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Trade Insider · Sailing Times

New Zealand Cruise Sailing Times

Indicative port-to-port sailing distances and overnight viability for NZ itinerary planning. These figures help itinerary planners assess leg feasibility and sequence ports logically — they are planning estimates, not navigational data.

Disclaimer: Sailing times are indicative planning estimates only. They are not navigational advice and must be verified with the ship operator, port authority, pilots and marine planners.

16 kn is the coastal-repositioning planning speed (cruise ships have a ~20–22 kn service speed but slow-steam overnight coastal legs to arrive at dawn).
FromToNMSteamingOvernight?Notes
AucklandWaiheke140.9 h (0:53)noHauraki Gulf short hop — day sail
AucklandSydney132582.8 h (82:49)noTasman crossing — sea days; ships run ~20 kn
AucklandFiji115071.9 h (71:53)noOpen ocean to Suva — sea days; ships run ~20 kn
AucklandNorfolk Island58036.3 h (36:15)noOpen ocean — sea day plus; ships run ~20 kn
AucklandBay of Islands1408.8 h (8:45)yesEast-coast Northland run
AucklandWhangarei835.2 h (5:11)yesNorthport official distance
AucklandTauranga1449.0 h (9:00)yesRounds Coromandel Peninsula (Port of Tauranga table)
BluffStewart Island221.4 h (1:23)noFoveaux Strait crossing — day sail
BluffFiordland18511.6 h (11:34)yesTo Milford via Puysegur Point; Doubtful Sound ~130 nm
FiordlandHobart87554.7 h (54:41)noTasman crossing — sea days; ships run ~20 kn
GisborneNapier905.6 h (5:38)yesEast-coast leg
KaikouraLyttelton805.0 h (5:00)yesDocumented coastal passage
LytteltonTimaru835.2 h (5:11)yesDerived from port-authority distance chain
NapierWellington18511.6 h (11:34)yesRounds Cape Palliser
NelsonKaiteriteri191.2 h (1:11)noTasman Bay short hop — day sail
PictonKaikoura905.6 h (5:38)yesEast-coast leg
Port ChalmersFiordland30018.8 h (18:45)marginalTo Milford; confirm which sound — overnight plus part sea day
Port ChalmersBluff1147.1 h (7:08)yesDerived; rounds the south-east coast
TaurangaGisborne21313.3 h (13:19)yesRounds East Cape (Port of Tauranga table)
TimaruPort Chalmers805.0 h (5:00)yesDerived from port-authority distance chain
WellingtonPicton523.3 h (3:15)noCook Strait — day sail (Interislander route)
WellingtonNelson1106.9 h (6:53)yesPlanning estimate — confirm route
Auckland → Waiheke
Nautical Miles14
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)0.9 h (0:53)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesHauraki Gulf short hop — day sail
Auckland → Sydney
Nautical Miles1325
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)82.8 h (82:49)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesTasman crossing — sea days; ships run ~20 kn
Auckland → Fiji
Nautical Miles1150
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)71.9 h (71:53)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesOpen ocean to Suva — sea days; ships run ~20 kn
Auckland → Norfolk Island
Nautical Miles580
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)36.3 h (36:15)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesOpen ocean — sea day plus; ships run ~20 kn
Auckland → Bay of Islands
Nautical Miles140
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)8.8 h (8:45)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesEast-coast Northland run
Auckland → Whangarei
Nautical Miles83
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)5.2 h (5:11)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesNorthport official distance
Auckland → Tauranga
Nautical Miles144
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)9.0 h (9:00)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesRounds Coromandel Peninsula (Port of Tauranga table)
Bluff → Stewart Island
Nautical Miles22
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)1.4 h (1:23)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesFoveaux Strait crossing — day sail
Bluff → Fiordland
Nautical Miles185
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)11.6 h (11:34)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesTo Milford via Puysegur Point; Doubtful Sound ~130 nm
Fiordland → Hobart
Nautical Miles875
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)54.7 h (54:41)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesTasman crossing — sea days; ships run ~20 kn
Gisborne → Napier
Nautical Miles90
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)5.6 h (5:38)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesEast-coast leg
Kaikoura → Lyttelton
Nautical Miles80
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)5.0 h (5:00)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesDocumented coastal passage
Lyttelton → Timaru
Nautical Miles83
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)5.2 h (5:11)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesDerived from port-authority distance chain
Napier → Wellington
Nautical Miles185
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)11.6 h (11:34)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesRounds Cape Palliser
Nelson → Kaiteriteri
Nautical Miles19
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)1.2 h (1:11)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesTasman Bay short hop — day sail
Picton → Kaikoura
Nautical Miles90
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)5.6 h (5:38)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesEast-coast leg
Port Chalmers → Fiordland
Nautical Miles300
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)18.8 h (18:45)
Overnight Viable?marginal
NotesTo Milford; confirm which sound — overnight plus part sea day
Port Chalmers → Bluff
Nautical Miles114
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)7.1 h (7:08)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesDerived; rounds the south-east coast
Tauranga → Gisborne
Nautical Miles213
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)13.3 h (13:19)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesRounds East Cape (Port of Tauranga table)
Timaru → Port Chalmers
Nautical Miles80
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)5.0 h (5:00)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesDerived from port-authority distance chain
Wellington → Picton
Nautical Miles52
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)3.3 h (3:15)
Overnight Viable?no
NotesCook Strait — day sail (Interislander route)
Wellington → Nelson
Nautical Miles110
Est. Steaming (@ 16 kn)6.9 h (6:53)
Overnight Viable?yes
NotesPlanning estimate — confirm route
Methodology & sources

Distances are sea-route nautical miles from port-authority distance tables (Port of Tauranga, Northport) and documented coastal passages where available. Some legs are planning estimates. Open-ocean legs (Tasman, Fiji, Norfolk) are normally run at ~20 kn service speed, so real times are shorter than at 16 kn. Steaming time is computed as nautical miles ÷ selected planning speed.

Sources: Port of Tauranga distance table; Northport; Interislander (Cook Strait); NZCA.

Sources & last updated: Cruisey sailing-leg database. Updated July 2026.
Cite this page

Cruisey. "New Zealand Cruise Sailing Times." Cruisey.co.nz. Accessed 2026.