About the Port
The Bay of Islands stretches across the North Island's northeastern coast, where roughly 150 islands rise from sheltered turquoise waters. The region's mild, subtropical climate and countless coves have long made it a favored sailing ground, while the town of Waitangi holds deep significance as the site where the treaty between Māori chiefs and the British Crown was signed in 1840, shaping the nation's founding.
Ships typically anchor offshore, with tenders ferrying travelers into the historic township of Russell or nearby Paihia, both compact enough to explore on foot. From these bases, the wider bay opens onto game-fishing grounds, dolphin-rich waters, and dramatic coastal scenery. The area rewards a slower pace, rewarding those who venture beyond the shoreline with a genuine sense of New Zealand's early colonial and Māori history set against a strikingly unspoiled natural backdrop.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Bay Of Islands.
Visit Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Tour the historic meeting house and treaty house where Māori chiefs and the British Crown signed New Zealand's founding document in 1840, a short walk or taxi ride from Paihia's tender dock.
Cruise to the Hole in the Rock
Take a boat trip out to Cape Brett and Piercy Island, where a natural sea arch cuts through the rock and dolphins often ride the bow wake; half-day tours depart from Paihia or Russell.
Wander Historic Russell
Stroll the waterfront lanes of New Zealand's first capital, once a rowdy whaling port, past clapboard churches and colonial buildings that recount the country's earliest European settlement.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Click a cruise line to see its Bay Of Islands sailings and Pavlus pricing.
Cruises That Visit Bay Of Islands
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | Celebrity | Celebrity Edge | 19 | $2,146 | |
| Sep 29, 2026 | Celebrity | Celebrity Solstice | 19 | $1,873 | |
| Oct 28, 2026 | Celebrity | Celebrity Edge | 12 | $2,604 | |
| Nov 3, 2026 | Princess | Grand Princess | 15 | $2,349 | |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Princess | Crown Princess | 29 | $3,218 | |
| Nov 19, 2026 | Celebrity | Celebrity Edge | 12 | $3,242 | |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Princess | Royal Princess | 19 | $7,379 | |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Princess | Royal Princess | 18 | $6,329 | |
| Dec 2, 2026 | Royal Caribbean | Anthem of the Seas | 9 | $1,444 | |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Princess | Royal Princess | 13 | $2,279 | |
| Dec 15, 2026 | Princess | Royal Princess | 20 | $8,373 | |
| Dec 16, 2026 | Princess | Royal Princess | 19 | $7,773 | |
| Dec 19, 2026 | Royal Caribbean | Anthem of the Seas | 9 | $2,007 | |
| Dec 20, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Spirit | 17 | $3,358 | |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Celebrity | Celebrity Edge | 12 | $3,806 | |
| Dec 22, 2026 | Princess | Royal Princess | 13 | $2,773 | |
| Dec 23, 2026 | Princess | Grand Princess | 14 | $2,401 | |
| Dec 23, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Spirit | 14 | $2,489 | |
| Dec 23, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Spirit | 18 | $2,739 | |
| Dec 29, 2026 | Regent | Seven Seas Explorer | 16 | $19,299 |
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