Milford Sound Cruises

Milford Sound is part of the spectacular Fiordland National Park in the South West of New Zealand. The national park also includes:

• Dusky Sound
• Doubtful Sound

Cruising into Milford Sound you will be confronted with the towering Mitre Peak on the right and the breathtaking Stirling Falls on the left. The latter is one of the few permanent waterfalls, so you can admire the sight of it all year round.

Make sure you are on the constant look out, one blink and you will miss the amazing wildlife of Milford Sound:

• Seals
• Penguins
• Bottlenose dolphins

Explore the small Milford Sound settlement with its vast array of hiking trails that last from a few minutes to 5 days long.

Milford Sound does have the reputation of being the wettest place in New Zealand, however, don’t let that put you off – the rain will show off the waterfalls in full glory.

Milford Sound is one of the most popular cruise destinations in New Zealand and here are just a couple of reasons why:

• Spectacular scenery
• Wildlife
• Hiking
• Great local food

Things To Do

You will be surprised with how much there is to do in and around Milford Sound:

• Take a kayak tour out into the fjord and enjoy stunning views as well as getting to know the local fauna
• Walk up to the Milford Sound Lodge and the Pio Pio Café for some mouthwatering food and fantastic vistas
• Do a glacier landing on a scenic flight – an unforgettable experience
• Venture out to Te Anau, the biggest town around Milford Sound – visit the Homer Tunnel and see the Chasm

Cruise Lines

There is a fantastic range of cruise lines that sail to the Fiordland National Park and stop at Milford Sound for you to choose from. Starting with some of the most acclaimed, such as:

• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity Cruises

And ending with the luxury lines like:

• Azamara
• Crystal Cruises
• Silversea
• Seabourn

Most of them will set sail in Sydney or Melbourne, so all you have to do is decide on 2 things:

• The budget for your cruise holiday – the luxury cruise lines offer beautiful all-inclusive sailings and will therefore be more expensive
• The home port that is closest to you

The Best Time to Visit

Try to book your cruise holiday for the spring months of September, October, November if you can. Apart from enjoying more daylight, you will also benefit from:

• Having no tourist crowds surrounding you, as most people tend to visit in the summer or autumn
• Better weather conditions
• Seeing many more waterfalls thanks to the melting snow and the occasional rain
• Experiencing the nature awakening after the winter, flowers starting to bloom