Cruise through the Sound, New Zealand

So, I decided to cruise to New Zealand, and let me tell you – it’s all about the Sound! It’s been on my bucket list, something I’ve always wanted to do with my family, and trust me, it did not disappoint!

The day we set out was a bit gloomy – cloudy with a little rain. I woke up and checked the ship’s camera, saw a dark grey mass ahead, and thought it was just a cloud. (Of course, my husband always jokes that I’m blind as a bat!) So, I asked Claire to double-check: “Is that a mountain or a cloud?” She confirmed it was a mountain. I was like, “Alright, let’s go – what are we waiting for?!” Chaos erupted in our room as we scrambled to get readyWe rushed up to Deck 14 to grab a good spot, and thankfully, Dad had already gotten there early and saved us a table.

As we cruised through Milford Sound, we spotted a few seals swimming near the ship. That first view of the Sound? I can't even describe it. "Breathtaking" suddenly made sense to me. The mountains felt enormous, and the ship seemed tiny in comparison. It was a humbling moment, like realising just how small we are in this massive world.

We tried moving around to find the best view, but it was cold, wet, and windy, so we gave up and headed back to our room. Funny thing though, when we opened the door, we could've been enjoying the view from our own room the whole time! Isn’t it funny how we’re always searching for something better, when what we’ve already got is just perfect?

So yeah, we spent the entire day in the warmth and comfort of our room, soaking in the view.

When it was time for lunch, the dining area was packed, so guess what? We had lunch in our stateroom, and it was amazing! I had beef stew with rice and a glass of sparkling wine while staring out at the Sound. I lost count of the waterfalls – there were so many!

Honestly, it was a pretty perfect day.

I joked with my husband, “Wow, if this is just the introduction to New Zealand, it’s already a win!” (We’d never been to NZ before, and the Sounds were our first taste of the country)

We sailed through Milford sounds, doubtful sound and dusky sound. One of the things I love about Celebrity Cruises is that they have a professional (I hope I’m getting this right!)—like a geologist—who explains how these sounds were formed millions of years ago, along with information about the native wildlife. It’s a free excursion offered by Celebrity, and I think that’s awesome! To top it off, at the end of the trip, our captain even played a timelapse video. How cool is that!