Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa (treatments not included), whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Mount Wellington's looming, cloud-wisped form is an ever-present sight as you explore booming Hobart, the cosmopolitan capital of Australia's most southerly state. A former British penal colony, nowadays one of Australia's oldest cities, is a place to live a free and easy life. Encircled by dramatic cliffs, landscaped gardens, and rolling vineyards, Hobart is also well-stocked with cultural pursuits, including museums, and respected – if controversial – galleries plastering new and old art to their walls.

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Enjoy another day in Hobart. Visit one of the waterfront restaurants or rise up Mount Wellington's slopes to appreciate the remoteness of Hobart's location. From this elevated platform, you can look down across views of flowing forests, undulating mountains, and an endless ocean swallowing up the city. Further away, animal sanctuaries introduce you to the island's famous inhabitants, including the Tasmanian devil.

Thirsty? Hobart has a long brewing tradition and is home to the country's oldest brewery. The climate's blend of generous sunshine and cool Antarctic breezes helps Hobart to produce its acclaimed wines, and thick clumps of pinot noir grapes hang from vineyards dotted along the valleys nearby. Taste the wines, accompanied by a platter of artisan cheese and sausage (optional shore excursion). Whiskey aficionados aren't left in the cold either, with international award-winning distilleries close by.

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

During the day, guests can participate in enrichment programs such as lectures, cooking demonstrations, and dance classes. Active travellers can enjoy the expansive pool deck, featuring the fleet’s largest pool, a jogging track, and a fitness centre. For those seeking relaxation, the Otium Spa offers a range of treatments (charges apply), while the Observation Lounge provides a tranquil space with 270-degree views.

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

The south-easterly coast of New Zealand's wild southern island is a haven for outdoor adventures, with masses of raw scenic beauty and thrilling coastline. Located in the Otago Harbour, Dunedin is a cosmopolitan city of culture and architectural splendour, with a distinctly tartan flair. Settled by the Scots in 1848, the romantically misty valleys and moody landscapes continue to capture the hearts of visitors to these distant shores. Searing bagpipes echo down the streets in the Edinburgh of the South, which wears its Scottish origins proudly. Gothic revival architecture is scattered liberally, including the magnificent university, with its glorious clock tower, and the city's grand cathedral. Head to the elegant Octagon to see the statue of Robert Burns, whose nephew was a city founder. The railway station is perhaps the pick of this city's many artistic structures. Its glowing gardens and pretty mosaics add extra detail to the elegant, gingerbread building. It's also the perfect jumping-off point for romantic rail adventures along the coastline.

The melodramatic coastline of the Otago Peninsula boasts dramatic cliffs and sea-sprayed beaches, as well as an abundance of animals. Explore cliffs laced with tunnels and hidden walkways to get you up close and personal with Yellow-eyed penguins. Sea lions and seals also sprawl out on windswept beaches, drifting in and out of indulgent dozes. The south island's second-largest city regularly receives a top-up of youthful energy thanks to its healthy student population. Not that Dunedin is lacking a distinctly quirky personality of its own, as showcased by the event where locals race thousands of chocolate orbs down the world's steepest street – Baldwin Street. Museums in the city tell of Chinese influences, as well as the stories of early Maori settlers. Round off an active day sampling a South Island institution – an icy beer from Speight's Brewery (not included).

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

New Zealand's "Garden City" is a place of quiet streets, leafy parks, and beautiful tree-lined boulevards. Christchurch has an unmistakable English flavour to it and serves as the gateway to southern New Zealand's natural wonders. The rebuild of the country's oldest city continues apace, following the earthquakes that devastated it in 2011, and the South Island's biggest city is now blossoming, having evolved into a confident and cultural powerhouse. Colourful street art adds an edge to the city, while shiny new bars and restaurants contribute to a sense of revitalisation and renewal. Visit museums and take tours to learn more about the reconstruction (optional shore excursion), which has made incredible progress in recent years. The old-time charm of a punt on the River Avon is still a quintessential Christchurch experience.

Sail amid weeping willows drooping to the water, as you drift through a blur of colours in the botanical gardens. Surrounded by extinct volcanoes, soaring lakes, and the rolling farmlands of the Canterbury Plains, spectacular scenery sprawls around the city. Pay a visit to the Southern Alps' snow-covered peaks, the stunning hot pools and rushing streams of Hanmer Springs, or the Hector's dolphins who swim at Akaroa. A city that has faced immense challenges – both natural and manmade – over the last decade, it's hard not to feel inspired by Christchurch's defiant character and friendly people, who share an open and welcoming outlook that shines stronger than ever.

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Wellington is a vibrant and energetic seaside capital sprawling around a hook-shaped peninsula. A compact, well-stocked city of buzzing bars and chatting cafes, New Zealand's capital is a bright and breezy place with an infectious, easy-going atmosphere. Known as the creative hub of the South Pacific, there are shows to see, art installations to enjoy, and rich flavours to savour here. The sounds of rare and beautiful birdlife fill the hills around the city, and the bush of the green belt provides an easy-to-access sanctuary for strolls and cycle rides. The Botanical Gardens break up the buildings even more while an iconic, cherry-red cable car rumbles up Wellington's slope to the city's best viewpoint, looking out over the city's scenic harbour from above. Zealandia has provided an urban home for rare and endangered birdlife, bringing many species back from the brink (optional shore excursion).

Varied museums cover everything from Maori traditions to earthquake simulations and even the real-life Kraken – a displayed colossal squid. Wellington is only New Zealand's third-biggest city, but spend some time here, and you'll realise that's a blessing. Eminently scrollable, you can stop in at countless cool cafes to top up your caffeine levels whenever your energy is flagging – the smell of a fresh artisan espresso is never far away. The wines grown nearby are revered, and the city's craft beers are also making waves. Wander the breezy waterfront and admire the surfers riding the wind-whipped rollers of the self-proclaimed "coolest little capital in the world".

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Sip the fine wines of legendary producers, visit Cape Kidnappers' crowds of birdlife, and wander the stylish streets of the world's art deco capital, during your time in handsome Napier (optional shore excursions). Located on the huge arc of Hawke's Bay, Napier enjoys a generous Mediterranean-style climate and a breezy cafe culture. A green, outdoor town, wander Marine Parade, which borders the rich blue Pacific and invites you to stroll along a tree-lined two-mile seafront. Take the gentle hike up to Bluff Hill for panoramic views over the lively Napier Port and out towards Cape Kidnappers – given its name following a clash between Captain Cook's settlers and the local Maori population. Here, you can seek one of the world's largest mainland gannet colonies, creating a colourful cacophony by the sea. Set on sheer cliffs, the golden-headed birds are an incredible sight, swirling overhead and dancing before you.

The city's renowned Art Deco architecture glows in the sunshine of New Zealand's North Island. Built following the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that ripped through the region in 1931, the rebuild, in the architectural fashion of the time, has left an authentic treasure trove of 30s-style buildings. Grapes thrive in the warm, dry climate of Napier and Hawke's Bay, which is one of New Zealand's oldest wine regions. Swirl glasses in waterfront bars or head out to walk among the vineyards of pinot gris and syrah grapes, learning of the climate conditions that help add sophisticated flavour to every bottle (optional shore excursion).

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Overnight: Silversea Silver Nova

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

After breakfast this morning, disembark the 'Silver Nova' and make your own way to the hotel for your two-night city stay. Once checked in, spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Overnight: QT Auckland, or similar, Auckland

Meals included: Breakfast

Enjoy a day at leisure in Auckland.

Blending beachy recreation with all the delights of a modern, diverse, and thoroughly multicultural city, Auckland sits on the lucid blue-green waters of New Zealand's North Island. Known as the “City of Sails”, its two harbours will tempt you with waterfront walks, and the chance to breathe fresh sea air deep into your lungs while absorbing spectacular views of Auckland's grand harbour bridge span. Take in the true scale of Auckland's magnificent cityscape by ascending 192 meters to the Sky Tower, and looking out over the city's gleaming silver towers, which reflect on the abundant waters below (not included). Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of the area at Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki. Set beside tranquil fountains and handsomely landscaped flowerbeds of Albert Park, the French-Renaissance building houses New Zealand's most extensive art collection, and exhibits works from Mäori and Pacific artists.

New Zealand is world-renowned for its captivating natural scenery, and day trips across the sparkling bays to nearby islands like Waiheke, Tiritiri Matangi, and Rangitoto are always tempting. There are also lava caves, grape-laden vineyards, and flourishing wildlife in the Hauraki Gulf's islands. You'll also find an exceptional 360-degree panorama over the city, to the horizon beyond, from the heights of ancient Mount Eden. The spectacular dormant volcano rises improbably from a city suburb and also lends its name to Eden Park – the unusual, translucent stadium of New Zealand's mighty All Blacks.

Overnight: QT Auckland, or similar, Auckland

Meals included: None

After check out this morning, be transferred to Auckland airport for your homeward-bound flight.

Meals included: None