We spent our final day in New Zealand waters cruising through Dusky, Doubtful and Milford sounds. These sounds were formed by glaciers and very much resemble the fjords or Scandinavia. Dusky and Doubtful sounds are open at both ends so the ship can cruise through but Milford sound is closed so the ship has to turn around to get back out. Turning the ship the size of Celebrity Solstice in the the narrow sound takes a bit of skill.

Our captain told us that the usual weather for this area is rain from steady to torrential and that our partly cloudy weather was very very unusual. The scenery around the sounds is rugged with pine-covered hills and looming rock faces where the rain has washed away all ground cover down to the bare rock.

Aside from the occasional tour boat there were few signs of life. There is a small town at the end of Milford sound which caters to tourists who fly in. There are tour boats that run from the town icluding one of the strangest looking vessels I've ever seen. Start with a standard tour boat and then add three masts with roller-furling sails (there a photo of it in the slide show).

The sounds were incredible with a sort of forbidding beauty that made your glad you had seen it but also glad your were on your way.