Dear Quilters and Friends,
2024 is starting out with a fabulous trip Down Under! We will sail aboard Holland America’s elegant Noordam from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia! From Kiwis to Kangaroos!
Our classes are held during our “at sea” days. As usual, we bring you a wide variety of classes from which to choose, taught by two award-winning, renowned instructors in the world of quilting:
Kathy McNeil and Gyleen X. Fitzgerald!
Quilting and “sewcializing”
We begin our cruise in the City of Sails; beautiful Auckland New Zealand! Our first port of call is Tauranga. Site of fierce Maori wars, Tauranga today is a peaceful city in the heart of kiwifruit-growing country. Farther afield: Gisborne, then it’s on to Napier, A city of vision, rebuilt in the striking, clean style of art deco after a devastating earthquake in 1931 and reinvented as a center for gourmet food and wines. Next we visit Wellington, the capitol city of New Zealand. See the Wellington Botanic Garden, ride the red Wellington Cable Car (a funicular, really) down to Lambton Quay and give the New Zealand capital a walking tour. And if the countryside looks familiar, that’s because many signature scenes from the “Lord of the Rings” movies were filmed in the area! Picton is our next stop. Set in the upper reaches of Queen Charlotte Sound, Picton is perfect in every way: climate, scenery and outdoor adventure in the largest grape-growing and wine-producing region of New Zealand!
Our next stop is Lyttleton, the gateway to Christchurch. Explore the village and enjoy colonial architecture, art galleries, shopping and cafés. We then travel to Dunedin, the Edindurgh of New Zealand! Similarities to Scotland are very noticeable and a number of restaurants honor the city’s Scottish heritage, featuring items such as haggis, Cullen skink, and whiskey. We will then cruise Fjordland National Park, for a day in stunning Milford Sound before crossing the sea to the land of Koala’s and Kangaroos! The first port in Australia is the capital of Tasmania. Hobart lies along the Derwent River and is dominated by the breathtaking Mount Wellington. Stroll the harbor side docks to browse artist studios, relax at a local café, and visit the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Nearby, sample the famous wines of Coal River Valley or view the magnificent cliffs of Port Arthur.
Next we will visit Melbourne, which has been rated the world’s most livable city. You can’t go wrong in the city center, full of welcoming pedestrian lanes and Victorian veneers. The Docklands has shops and waterside activities. Queen Victoria market is vast and varied. Southgate has a promenade along the Yarra. We will complete our fabulous cruise sailing into Sydney under the Harbor Bridge and past the iconic Sydney Opera House. We recommend extending your stay in Australia to take in the Blue Mountains, the Great Barrier Reef and Ayers Rock to name just a few of the better known sights! Whatever you decide you can’t go wrong with this wonderful Down Under Adventure!
Onboard the ship you will have the opportunity to perfect your quilting skills with many class choices from our fabulous teachers, as well as myriad opportunities for “SEWCIALIZING” with other people who all share your love of quilting! You may arrive as strangers but you will leave with many new friends!
Be Our Guest
For all of you that have sailed with us before, welcome back! For those of you that are new to the fabulous experience of quilting at sea, we look forward to getting to know you and to sharing our New Zealand Adventure Quilt Seminar at Sea with you!
This cruise works perfectly to extend your stay in Australia after the cruise ends to take part in the Australasian Quilt Convention and Expo in Melbourne. Bring a friend, your spouse or your family – non-quilters are always welcome to join us and they get a special discounted rate! They have many activities to pursue while you are in class!
We can’t wait to see you on board the Noordam!
Best Wishes,
Kathy McNeil and Gyleen X. Fitzgerald
Alisa VandenBosch and Amy Ross
Quilt Seminars at Sea