Cruisin’ Ata Whenua

A luxurious Fiordland cruise is an awe-inspiring experience, writes Stephen Heard.

It didn’t even cross my mind to bring summer clothing to one of the world’s wettest regions. In a cruel twist of fate, the afternoon sun was beating down and I was left boiling in jeans on a daybed as my fellow travellers leisurely slipped into the pool. Others were lounging on a large patch of manicured grass, drinking colourful cocktails.

We could have been on the coastline of an exotic Mediterranean island, but this was the bottom end of New Zealand.

It was an unseasonably warm day in Ata Whenua/Fiordland, a region which averages 200 days of rainfall a year.

The tremendous amount of drizzle – up to seven metres of the stuff – is the reason for the region’s spectacular waterfalls and lush rainforest.

Instead of navigating the usual screen of mist, I was taking in wafts of barbecue smoke from a station with sizzling meat patties on the top deck of Celebrity Eclipse. Had I not just eaten a big bowl of lobster ramen, I would be lining up for a burger and beer.

The ship is the first Celebrity ocean liner to sail here for 930 days, and the first time the Eclipse has even been in South Pacific waters. My five-night voyage was a small taste of the full 12-night itinerary exploring the rugged coastline and main centres of New Zealand.

The ship left Sydney with an almost as impressive outlook, disembarking at sunset against the backdrop of harbour, bridge and opera house. The three nights and two days of quiet nothingness bobbing across the Tasman allowed plenty of time to experience Eclipse’s offerings before seeing land in Fiordland.

The 2700-passenger vessel is essentially a five-star floating hotel with 21 bars and restaurants, multiple pools – inside and out – luxury spa, a two-storey, 1000-seat theatre and a basketball court.

There is a martini bar; a dining room made to look like the inside of a Champagne glass; a health food cafe; and the classic cruise ship buffet serving all the international delights you could possibly imagine.

Pizza in the small hours? No problem. Gelato scooped in a made-to-order waffle cone? That will cost extra.

A unique food and beverage option is Le Petit Chef, one of the ship’s specialty restaurants, where the tabletop comes to life with animated projections. Four miniature chefs compete to prepare the best dish of the set menu and as the

characters add their final touches, a new course arrives on your plate.

You also can be covered in scented oil, massaged from head to toe with hot stones and rocked back and forth by the natural movement of the sea, or witness passengers belt out three different songs at one time during a silent disco, or watch people dropping tens of thousands of dollars on artwork.

And the glassblowing class is a popular feature with guests onboard.

Even with the generous facilities and entertainment, on what is one of the older ships in Celebrity’s Solstice class, it is still hard to look away from the picture-perfect New Zealand coastline when it pops into view.

Around sunrise, we were guided by pilot vessels into Piopiotahi/Milford Sound. The wild and remote area might be one of the greatest examples of what this piece of land looked like before humans arrived.

There was time to take in the nearvertical peaks wrapped in ancient rainforest and spot some of the renowned waterfalls. Photos don’t do justice to the sheer size of this natural wonder. Our 317-metre-long ship is dwarfed by the towering mountains.

The pilot boats look like ants. The hour-long journey into the sound and back is an awe-inspiring experience.

We cruise through the equally spectacular Dusky and Doubtful sounds.

I wonder how early navigators got around the network of twisting sounds and inlets without the bells and whistles of modern-day cruise liners.

Before indulging at the contemporary Japanese restaurant and absorbing some vitamin D on the top level, our group spots a pod of bottlenose dolphins. I hear other passengers saw fur seals.

The remaining hours of the afternoon are spent taking in the southern coastline as it passes by. This has to be one of the best, and most luxurious, ways to see the most isolated corner of New Zealand.