He experienced parts of New Zealand "even New Zealanders don't get to see" as the helicopter flew from Milford Sound to Dunedin Hospital.
"The helicopter boys were just sensational blokes," he said.
"They kept a bit of banter going.
"They were just fantastic."
He was as complimentary of the staff at Dunedin Hospital, where he spent the next week. "It was just wonderful," he said. "The hospital staff are worth their weight in gold."
The day had begun early as Mr McDonald and his wife, Maria, scampered on deck to see the scenery as they came into Milford Sound.
"I took off up the stairs and had a little bit of an ache in the chest and I put it down to a muscle strain," he said.
"I thought this thing is hanging around a bit so I'll go back to the cabin and have a lie down.
"This little ache disappeared so I took off again but I got 30m down the cabin way and this little ache came back again."
It was not until he was in the ship's medical centre that the reality of the situation dawned on him.
"The doctor said 'classic angina, so we will keep you down here for three days' and no sooner had he said that then 'whammo'. I don't think I have ever experienced greater pain in my life.
"It was a heart attack."
He was winched on to the helicopter and spent the next week in hospital as his wife sailed back to Melbourne.
"It was quite an experience, perhaps one I could have done without," he said.
"But the good news is they put the stent in and that was one blockage, but otherwise I was in pretty good shape."
The pair intend to finish the cruise, but took home nothing but fond memories of the Land of the Long White Cloud this time around.
The couple first came to New Zealand in 1975 on their honeymoon and hope to mark their 40th wedding anniversary by taking in the sights again.
The Dawn Princess' voyage was struck by the norovirus bug and some passengers were confined to their cabins but Mr McDonald was not affected.
