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Queenstown or Not?


Islandgirl4242
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My husband and I are contemplating going on this overnight trip on our cruise in December. Can you tell me how you liked it? Is it worth the price? My husband loves old gold mining towns. Do you get to explore any of them? Thank you.

 

This much older post has been "re-cycled" and brought back to life. Good! See more below, plus some of my pictures.

 

We did, along with other several couples in our travel group from Central Ohio, the two-day, overnight Queenstown excursion. It's a choice, not cheap. There are pro's and con's to consider. Milford Sound is suppose to be the best of the three you will visit. BUT, the biggest roll of the dice is the weather. These fjords can be spectacular, but you can have iffy weather. Maybe great and sunny. Maybe rainy with overcast, etc. Possible a little of both as your travels that day cover a varied amount of distance/travel among the three different areas.

 

On my live/blog I detail much on ALL that we did on this two-day excursion. WOW!! What a great trip. Loved it ALL so much. Not just charming Queenstown, but seeing a wonderful rainforest area, the charm of the interior of NZ's South Island, a cute old gold-rush town, a winery, the bridge where bungee jumping got its start, etc. On the Queenstown side of the mountains, there are less weather challenges, etc. With our tour, we still got a nice sampling of Dunedin, its very special train station, etc.

 

Either one can work well. Much depends on what you most like, seek and enjoy most. Added questions? Below are a few visuals to give previews for what you can see in this excellent part of the world. Many, many more on the full live/blog.

 

Worth it? It was for us and the others in our group. Personal choice!! The NZ South Island is amazing and being able to sample it was very important for us to "feed" our personal interests to see and learn more about this unique part of the world.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 156,940 views for this posting.

 

 

Going into Milford Sound on the Solstice, there were great views from our balcony on the tenth floor. We did not like the overcast skies and rain, but it added to the “drama” with the huge number of waterfalls in this area. In this picture, my wife is checking out these great sights from our balcony early this morning. It was a rocky crossing of the Tasman Sea.:

 

QueentownExcur1stA14_zpsd236d1b9.jpg

 

 

Our first stop after getting off of the Solstice and boarding our bus was a major rainforest areas in the Fiordlands National Park. Amazing site and stop!! Yes, there was some rain that morning. But, here are some facts to consider. In the Milford Sound area, they get an average of 23 feet (that's right FEET) of rain each year. At times, it might go as high as 46' yearly. That means most ever day gets some rain as the churning Tasman sea air loaded with moisture hits these South Island mountains. By sharp contrast, just 25 miles away (across the mountains), Queenstown averages only 30 inches of rain annually. Big difference!!:

 

QueentownExcur1stA8_zps3e22c428.jpg

 

 

Here is a view of the main street in Arrowtown with lots of character and charm. Plus, many shops! High-quality ones!! Just the kind that my wife and others love. There were historic places for beers, cheese, etc., too! Not just clothing and jade/jewelry.:

 

QueentownExcurA43_zps2d91792c.jpg

 

 

Here is one of my visuals in connection with this steamship sailing leading to the dinner at the sheep station at the other end of this scenic lake near Queenstown during the two-day Solstice excursion. You will see lots of scenic mountains and areas during this sailing that is a key part of this evening fun. And, there was food!!:

 

QueentownExcurA24_zps2a4c81d5.jpg

 

 

Here is one of my pictures from the Kawarau Suspension Bridge and its dramatic gorge nearby to Queenstown. It's a classy bridge design in a setting that is world-class. This bridge is narrow, being built way before cars and trucks had been invented and built.:

 

QueentownExcurA17_zpsa21bfc30.jpg

 

 

Among the highlights in Dunedin was their rail station with its many special design touches. As our guide, John, explained, Dunedin was very rich at the time from its gold and other resources. Why did they make it so fancy? Because they could!! You can see some of the fancy tile work, a stained-glass window, etc., there. They do not build things like this these days. In this below picture, you can see our skilled guide John with some of the folks from our Central Ohio travel group outside in front of this landmark building.:

 

QueentownExcurA3_zpsd99d641b.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...
Do you get the option to bungee jump? was there anything to do at night after you got back to the hotel?

 

Appreciate this good question. There was one person from our ship tour that wanted to and did do the bungee jump. So, YES, I could have done this "leap", but NO, I did not. My wife would not have been very happy with me attempting such a jump!

 

At our hotel there, after we got back from the dinner, sheep demonstration and the scenic lake boat trip, there was not much to do at this location. BUT, it had been a long day and we were going to be busy earlier the next morning and all that day. No need, at least for us, to be up late and partying. The hotel used by these overnight groups will vary. Some are closer to the main city. Some a little farther away. Clearly no limit if you wanted to be out late in the night, but overall Queenstown, when we were there, did not seem to be that much of a late-night party scene. My sense is that Queenstown is more of the day-time, outdoor-intensive activity type of location.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 45,067 views for these postings.

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  • 2 months later...
Thanks so much for your review. We could not make up our minds but I have now just booked it for our March cruise! We have cruised N.Z before so have done a day in Dunedin and Milford Sound is by the fast the best.

 

Jancye

 

 

Totally agree! On Ovation of the seas right now on our way back to Sydney. Loved New Zealand!! Highlight of our cruise was definitely the overnight in Queenstown!!!

 

 

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Totally agree! On Ovation of the seas right now on our way back to Sydney. Loved New Zealand!! Highlight of our cruise was definitely the overnight in Queenstown!!!

 

Appreciate this great news as to how much you loved doing the overnight in Queenstown and seeing the wonderful sights on the New Zealand South Island. Glad things worked out well.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 219,930 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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  • 6 months later...

Although the thread is very informative as to what you would see on the 2 night stay what isn't addressed is what can you do if you do not go on this excursion?

 

Will be on the Princess in Feb, 2017 and had all my stops planned and booked excursions except this one. I overlooked it and thought we stayed on the ship ( scenic cruising).

Can one get off the ship if you don't do the 2 night excursion?

Port hours say 7am-4pm so I am thinking yes.??

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Although the thread is very informative as to what you would see on the 2 night stay what isn't addressed is what can you do if you do not go on this excursion?Will be on the Princess in Feb, 2017 and had all my stops planned and booked excursions except this one. I overlooked it and thought we stayed on the ship ( scenic cruising). Can one get off the ship if you don't do the 2 night excursion? Port hours say 7am-4pm so I am thinking yes.??

 

Appreciate this good question. YES!! There are "trade-offs" and various factors to consider. You can not automatically say that the Queenstown overnight excursion is always better than staying on the ship. Each option has its benefits and factors to consider.

 

One of the biggest factors is weather. If you stay on the ship, you could see some nice, added fjord/sound region of New Zealand's south island. OR, you might have mixed or marginal weather during that part of the trip. Bad weather might limit what you can see and enjoy. You'll never know. Those fjord/sound parts of NZ are subject to more "variables" with weather as the nearby colder waters come up from Antarctica clash with the warmer waters coming from the north of the Pacific. On our cruise, those who did the Queenstown excursion loved it. YES!! BUT, those staying on the ship and going around this part of NZ, also had very nice experiences and sights. Plus, got into the port town near Dunedin earlier.

 

Much will depend on your weather luck, plus what personally is most of interest. Cost is also a factor to consider. No extra charge to stay on the ship and sail around this lower part of New Zealand. Does this help provide a little more "perspective"? Added questions?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Panama Canal? Completed Feb. 28-Mar. 15, 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through the Panama Canal with our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! Those visuals start on the second page, post #26. See more at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

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Port hours say 7am-4pm so I am thinking yes.??

 

Tell me more!! Nor sure that I understand exactly which port location as to where you will be docking. Are you looking to do this half-day tour of Queenstown while you are docked near Dunedin, NZ?? If so, there is the challenge of "LOGISTICS". It takes about four hours, each way, to connect from the docking location near Dunedin to Queenstown. So with only eight hours net in this port, you cannot make it all work out. Am I understanding that this half-day Queenstown tour would start and end in this inland NZ city?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 184,322 views for this posting.

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Well that makes a huge difference... I cannot tell where we dock for the scenic cruising.. maybe you can thank you

 

 

The town of Te Anau in Fiordland National Park is also your gateway to the South Island's other natural wonders including Lake Wakatipu, the resort of Queenstown and Mt. Cook National Park.

 

Princess cruise Feb 6 , 2018 Sydney to Auckland 12 days

Edited by ISLABONITA
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You don't dock for the scenic cruising.

 

You will have a port stop in Dunedin and there are a number of good excursions you can do in this city (but not a tour of Queenstown). Then the ship travels down the coast of the South Island and is ready to enter the first sound (Dusky Sound) first thing in the morning. It takes an hour or so to go through Dusky Sound and the Acheron Passage. Then the ship travels along the coast to Doubtful Sound, cruises in though that sound to Thompson Sound where it exits again. From there the ship travels along the coast again until it reaches Milford Sound. The ship enters the sound (best viewpoints are on the port side) and turns around once it reaches the end, to go back out the same way.

 

If you do the Queenstown excursion you leave the ship in Dunedin and rejoin at Milford Sound, which will be a tender operation, often a local tourist boat. The ship does not dock there.

 

If you're going the other way, ie from south to north up the coast of NZ, Milford Sound will be the first scenic cruising sound and any passengers doing the Queenstown tour will leave the ship by tender there and rejoin the ship the following night before the ship departs from Dunedin.

Edited by OzKiwiJJ
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The town of Te Anau in Fiordland National Park is also your gateway to the South Island's other natural wonders including Lake Wakatipu, the resort of Queenstown and Mt. Cook National Park.

 

Princess cruise Feb 6 , 2018 Sydney to Auckland 12 days

 

You would only see Te Anau if you did the Queenstown excursion. It is a inland town and is on the route from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Lake Te Anau is not a sound ie it does not link to the ocean.

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Well that makes a huge difference... I cannot tell where we dock for the scenic cruising.. maybe you can. thank you. The town of Te Anau in Fiordland National Park is also your gateway to the South Island's other natural wonders including Lake Wakatipu, the resort of Queenstown and Mt. Cook National Park. Princess cruise Feb 6 , 2018 Sydney to Auckland 12 days

 

In checking the Princess website, I see that cruise is totally solid-out. That means you are on a popular cruise!! It does show for Tuesday, Feb 13, 2018, that you be in the Fiordland National Park area and doing what they call "scenic cruising" from 7 am to 4 pm. That means, as I understand, there will be no port or city "stop". As we did, it will mean that in the morning, at a point in the middle of the fiord waters, your ship stop, a shuttle boat from shore will approach and off-load those passengers doing the overnight stay in Queenstown. Then the ship continues doing this "scenic cruising" in these areas.

 

For those doing this excursion, they will travel by bus to Te Anau. This is an inland town on the South Island of New Zealand on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island. After lunch in Te Anau, then you travel on a bus towards Queenstown, etc., etc. Does this help to clarify?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 218,435 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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Well that solves it! That's what I originally thought that we are cruising but the fact that the itinerary says 7am to 4pm for this scenic cruising made me think it was a stop.

 

Thank you all!

 

I think they say that so you can plan to be up and about during that time - no sleeping in. ;p Fiordland is beautiful. Milford is the most spectacular but Dusky and Doubtful are pristine and, in my opinion, it is a privilege to be able to cruise through them on a cruise ship.

 

Do NOT miss the entrance into Milford Sound. It is one of the most spectacular sights of an NZ cruise.

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  • 2 months later...

We are booked on Celebrity's Solstice Dec 9 and went back and forth regarding this overnight trip. In the end, we decided to fly into Queenstown a few days before our Auckland departure and have now booked the shotover jet boat, white water rafting and canyoning. In addition we plan on taking the gondola up the mountain and playing in the luge cars. (We looked at the steamship/farm tour but decided to pass although we might be able to squeeze it in the first day). We have 3 nights in Queenstown, then 1 in Auckland before we sail.

Just thought people who want to see Queenstown for all of the amazing outdoor activities might want to consider a pre or post cruise stay instead of the overnight the cruise offers (there really isn't any time in their itinerary for enjoying the wild options of Queenstown and even with 3 nights, we aren't coming close to experiencing everything!!)

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We are booked on Celebrity's Solstice Dec 9 and went back and forth regarding this overnight trip. In the end, we decided to fly into Queenstown a few days before our Auckland departure and have now booked the shotover jet boat, white water rafting and canyoning. In addition we plan on taking the gondola up the mountain and playing in the luge cars. (We looked at the steamship/farm tour but decided to pass although we might be able to squeeze it in the first day). We have 3 nights in Queenstown, then 1 in Auckland before we sail.

Just thought people who want to see Queenstown for all of the amazing outdoor activities might want to consider a pre or post cruise stay instead of the overnight the cruise offers (there really isn't any time in their itinerary for enjoying the wild options of Queenstown and even with 3 nights, we aren't coming close to experiencing everything!!)

 

That's the best way to see Queenstown. The Shotover Jet is fantastic and the luge is a lot of fun. It is worth doing a trip on the steamship Earnslaw if you can fit it in, it's a gorgeous old boat.

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Hi I am booked on Ovation in December. We have booked the overnight Queenstown excursion. My husband has not been to NZ before and he wanted to see as much of the countryside as possible. Queenstown is beautiful and a big shame to miss seeing, even for a short time.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
We are booked on Celebrity's Solstice Dec 9 and went back and forth regarding this overnight trip. In the end, we decided to fly into Queenstown a few days before our Auckland departure and have now booked the shotover jet boat, white water rafting and canyoning. In addition we plan on taking the gondola up the mountain and playing in the luge cars. (We looked at the steamship/farm tour but decided to pass although we might be able to squeeze it in the first day). We have 3 nights in Queenstown, then 1 in Auckland before we sail.

Just thought people who want to see Queenstown for all of the amazing outdoor activities might want to consider a pre or post cruise stay instead of the overnight the cruise offers (there really isn't any time in their itinerary for enjoying the wild options of Queenstown and even with 3 nights, we aren't coming close to experiencing everything!!)

 

Hope you are enjoying your cruise! I am in the early planning stages for a Solstice cruise in March/April 2019. Planning to spend about a week in NZ beforehand and am just beginning to think about flying directly into Queenstown for some touring around that area (our cruise does not stop in Queenstown). Then up to Auckland to start our cruise. I would welcome your thoughts on your pre-cruise travel on the South Island when you get a chance.

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  • 1 month later...
Hope you are enjoying your cruise! I am in the early planning stages for a Solstice cruise in March/April 2019. Planning to spend about a week in NZ beforehand and am just beginning to think about flying directly into Queenstown for some touring around that area (our cruise does not stop in Queenstown). Then up to Auckland to start our cruise. I would welcome your thoughts on your pre-cruise travel on the South Island when you get a chance.

 

 

 

Hi we had a great time on Ovation despite the poor weather. The Queenstown excursion including the fiordland national park was a highlight. The excursion was two days off ship. It was quite short, however served the purpose we booked it for to see some of the country side. I would recommend taking the time to travel around the South Island pre cruise as the scenery is spectacular. Happy travels.

 

 

 

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Hope you are enjoying your cruise! I am in the early planning stages for a Solstice cruise in March/April 2019. Planning to spend about a week in NZ beforehand and am just beginning to think about flying directly into Queenstown for some touring around that area (our cruise does not stop in Queenstown). Then up to Auckland to start our cruise. I would welcome your thoughts on your pre-cruise travel on the South Island when you get a chance.

 

Sorry it took so long to reply. We had an absolute blast in Queenstown - wish we had stayed longer. We took the gondola ride up the first day then had fun with the luge cars. Next day we did the shotover jet followed by Queenstown white water raftingon shotover river (my favorite!) then hubby did paragliding -- all in one day! Next day we did a canyoning experience in Routeburn Canyon which would have been better if we had been in a bit better shape. Meals were at cafes outside which were all wonderful. The people were fantastic, the place felt very safe. Just loved it.

Auckland was ok. Not as much to do, much more "big city" feel.

Hope your trip is as great as ours.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Many thanks for all the replies!!! As always Terry you are bang on.

When they dole out the hotels for the overnight stay, is there any system?? ie who gets what, where, etc?

Also, if your ship is getting to Milford Sound at 1630ish, are you free to do whatever til that point??

What happens if weather turns sour before guests back on board:rolleyes:

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