"It's been really good. It has been so nice to have a solid block of time together compared to the small amount of time we had last year - I think it was only five weeks," she said.
"We are both really happy with how it is going ... and both feel confident to head away."
The European campaign includes two world cups in Italy and Switzerland before the important World Rowing Championships at the end of August in France.
The world champs will also double as a qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Edward said they wanted to win gold at the world champs again this year as they build towards the Olympics.
"Obviously, I guess we have kind of set our expectations pretty high, and are definitely confident and going for gold."
Edward said it would be a new experience heading overseas as the reigning world champions.
"I guess we are definitely a little bit nervous going into it because this time around people will be looking out for us, whereas last year we were the unknown combination and no one really knew how we would go," she said. "And it has been like a year since the last major event."
She said there would be a lot of new combinations at the up-coming world cup in Italy next weekend and they would find out how they compare.
"It will just be good to have a good crack and see where we sit in the field," she said.
The Kiwi combination missed the first world cup of the season last month but will take part in the more competitive second world cup event next weekend in Italy.
Edward and MacKenzie have been based in Cambridge this year with their coach Gary Hay and the rest of the Rowing New Zealand high-performance squad.
Julia Edward's European summer:
* June 18-21: World Rowing Cup II in Italy
* Two-week training camp in Switzerland
* July 10-12: World Rowing Cup III in Switzerland
* Six-week training camp in Slovenia
* August 30 to September 6: World Rowing Championships in France (Rio Olympics qualifier
