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Napier:
Step Back in Time, Step Into Style.
NORWEGIAN
JEWEL NEW ZEALAND CRUISE – THIRD PORT NAPIER
Day
six of the cruise and we sailed into the port of Napier, calm seas, little wind
and a bright sunny day.
Napier
in Hawkes Bay is a coastal city located on the east coast of New Zealand's
North Island. Together with the nearby
city of Hastings, these two are often referred to as the Twin Cities. One of the main reasons for this city's
success over the years is its seaport.
Napier is the main city servicing the wine growing region of Hawkes Bay,
New Zealand’s oldest wine growing district. Today, the local activities and
sights vary to suit different interests and keep visitors entertained.
Tip: Explore the
Hawke’s Bay Cycleways and stop in at Bivvy Vineyard Café Now more than 200
kilometres of dedicated cycleway allows safe, scenic, fun-filled travelling at
your own pace as you meander around our stunning region.
Tip: Swim with
sharks at the National Aquarium of New Zealand Along Napier’s Marine Parade at
the southern end sits the National Aquarium of New Zealand. As well as sea
turtles, stingrays, crocodiles, piranha and all manner of other delightful
aquatic life, this is the only place in the country where you can Swim With
Sharks.
Napier
oozes fun and adventure and a visit to the attractions of Marine Parade is a
must. Marine Parade overlooks the Pacific Ocean and out towards Cape
Kidnappers, home to the world’s largest mainland gannet colony. A full day can
be taken visiting Ocean Spa hot pools swimming complex, the Hawke’s Bay Museum,
the National Aquarium of New Zealand, or get splashed by the dolphins and seals
at Marine-land of New Zealand.
There
were plenty of cruisers heading out on the wineries in the region like the Craggy
Range Winery, Mission Estate and Aquarium, Marine-land tours.
Tip: For extensive
views of Hawke Bay, from Mahia in the north to Cape Kidnappers in the south and
a close- up view of a working port visit Bluff Hill lookout.
Tip: Head up Te Mata Peak in the early morning. The view from the 399 metre high Te Mata Peak
is rightfully hailed as the best in Hawke’s Bay. When you stand at the top by
the trig you have 360 degrees views. If you’re in ‘the Bay’ in summer, try to
get up there before 10am. The sun won’t be high in the sky yet and the heat
haze, which can limit the clarity of the view later in the day, hasn’t
developed
We again didn’t
book any tours and jumped on the transfer bus to the central area of Napier
CBD. Once we got our bearings we took a stroll up Bluff Mountain. There is no
better place than Bluff Hill to get a good overview of Napier, Hawkes Bay and
the surrounding coastal flatlands and shoreline. It’s possible to see from
Mahia in the north to Cape Kidnappers in the south.
On my wanderings
around Napier, Hawke’s Bay’s main settlement, I was delighted to see the
frequent splash of colour adorning many walls.
From
Bluff Mountain we checked out the city's art deco highlights include Halsbury
Chambers (1932), the T&G Buiilding (1936), Kidsons Building (1932), the
Municipal Theatre (1938), Hotel Central (1932), Gaiety de Luxe Cinema, Daily
Telegraph Building (1932), the Soundshell, the Hawkes Bay Chambers (1932), the
Clocktower and the Masonic Hotel (1932).
Central
Napier's grid of streets means there is a walk-able range of boutique stores
and larger national chains. Kim loved shopping
in Hawke's Bay which can be done either as a marathon or a sprint, with a
number of shopping precincts to explore. We explored the streets either side of
the railway lines within the Hastings CBD and headed to Havelock North, a
village boasting diverse boutique shopping.
Once
again we headed back to the ship before everyone came back from their tours to
utilize the pool, bars and Kim checked out the gym. We spent the afternoon
practicing our trivia. We both had a go at Last Person Standing Trivia and a
bit of Goofy Golf.
Check out our time in Napier:
Night
Time Entertainment was:
Showtime
with Brenda Edwards in Concert.
Brenda
Edwards present her own show, Soul from the West End. Having found fame on The
X Factor, Brenda has carved out a hugely successful career as one of London’s
most in demand leading ladies.
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