Seven Seas Explorer Itinerary

What Seven Seas Explorer's Autumn Season in Asia and Australia / New Zealand Is Actually Like

Here's the plot twist: "autumn" on the calendar means something different at each end of this ship's schedule. Seven Seas Explorer leaves Tokyo on 31 October in proper northern-hemisphere autumn. By the time she reaches Sydney in December, it's Australian early summer. Between those points she crosses the tropics in the middle of the monsoon changeover, so one wardrobe won't cover the whole season.

The season in ten acts

Heads-up: a few third-party schedules count one more night on some of these when they subtract the dates (the 19 December round trip, for instance, shows as 10, and the 9 February Darwin sailing as 7). Check the exact length when you book. Apart from the fjord days on the two New Zealand sailings, which come from Regent's own listings, port lists come from third-party timetables, not our own data, and lines swap ports, so confirm with Regent. That goes double for the 31 October Tokyo sailings: our own data has no port list for them, and the stops named above come from third-party schedules that disagree on dates.

Weather and sea conditions

Asia (November): Hong Kong's typhoon season officially runs May to November. The Hong Kong Observatory's 1991–2020 averages put November at just 0.57 days with a tropical cyclone warning signal, so storms are rare that late in the season, but a storm-driven itinerary change isn't impossible. Nha Trang (14 November) is the soggiest call. Long-term averages put November rainfall near 300 mm (11.8 in), and severe flooding hit the area in November 2025. Halong Bay and Ho Chi Minh City are friendlier that month.

Indonesia (late Nov to Dec): The wet season starts in November and peaks from December to February. Expect afternoon downpours and humidity you can wear.

Northern Australia: The official cyclone season runs 1 November to 30 April. The Northern Territory's box-jellyfish season runs 1 October to 1 June, and Darwin's beaches generally have no stinger nets. Many Queensland beaches do. In short, admire the water, and swim only where there's a net.

Southern Australia and New Zealand: This is the good bit. Sydney in December averages roughly 26°C by day and 18°C at night. Auckland sits around 22–24°C. Crossing to the South Island can swing wildly in a single week.

Which length suits whom

• Short (6–11 nights): The 19 December round trip suits Australian Christmas first-timers who want one hotel stay and no one-way flights. The 10 November Hong Kong departure packs Vietnam and Singapore into 11 nights. The 6-night Darwin–Benoa sailing on 9 February is the quick way to Komodo.
• Mid-length (12–16 nights): The 29 December Sydney–Auckland and 14 January Auckland–Sydney sailings are the New Zealand options, but don't expect a port every day. On the way over, Regent's itinerary has Hobart on 3 January and Dunedin on 7 January, with two Tasman Sea days and then fjord cruising on 6 January in between. On the way back, Dunedin is 20 January, fjord cruising is 21 January, two Tasman Sea days follow, and Burnie is 24 January. Bring a book for the Tasman, but keep the camera charged for the fjords. The 16 February Benoa sailing is the 14-night Southeast Asia option.
• Long (18–21 nights): The 18-night 28 January Sydney departure is the one for people who want Komodo and the Great Barrier Reef coast in one go. The 21-night Tokyo sailing is a different beast: it runs through East Asia to Laem Chabang with no Australian ports, so it's for anyone who'd rather unpack once.

Packing and quirks

Pack in layers: a warm jacket for Tokyo, linen and swimwear for the tropics, and a rain jacket plus a sweater for New Zealand. Add reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sturdy shoes for shore days.

One reassurance for the cautious: the ship's latest CDC score is 100, from 22 May 2026. You can check that and other ships on the CDC inspection lookup, and compare this schedule with other lines on our itineraries hub.