Embark Day – Embark day in Auckland feels like the ideal beginning to our voyage. Known in Māori as Tāmaki Makaurau, this captivating city is set between two harbors on a landscape shaped by ancient volcanic cones, giving it a setting unlike almost anywhere else in the world. One moment you’re strolling a polished waterfront alive with marinas, restaurants, and wine bars; the next, you’re looking out toward the island-studded Hauraki Gulf, or imagining the wild black-sand surf beaches that lie just beyond the city on Auckland’s rugged west coast.

What makes Auckland such an appealing place to begin a cycling cruise is its remarkable sense of balance. It is sophisticated without feeling rushed, scenic without feeling remote, and rich in both culture and natural beauty. Māori heritage remains deeply woven into the identity of the city, while Auckland’s Pacific influences, outdoor lifestyle, and spirit of manaakitanga—warm hospitality—give it an energy that feels distinctly New Zealand.

Day 2 – A favorite highlight of this tour is the Coromandel Peninsula, long treasured by New Zealanders as one of the country’s classic seaside escapes. On this lush and beautiful stretch of the North Island, forested hills tumble toward brilliant coves and golden beaches, creating a landscape that feels both relaxed and wonderfully unspoiled. Our coastal routes reveal the Coromandel at its best, from sweeping ocean views to a dramatic volcanic headland and stretches of native bush rich with tree ferns and subtropical greenery.

This carefree day of cycling also brings the chance to experience some of the peninsula’s most iconic natural attractions. Cathedral Cove is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated coastal scenes, known for its soaring sea-carved rock arch and views over the protected waters of Te Whanganui-a-Hei Marine Reserve. Nearby, Shakespeare Cliff rewards visitors with commanding views over Mercury Bay and a tangible sense of the region’s deep history.

All routes finish at the water’s edge, where a short ferry ride across the inlet carries us to Whitianga, the Coromandel’s easygoing resort town and the principal hub of Mercury Bay.

Day 3 – Beginning in Gisborne, today’s ride explores the East Cape, a welcoming and deeply distinctive corner of New Zealand where Māori culture has remained especially strong and visible. Known today as Tairāwhiti, the region is celebrated for its vibrant Māori identity, its quiet pride, and its beautiful rhythm of farmland, coastline, and small communities that feel far removed from the modern rush.

Today’s choice of routes includes an inland loop through Māori farmlands and rural villages, where everyday life still feels rooted in place and tradition. Out here, the East Cape reveals one of its great pleasures: modest stores, bakeries, and settlements where the experience feels authentically local rather than staged for visitors, and where the region’s distinctly Maori character is as memorable as the scenery itself.

For riders eager to add miles, an early start opens up extra shoreline riding along the East Coast’s forested margins, where the road traces a remarkably beautiful stretch of Pacific scenery. This is one of the most evocative landscapes on the North Island: a place of winding coast, native bush, and scattered bays, where the pleasures of cycling come not only from the miles themselves, but from the strong sense of traveling through a region that has held tightly to its heritage and character. No matter which route you choose, this day includes an authentic Māori pōwhiri, a welcoming ceremony that continues with singing and dancing, and ends with a celebratory haka.

Day 4 – Our second day of North Island cycling loops through the vineyards of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s oldest wine region, where sunny skies, fertile soils, and a long winemaking tradition have made this one of the country’s most celebrated places to ride and taste. The routes here are a particular pleasure—graceful, scenic, and unhurried—passing between vines, orchards, and cellar doors before pausing for a tasting of the region’s acclaimed wines, especially its noted reds and chardonnays.

From the vineyards, we return to Napier, a city made extraordinary by tragedy and reinvention. After the devastating 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, Napier was rebuilt in the architectural style of the moment, creating the remarkable concentration of Art Deco buildings for which it is now world-renowned. The result is not merely a collection of handsome facades, but an entire city center with a distinctive sense of harmony, elegance, and civic identity.

Our guided walking tours with local experts bring that story vividly to life, revealing how Napier transformed disaster into beauty and how that rebirth still shapes the city’s character today. It is one of the most memorable pairings on the voyage: a day of vineyards and fine wine, followed by an intimate look at one of New Zealand’s most distinctive and proudly preserved urban landscapes.

Day 5 – Before crossing to the South Island, we dock right in the heart of Wellington, New Zealand’s lively capital, a compact harbor city known for its creative energy, café culture, and dramatic setting between green hills and a sparkling bay. Today’s rides offer an eclectic blend of waterfront and urban cycling, threading through the city’s colorful character as we pass lively Cuba Street, ride by Parliament and the Beehive, and take in the civic center. Some may find time for a ride on Wellington’s iconic Cable Car, which climbs to sweeping views over the city and harbor.

Wellington also has a well-earned reputation for food and drink, and nowhere is that more apparent than in its craft beer scene. Frequently described as New Zealand’s craft beer capital, the city is filled with independent breweries, taprooms, and brewpubs, making it an especially enjoyable place to stop for a brewery visit and tasting. It is a fitting complement to a day in the capital: stylish but unpretentious, local in flavor, and distinctly Wellington.

Wellington’s most beloved local ride leads out around the Miramar Peninsula, tracing low-traffic coastal roads past a string of scenic bays and beaches. This compact peninsula packs an impressive variety of shoreline scenery into a relatively short distance, with ever-changing views across the harbor and Cook Strait, plus lovely stretches such as Shelly Bay, Scorching Bay, and the surrounding eastern and southern bays, making it a favorite among Wellington cyclists. It is a wonderfully picturesque day of cycling—rolling beside the water, passing quiet coves and sandy beaches, and enjoying the kind of easy coastal riding that feels quintessentially Wellington. For those who don’t want a fast return to the capital’s captivating center, today’s medium and long options add extra miles and a few hills. As always, GPS guidance and a range of route options allow you to enjoy the day in the style that suits you best—healthy, unhurried, and entirely at your own pace.

Day 6 – In Nelson, one of New Zealand’s sunniest and most appealing small cities, today’s coastal rides look out across the golden shores and blue waters of Tasman Bay, a region long admired for its beaches, gardens, and easy outdoor lifestyle. Our routes combine seaside scenery with some of Nelson’s most distinctive landmarks, creating a day that feels equal parts graceful ride and cultural discovery.

All routes pass the celebrated Centre of New Zealand monument on Botanical Hill, a beloved Nelson landmark reached from the Botanical Reserve and prized for its sweeping views over the city, sea, and surrounding hills. From there, the day continues with opportunities to pause in the elegant Queen’s Gardens, a Victorian ornamental garden opened in the late 19th century, and to visit a nearby sanctuary devoted to protecting New Zealand’s native wildlife and restoring indigenous forest.

Nelson is also one of New Zealand’s earliest colonial settlements, and its sense of history remains unusually vivid. At Founders Heritage Park, we visit a recreated village of heritage buildings and local exhibits that bring the region’s past to life, offering an engaging glimpse of early settler life in a setting that feels both authentic and charming. The result is a rewarding contrast to the morning’s coastal riding: a day that pairs Tasman Bay’s natural beauty with the gardens, stories, and heritage that make Nelson such a memorable port of call.

Day 7 – This morning we awake in Anakiwa, tucked into one of the most beautiful corners of the Marlborough Sounds and perfectly placed for a ride that feels quintessentially New Zealand. From the moment we clip in, the road traces the bay toward Picton through a landscape of luminous water, forested hills, and quiet inlets that seem to unfold one lovelier than the last. It is the kind of ride that leaves you shaking your head in disbelief that a route this scenic can feel so relaxed, so flowing, and so wonderfully unspoiled.

Part of what makes this ride so special is not only its beauty, but its serenity. Off-limits to large buses and trucks, it offers the rare pleasure of peaceful coastal riding where the sounds of the sea and birdsong often feel more present than traffic. The road rolls gently along the shoreline, with just enough contour to keep things interesting, and with every bend comes another glorious view across the bays, another glimpse of boats resting on brilliant blue water, and another reminder that in New Zealand, even an easier day on the bike can become one of the most memorable rides of the voyage.

For those who want a longer day in the saddle, the route can be extended from Picton with a scenic loop out to Whatamango Bay. This added mileage brings still more of the Marlborough Sounds’ irresistible charm: more shoreline, more quiet beauty, and more of that wonderful feeling of being completely immersed in a place that seems almost impossibly picturesque. By day’s end, you may well feel what so many travelers do here—that New Zealand is not merely beautiful, but quietly enchanting.

Day 8 – Described by riders as scenery almost too beautiful to absorb at once, today’s cycling showcases one of New Zealand’s most admired road rides. The celebrated GrapeRide is held in the heart of Marlborough, the country’s best-known wine region, and its most memorable stretches are the roads that weave between vines, native bush, and the luminous inlets of the Marlborough Sounds. The scenic Queen Charlotte Drive, linking Picton and Havelock, is especially prized for its winding coastal views, with forest on one side and sparkling sound on the other.

Santana’s use of a yacht-sized cruise ship makes it possible to improve on an already famous ride. Rather than following the full circular event route, we begin with an even more intimate approach through the Sounds, enjoying additional fjord-like coastal scenery before reaching the vineyards of the Marlborough wine valley. From there, our route captures the most beautiful portions of the day while avoiding a harsher highway climb, creating a ride that is not only more graceful and scenic, but also better suited to the relaxed spirit of a cycling cruise. Marlborough is the ideal setting for our adventures’ final day of cycling: a region internationally celebrated for its wines, broad sunshine, and striking contrast between maritime scenery and orderly vineyard landscapes.

It is also a perfect example of what makes this style of travel so rewarding. Instead of linking distant hotels by long, logistical riding days, our ship quietly relocates while we sleep, allowing us to experience more of New Zealand’s variety with less rushing and no repetitious unpacking. The result is a more elegant kind of adventure: better cycling, richer scenery, and the rare pleasure of finishing one of the voyage’s signature rides in the heart of one of the Southern Hemisphere’s great wine landscapes.

Day 9 – On the final day of our charter, we disembark in Christchurch / Ōtautahi, the South Island’s gracious and fast-evolving gateway city. Long known as the Garden City, Christchurch pairs leafy parks, the tranquil Avon River, and elegant green spaces with a creative energy shaped by renewal and reinvention. It is a fitting place to conclude the voyage: relaxed, welcoming, and easy to navigate, yet large enough to serve as the South Island’s principal air hub. Christchurch Airport is New Zealand’s second-largest airport and the main gateway for the South Island, making onward travel refreshingly simple.

For many guests, there is even one final bit of travel magic: because of the International Date Line, most travelers flying eastward will arrive home on the same calendar day—and sometimes even before the local departure time shown on their ticket. It is a wonderfully fitting end to a New Zealand adventure: one last reminder that this voyage has taken you to a part of the world that still feels beautifully far away.

Would you care to arrive early?
Auckland is a wonderfully easy place to enjoy for an extra day or two, and a delightful way to begin your New Zealand adventure. Known as Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand’s largest city is set among two harbors, ancient volcanic hills, and island-dotted waters, giving it a setting that feels both sophisticated and warmly inviting. It is a city with a natural sense of balance—cosmopolitan yet relaxed, scenic yet wonderfully accessible—where elegant waterfront districts, excellent dining, and rich Māori and Pacific influences come together in a way that feels unmistakably New Zealand.

That is what makes Auckland such an appealing PreTour city. It offers the pleasure of arriving early without the complication of extra travel logistics, allowing you to settle in, shake off the journey, and begin enjoying yourself almost immediately. There is something especially nice about easing into a cruise this way—taking time to enjoy the harbor views, the fresh sea air, the welcoming rhythm of the city, and the sense that your vacation has already begun before you even step aboard. Auckland is not simply a gateway to New Zealand, but one of the country’s most enjoyable places to linger.

A 1- or 2-night Auckland PreTour is also a lovely way to start in the right spirit. With an afternoon of touring, a warm welcome dinner, and a final morning of sightseeing before embarkation, it creates a smooth and sociable beginning to the voyage. Rather than arriving at the ship feeling rushed, you arrive already immersed in the beauty, culture, and easy charm of New Zealand—relaxed, well cared for, and even more excited for all that lies ahead.

Established in 1983, Coral Expeditions is “Australia’s own cruise line.” While they had previously operated smaller coastal vessels, Coral caught Santana’s attention with the 2019 launch of Coral Adventurer, a full-on expedition ship with room for 120 cyclists and their bicycles!

Santana and the rest of the cruise world was captivated by the ship’s revolutionary tenders that comfortably take-on seated passengers before being lowered into the water. Better than normal tenders, Coral’s unique pair of Xplorer landing craft quickly reach shore and, if no pier is available, deploy a wide bow-ramp to provide “dry-foot” landings at beaches, bays, and inlets.

In addition to advanced stabilizers, Coral’s new expedition class cruise ship sports an ingenious wave piercing bow which cuts through the swells instead of climbing over them. Despite its petite dimensions, this unique vessel demonstrated the ability to cruise the seven seas as comfortably as a large ocean liner.

After proving the concept, Coral Expeditions commissioned an optimized sister ship. Santana had the honor of becoming the first to charter their new Coral Adventurer, which is now nearing completion. Our resulting cycling cruise of Tasmania and Australia occurred in early 2023.

Santana’s participants have a pronounced affinity for ships with an open bridge policy. The Coral Adventurer takes crew interaction to a new level with a ship’s bridge that includes comfortable viewing seats to encourage you to stay a while.

Moreover, the entire crew is comprised of friendly Aussies who are eager to share their local knowledge and culture. The ship’s onboard expedition team provides lectures and a wealth of information about New Zealand’s peculiar plants and animals. The Coral Adventurer‘s special Xplorer Landers can make port virtually anywhere in New Zealand, rather than only at authorized international ports.

Although the 120-passenger ship is yacht-dimensioned, it has a wealth of public space, including separate lounge and dining rooms—each with enough seating to accommodate all passengers.

The chef is especially excited when the ship cruises New Zealand, as this allows him to showcase fresh local ingredients. Not to be outdone, the sommelier loves sharing New Zealand’s award-winning chardonnays & pinot noirs.

All 60 staterooms have an exterior view, private bath, sound proofing, individual air conditioning, and king-width bedding that converts to a pair of full size twins. The smallest staterooms, at 182 square feet, are larger and nicer than those found on the typical cruise ship.

While not quite suites, balcony staterooms feature a larger floor plan with a private balcony.

Top-deck suites combine an even more spacious floor plan with a larger private balcony to provide the airy feel of a penthouse.

Coral Expeditions has won several awards from Cruise Critic and Tripadvisor, as well as advanced certifications for eco-tourism, green cruising, and sustainability.