First off, let me tell you that Milford Sound is actually a fiord (or fjord, if you’re Scandinavian). What’s the difference? Fiords are carved by glaciers, sounds are not. Or something. Oh, I don’t know so I’ll refer to the information on the Real Journeys website:

What is the difference between a sound and a fiord?
Throughout Fiordland the fiords are officially mapped as sounds.  Strictly speaking, they should be called fiords.

A fiord is a glaciated valley – typically narrow and steep-sided – that has been flooded by the sea after the glacier’s retreat.  A sound, on the other hand, is a river valley flooded by the sea following a rise in sea levels or depression of the land, or a combination of both.

Discovered by a Welsh bloke and originally named Milford Haven, Milford sound is majestic taste of New Zealand tourism. This silent wilderness is best experienced by cramming yourself onto a three-level boat with five hundred snap-happy Japanese tourists, many of whom have just stepped-off the same transfer-coach as you.

Only joking! If you’re down this neck of the woods, the best way is to drive yourself from Te Anau to Milford Sound port and, if you do nothing else, avoid the lunchtime sailings on the big boats like the plague! Concerned with her ability to avoid sea-sickness on a smaller vessel, we booked ourselves onto a big boat tour that sailed after the lunchtime coach-crowds had mostly left, thus giving ourselves enough room to blow about in the twenty knot wind on deck. Seriously, our Christchurch-bought windproof fleeces and tie-down hats came into their own today. Most folks started atop the open deck, only to scurry below once out in the harsh maritime winds on the open water.

Really great experience this: it propbably tops the New Zealand list for me so far. (Although a helicopter landing on a glacier, might just beat it a week or so’s time…)

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