Guitar 123 Singapore Food and Travel Blog! : Voyager of the Seas - New Zealand Sounds Part 1 (海洋航行者号, 新西兰,米尔福德声音)

We sailed on the Voyager of the Seas out of Sydney in Dec 2012.

海洋航行者号

It was our first ever 14N cruise. Before the Sounds, we visited Hobart, Tasmania.

One of the highlights of this cruise was the day of sailing through the various Sounds.

The first Sound was Milford Sound. Early morning, as the ship approached the entrance to Milford Sound. A surreal experience.

Mountains and the sea.

Loved the cloud formation.

People were up early. This was about 6am. The night before, the Captain announced that we will be at the entrance at about 6:30am.

Now, that looked like a little boat coming out to meet us.

Turns out that it was the pilot craft. Hello!!!

Hey, where are you going? Come back!

Turns out that the pilot craft made one round behind the aft, and pulled up portside.

Coming close.

Welcome aboard, pilot!

More people had gathered now. Everybody was excited, very.

Approaching Milford Sound.

Approaching....

Hmmmm... where is the entrance?

Errrm, Captain, this ship is huge. Are you sure you want to go so close to shore?

Errrm, Captain, isn't it time to stop this ship and let us off on tenders?

Ooooh.. look at the low lying cloud.

All of us waiting to see if and when the ship will run aground.

Captain, are you sure you want to go in there?

Captain, can the Voyager go on reverse thrusters?

Oh yeah, you told us about the Azipods. We can go backwards and sideways.

Where are we going?

Hey, you sure we aren't too close?

Nice cloud though.

Hmmmmm.......

Ooooooh.

Nice. More water!

Oh wow. Hidden!

Looks like a big lake in there... and we are going in!

Sailing right past this mountain.

We look awfully close.

Going deeper into the Sound.

Yes, didn't I tell you that we were flying? It is all part of Royal Caribbean's 'WOW' Down-Under campaign.

Fly me to the moon...

How about getting us over that mountain?

Now, this is the gorgeous view from our AFT balcony.

Awesome stuff right?

Phew, close shave.

You could almost touch the cloud.

Don't jump over!

Beautiful view!!

Back on top. That's the end of the Sound. The ship can't get too close.

What were they looking at?

Oh, a ferry! Where did you come from?

Hey, where are you bringing my friends?

Good bye.

Farewell.

I hope to see you again, soon.

You sure you guys want to leave us?

Surely the Voyager is a lot more comfortable than that ferry?

That looks like a waterfall!

It is a waterfall.

And we are heading out, after dropping those passengers. Later, I found out that they were going on an overnight land tour and they would rejoin the ship at Dunedin.