While cruising on Ponant’s Le Jacques Cartier, named after the French explorer who lived during the first half of the 16th century, it may come as no surprise that this is a very French ship. From dockside she looks sleek and distinguished, appearing more like a private yacht. Le Jacques Cartier has a length of 430 feet and carries just 184 passengers, which gives it the ability to cruise into tight ports and passages that larger vessels cannot. Upon boarding the ship, passengers are greeted with smiles, hellos, and flutes of champagne. The beginning of very gracious white glove service.
The famous architect Jean-Philippe Nuel designed the ship’s spa space, and the entire ship, to evoke calmness and serenity. There’s a sauna and a Turkish bath plus an herbal tea bar. Here a plethora of different styles of bodywork are offered, including aromatic baths, exfoliation, and body massages. The ship is proud to work with products from Sothys, Clarins, Biologique Recherche, and Algotherm. Throughout the cruise, yoga classes as well as dance and stretching are held onboard. Plus, a gym with an assortment of machines all looking out of the floor to ceiling windows means you will never miss an amazing view.
Onboard, Le Nautilus restaurant is the ultimate in relaxed sophistication. Its dining room has the capacity to seat all passengers at once, and it’s always very theatrical when your meal arrives covered in a silver cloche and then the waitperson pauses for a split second before revealing the chef’s creation.
Excursions keep passengers busy with stops in lovely cities like Dunedin. The second largest city in New Zealand (after Christchurch) Dunedin has a postcard-pretty harbor enveloped by beautiful hills. The city also has some of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian architecture in the Southern Hemisphere.
Take a day trip to Larnach Castle, once owned by banker, businessman, and politician, William Larnach. Set on 35 glorious acres overlooking Otago Peninsula, construction of the Gothic Revival house began in 1871 and ultimately included 43 rooms.
Several days of a journey aboard this ship are spent at sea traveling down and around the southernmost tip of New Zealand. Passengers will find themselves surrounded by the beauty and serenity of Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound, and then Milford Sound, three fiords that make up part Southern New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park. Here you will be awestruck and hypnotized by dramatic waterfalls, pods of bottlenose dolphins. and herds of fur seals. If you’re lucky, you’ll also spot Fiordland crested penguins. Cruise north to Picton on the northern point of the South island and stroll through the lovely town where there are numerous cafes, restaurants, and bars, all looking out over the Marlborough Sound.
One of the best parts about exploring New Zealand via ship are the exceptional and unique experiences you can have along the way. Spend time sampling the country’s delicious wines. Both islands have the advantage of Oceanic climate, which means there are no extreme changes. Summers are cool, winters are mild, and the amount of rainfall is ideal for growing grapes. At Cable Bay Winery on Waiheke Island you will have the pleasure of sampling Chardonnay, Pinot Rosé, and Syrah.
Make sure to visit the fascinating Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland located in Rotorua. It’s part of an 18-sq. km active geothermal park at the northern perimeter of the Reporoa Caldera formed 230,000 years ago within the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Witness an unearthly scene as sulphur in the air and the most awesome substance percolates up to the top of giant pools looking like coral colored gasses and a chartreuse tinted steam.
Read more about cruising New Zealand at Passport Magazine.
