Fireworks over Auckland

[Meka3256]

Pre-covid I was sure there were Christmas cruises that docked in Auckland for the new year fireworks.  I have had a look over the last couple of weeks, including the Celebrity 2024/25 programme released this week, and there seem to be no such itineraries. 

Am I just looking at the wrong companies, or have they just all stopped that feature of the itinerary?  Does anyone still do it?

[Aus Traveller]

Are you sure you are not thinking of fireworks in Sydney Harbour?

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

Are you sure you are not thinking of fireworks in Sydney Harbour?

I'm fairly certain Auckland used to have NY fireworks but not quite on the scale of Sydney. We had booked a couple of Cunard cruises that would have overnighted in Auckland on NYE. Auckland could be restricting the number of ships for that night, just like Sydney does. Too risky.

[arxcards]

Nothing this season

 

End of 2023 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth is overnighting in Auckland to see in 2024.

14 nights - New Zealand - December 2023 - Cunard

 

End of 2024 - Most lines are yet to release itineraries for the 2024/25 season

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Nothing this season

 

End of 2023 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth is overnighting in Auckland to see in 2024.

14 nights - New Zealand - December 2023 - Cunard

 

End of 2024 - Most lines are yet to release itineraries for the 2024/25 season

We were originally booked on Cunard for this Xmas/NY and it was overnighting in Auckland on NYE. We cancelled that cruise for various reasons. It's probably booked out by now.

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We were originally booked on Cunard for this Xmas/NY and it was overnighting in Auckland on NYE. We cancelled that cruise for various reasons. It's probably booked out by now.

AH yes, true. I misread the Auckland Ports schedule and saw Ovation there - departing in the afternoon of 31st, so didn't read QE on the line above.

 

Not sold out, and better priced than next year.

[buchhalm]

The Kiwis are celebrating that Aussies are coming to NZL

[Meka3256]

15 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Are you sure you are not thinking of fireworks in Sydney Harbour?

No I definitely mean Auckland

[Meka3256]

13 hours ago, arxcards said:

AH yes, true. I misread the Auckland Ports schedule and saw Ovation there - departing in the afternoon of 31st, so didn't read QE on the line above.

 

Not sold out, and better priced than next year.

 

13 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We were originally booked on Cunard for this Xmas/NY and it was overnighting in Auckland on NYE. We cancelled that cruise for various reasons. It's probably booked out by now.

 

13 hours ago, arxcards said:

Nothing this season

 

End of 2023 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth is overnighting in Auckland to see in 2024.

14 nights - New Zealand - December 2023 - Cunard

 

End of 2024 - Most lines are yet to release itineraries for the 2024/25 season

 

15 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm fairly certain Auckland used to have NY fireworks but not quite on the scale of Sydney. We had booked a couple of Cunard cruises that would have overnighted in Auckland on NYE. Auckland could be restricting the number of ships for that night, just like Sydney does. Too risky.

Thanks all for the note about Cunard.  I'll wait and see what their 2024 itinerary produces - good to know that it does still happen - or at least it will in 2023

[Opua Kiwi]

Queen Elizabeth is overnighting 31st December departing Auckland 1st January 2023 unfortunately the Ovation of the Seas departs at 5pm on the 31st December so no fireworks for them

[Cursa]

On 11/17/2022 at 8:44 PM, Opua Kiwi said:

Queen Elizabeth is overnighting 31st December departing Auckland 1st January 2023 unfortunately the Ovation of the Seas departs at 5pm on the 31st December so no fireworks for them

Ovation is tendered from 8am to 5pm on the 31st and their next destination is Bay of Islands at 8am the next day, so I would have thought they would be in Auckland for the fireworks?

[Opua Kiwi]

On 11/19/2022 at 1:20 AM, Cursa said:

Ovation is tendered from 8am to 5pm on the 31st and their next destination is Bay of Islands at 8am the next day, so I would have thought they would be in Auckland for the fireworks?

Cursa,  Ovation is due to depart at 5pm on the 31st December, it will still be daylight as sunset is not until 8.43pm that day. 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Opua Kiwi

[MMDown Under]

On 11/18/2022 at 10:20 PM, Cursa said:

Ovation is tendered from 8am to 5pm on the 31st and their next destination is Bay of Islands at 8am the next day, so I would have thought they would be in Auckland for the fireworks?

Yes, you would think that.  However, cruise lines want you drinking on their ships not on land.  (I decided not to cruise on any ship which doesn't stay late at "night cities" which have entertainment late.)

[Cursa]

I contacted RCI and they in turn contacted Ovation to get a confirmation on the 31/12 departure details. Response below:

 

The ship responded and advised "At the moment our deployment shows us leaving Auckland at 8:00 pm, sailing to Bay of Islands" so I would not plan for fireworks unless they're at 8pm or so.

Disappointing really but considering the anchor point is out at S1, I doubt we'd see anything anyway.

Hope this helps.

Edited November 30, 2022 by Cursa