Action! This morning was nothing short of astonishing, Zodiac cruising Snares Islands 120 miles south of Te Waipounamu (South Island, New Zealand). This island has incredible displays of wildlife because of its history of never having pests. It is a true representation of what remote islands can look like without human influence. There were millions of pairs of nesting sooty shearwaters, the infamous Snares crested penguins, diving petrels, albatrosses, and the endemic tomtit and snipe.
12/19/2024
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National Geographic Orion
Day at Sea toward Tauranga, New Zealand
Today was a sea day on National Geographic Orion as we sailed up the east coast of New Zealand followed by bottlenose dolphins towards our destination, Tauranga. A sea day on our great ship is always full of activity, starting off the day with presentations from Cultural Navigator Tua and followed by Cultural Specialist and New Zealander Alex Hillary. A fantastic Filipino/Asian themed lunch was prepared by Chef Rannie and his amazing team and ably served by Maître d’ Mio and his spirited team in a very joyous and excited room of hungry guests. After a short rest from lunch, guests were invited down to deck two to judge a Christmas hallway of decorated doors. A competition was held where crew members would decorate their doorways in a Christmas theme, using whatever decorations they could find or make. The Christmas spirit was truly alive with festive colors, decorations, and happy Christmas songs as guests were wowed by the artistry and original creations.
