Arrive in Wellington and transfer to the Coral Adventurer, your home for the next 10 nights. Settle into your cabin, and this evening get to know your fellow travellers and the Expedition Team at a relaxed welcome dinner on board as you depart, taking in scenic views of New Zealand's capital.

Cruise into the Marlborough Sounds to Ship Cove/Meretoto, a site of deep historical significance as the place where Captain James Cook anchored on several of his voyages. Go ashore to walk part of the famous Queen Charlotte Track through native bush, and learn about the area's rich Māori and early European history from the Expedition Team.

Kaikōura is a premier destination in New Zealand's South Island for whale watching. From the stable comfort of your catamaran, you have the opportunity to see whales and other marine life in their natural habitat, with sperm, humpback and pilot whales among the species regularly sighted. Onboard hydrophones offer the extra benefit of hearing the whales communicate with each other, and you're also likely to see acrobatic dolphins, playful fur seals, and elegant wandering albatrosses during this thrilling excursion.

Dock at Lyttelton, the historic port serving Christchurch, and venture into the city to explore its gardens, museums and striking modern architecture, rebuilt following the 2011 earthquake. Alternatively, explore the scenic Banks Peninsula, shaped by ancient volcanic activity and home to picturesque harbour towns.

After receiving a special welcome presentation from a Marae member, discover Dunedin's remarkable heritage architecture - some of the best-preserved Edwardian and Victorian architecture in the southern hemisphere. At Baldwin Street, witness the world's steepest street, or venture to the Otago Peninsula to spot royal albatross and yellow-eyed penguins.

With over 85% of the island designated as national park, adventurers visit remote Rakiura (or Stewart Island) for nature-based activities. Explore ancient forests on guided walks through pristine coastal rainforest, and discover traces of Scottish and Norwegian settler history in this remote wilderness, New Zealand's little-known 'third island.'

Bask in the splendour of Dusky Sound, the largest and most spectacular of Fiordland's fiords, dubbed the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' by author Rudyard Kipling. Explore this UNESCO World Heritage-listed waterway by Xplorer tender, following in the wake of Captain James Cook, who first charted these waters in 1773, taking in cascading waterfalls, lush rainforest and abundant wildlife including fur seals and rare native birds.

Cruise Doubtful Sound, Fiordland National Park's most spectacular waterway, three times longer and ten times larger than Milford Sound and renowned for its profound sense of wilderness and silence. Captain Cook declined to enter the sound in 1770, naming it 'Doubtful Harbour' for fear it offered no safe passage out - today, Xplorer tender excursions reveal towering cliffs, tumbling waterfalls and resident pods of bottlenose dolphins.

Witness the sharp, towering mountain peaks and forest-cloaked hills of Milford Sound, one of the world's most breathtaking natural attractions. Cruise beneath the iconic Mitre Peak and past cascading waterfalls including Stirling Falls, with opportunities to spot fur seals, penguins and dolphins in these pristine glacial waters.

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea as you cruise toward Bluff, taking in lectures from the Expedition Team on the natural and cultural history of the region you've explored, and reflecting on your Fiordland adventure from the comfort of the ship.

Arrive in Bluff, New Zealand's southernmost port, and disembark the Coral Adventurer. Transfer to Queenstown, the country's adventure capital, to conclude your expedition cruise.