Christmas came early at Devonport Naval Base on Sunday morning as the HMNZS Te Kaha arrived home.
It brought with it 141 crew members - some of whom had been away for nearly two years.
The crew has been in lockdown in Canada since June, and after a 21-day journey, they can now look forward to a COVID-19-free summer.
"This ship's been away for over 1000 days, some of these sailors have been away for 18 months - that's a really long time. So they'll be looking forward to their families coming home," Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor says.
After the toughest gig of them all, Captain Brock Symmons got an extra-special welcome home gift - getting to meet his new baby Maggie for the first time.
"It's really cool to come home and have an expansion to the family," he says.
Symmons was offered the chance to come home for the birth, but he refused to leave his ship and crew.
"He's very dedicated. You know he's worked 20-odd years for this job, and we are right behind him every step of the way," his wife Kelly Symmons says.
But work will take a back seat over the next month since now is the chance to get to know the new family and settle into the Kiwi summer.
A sentiment shared by the crew and their families, who are thankful they can enjoy a Kiwi Christmas together.
