewells, a Zodiac tender takes you ashore at Havelock where a transfer to a central Blenheim drop off point or the airport waits. In case of unexpected delays please do not book any onward travel from Blenheim until after midday today. During the voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed.
About Heritage Expeditions:
Ambassadors for conservation, pioneers of discovery, and leaders in expedition travel to the world’s best-kept secrets. For more than 35 years, Heritage Expeditions has pioneered conservation-driven small ship expedition cruises to some of the most wild, least-explored and biologically rich regions on the planet including Antarctica, Japan & SE Asian islands, South Pacific, Australia's Kimberley Coast and New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands, Fiordland and Stewart Island, and now Marlborough Sounds, Abel Tasman, Bay of Islands and the Hauraki Gulf. Whether you’re a birder, photographer, wildlife enthusiast, conservationist, or simply an adventurous spirit, these expeditions offer an unparalleled travel experience.
