Suggestions for New Zealand Cruise - Excursions

Well, finally we have booked a cruise to NZ - early November on the Golden Princess from Melbourne. I would love some advice and suggestions from those who have cruised there - probably all of you I know. We are scenic cruising the Fiordland National Park and then the following ports - Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Gisborne, Tauranga and Auckland.

Any advice and suggestions gratefully accepted.

Leigh

I hope you dont mind if I piggy back on your thread. we are going in December and would also like advice on Napier and Picton. thanks

Wellington . You can walk into town from the dock or catch the shuttle bus for a small fee.It was NZ$10 last time to go into town and back and kids under 14yr were free..From the drop off point you can walk to Te Papa Tongarewa national museum or the cable car,Botanical Gardens.or meet Zealander shuttle bus.They have a free 11-seater shuttle picks up Zealandia visitors from outside the city i-SITE. It then picks up from the top of the Cable Car on the way to Zealandia.They also have a hop on & hop off bus that will take you around town to see a lot of the sights for a fee.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, sits near the North Island's southernmost point on the Cook Strait. A compact city, it encompasses a waterfront promenade, sandy beaches, a working harbour and colourful timber houses on surrounding hills. Though sunny and mild most of the year, strong winter winds through the Cook Strait give it the nickname "Windy Wellington."

Just a few links on things to do in Wellington

http://www.visitzealandia.com/About

https://www.viator.com/tours/Welling...af3wcMCFdgSvQo

https://www.wellingtoncablecar.co.nz/English/Home.html

https://www.wellingtonnz.com/discove...o-do-for-free/

Cheers Trish

Akaroa . Being a tender port you need to allow time to get ashore if you book a private tour,Akaroa is about 60 minutes to 90 minutes drive from Christchurch..

Christchurch is a garden city on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, set on the Canterbury Plains. Flat-bottomed punts glide on the Avon River, which runs through the city centre. On its banks are cycling paths, the green expanse of Hagley Park and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. In 2010 and 2011, 2 major earthquakes destroyed many city-centre buildings, and the restoration work continues .If you don't want to book a tour to take you into Christchurch .Akaroa is a pretty little town that you can wonder around on foot. Akaroa's beautiful harbour is set in an ancient volcanic crater and is home to some rare native wildlife including Hector's dolphins, little blue penguins and fur seals.

You have options of wildlife cruises and swimming with the dolphins or enjoy scenic walking trails around town. Visit the Museum, Lighthouse, Quaint Galleries and Cafes.

Just a few links on things to do

http://akaroa.com/

https://www.akaroabus.co.nz/Cruise-Ship-Tours/

https://www.blackcat.co.nz/

Cheers Trish

Port Chalmers is about 20 minutes direct bus drive into Dunedin allow 45 minutes if catching the local bus .

The Cruise ship offer a shuttle bus for a fee.These travel direct (20 minutes) and drop off and pick up in the Octagon in the centre of Dunedin in the past the cost has been $10 one-way/$20 return.

Public bus: For about five minutes further walk from ship side to the public bus stop in George St, these buses take 30 to 45 minutes with several suburban stops for about NZ$4.70 one-way The city terminus is at Countdown supermarket, opposite Cadbury World chocolate factory in Cumberland St.

Been told Taxis cost about $45 one-way. Taxis depart ship-side and for the return to Port they are easily found on the side streets of most corners of George St, Dunedin's main shopping street.

Dunedin is a city in New Zealand, at the head of Otago Harbour on the South Island's southeast coast. It's known for its Scottish and Maori heritage. Victorian and Edwardian architecture and a large student population. Hiking and cycling trails crisscross the dramatic landscape of the adjoining Otago Peninsula, home to colonies of albatrosses, sea lions and rare yellow-eyed penguin.

There are a few companies that offer Transfers to and from Port Chalmers plus a tour and a also will give you “Free time” to explore the city,We always use Good Company tours because they are wonderful family company that really cares about its customers www.goodcompanytours.

Just a few links on Dunedin

https://www.larnachcastle.co.nz/

http://www.olveston.co.nz/

http://www.wildlife.co.nz/Cruise-Ship-Tours

http://www.toituosm.com/#!visit

https://www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz/

https://www.goodcompanytours.co.nz/cruise-ship-shore

http://travelheadfirst.com/local-leg...ip-excursions/

Cheers Trish

Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. Taking a cruise through the sounds is amazing and a there a few different cruises you can do. There are also some wonderful wineries as it is Marlborough wine region. They have great bush walking along the Queen Charlotte track. Wonderful beaches with crystal clear water . There is also a small aquarium that has interesting talks and you can see some of their rescued birds and sea life. I have been told it is good if you have young children.Picton is a pretty little town that you can wonder around on foot.They run a free shuttle bus from the ship into the town centre dropping off near the information centre.If anyone has any tips or recommendations on tours they want to share that would be great.

You can also visit the ship Edwin Fox which was used to carry convicts from England to Western Australia.http://www.edwinfoxsociety.com/ link to walks in Picton.http://www.marlborough.govt.nz/.../Recre.../PictonWalks.ashx

The Ship Cove cruise is great .It was a place of abundance for early Maori and the favoured anchorage of 18th Century explorer Captain James http://www.beachcombercruises.co.nz/

http://www.cougarline.co.nz/

https://www.marlboroughflyer.co.nz/

https://www.soundsconnection.com/tou...ip-excursions/

Cheers Trish

Following :) We're on Majestic Princess at the end of December to NZ, so I'm interested in opinions on ports :)

Thanks Jasp 0401, I appreciate all your information and suggestions. I'll have a look at the links you have provided.

Leigh

Auckland and its a lot like docking in Sydney so there is lots of things you can do on your own with in easy reach of the port.You can catch the hop on & off bus that will take you to a lot of the sights and you don't have to pre book.

If you have kids Kelly Tarltons is great. http://www.kellytarltons.co.nz/

Rotoroa island is great. http://www.360discovery.co.nz/.../about-rotoroa-island.php

https://www.explorerbus.co.nz/

www.aucklandadventurejet.co.nz/adventure-duck

Cheers Trish

Napier is a lovely art deco town . It has some lovely beaches .The National Aquarium of New Zealand on Marine Parade is good.There are some lovely winery and many great tour company that will take you on a tour of them. .Some ideas for families .I am not sure if they still run or if the ship will book them out. But they used to have an amphibious bus (Duck) and a train called the Hawkes Bay explorer.Also you can hire bikes near the i site centre (tourist information centre).Also Rush Munro ice cream is always a favourite.

https://www.nationalaquarium.co.nz/

http://www.prinsystours.co.nz/

https://www.rushmunro.co.nz/

Cheers Trish

Tauranga .From the port you can walk to Mount Maunganui and some lovely beaches and some shops.If you want to go to Rotorua you will need to book a tour( private or ships) or you can hire a car. We have in the Past hired a car and GPS. It is about an 1hr to 1hr & 1/2 drive to Rotorua so you need to plan your day well. Rotorua is a smallish city on the shores of a lake Rotorua. The entire area is thermally active, and the smell of sulphur, a 'rotten eggs’ smell that is results in the nicknames 'Sulphur City' and 'Rottenrua'. The surrounding geothermal wonderland including 16 beautiful lakes and the lush green of the abundant native flora.

Rotorua is the ancestral home of the Te Arawa people who settled here more than 600 years ago .I highly recommend visiting one of the Living Thermal Village to interact with locals and enjoy one of their cultural shows.There are lots of places to go in Rotorua my suggestions would be to go to one of the cultural parks like the Te Puia, Buried Village or whakarewarewa village .http://www.rotoruanz.com/.../whakarewarewa-thermal.../http://www.rotoruanz.com/.../buried-village-of-te-wairoa/

.http://www.scott-tours.co.nz/tours/whakarewarewa/

Cheers Trish

Thanks Jasp 0401, I appreciate all your information and suggestions. I'll have a look at the links you have provided.

 

 

Leigh

Your welcome

I love New Zealand it is a lovely country and on a cruise is the best way to see it

if anyone is interested in the Lord of the rings .Wellington offers some great private tours that are a lot cheaper than the cruise ship.But they do bookout fast.

http://captours.co.nz/tours/wellingt...iAAEgL0jPD_BwE

http://wetaworkshop.com/visit-us/workshop-tours/

https://roverringstours.co.nz/

http://flatearth.co.nz/

Or from Tauranga

https://www.viator.com/tours/Tauranga/Tauranga-Shore-Excursion-Lord-of-the-Rings-Hobbiton-Movie-Set-Tour-Including-Rotorua-Sightseeing/d4761-6050PRTTRGHRTFD

Cheers Trish

Hi

Here are a few private tour company for anyone with mobility issues. That I have been told are good and very wheelchair friendly.

https://www.silvercloudluxurytours.co.nz/

http://mobilityvehiclerental.co.nz/services.php

http://www.abilityadventures.co.nz/tours#tailoredtours

https://drivingmissdaisy.co.nz/

Cheers Trish

In most ports there will be tour operators or people from the I-site centre to help book tours for you.

If there is a tour that you really want to do I always recommend booking before hand . Because when you leave it to the day you are in port you could miss out as the best tours always book out fast.

Cheers Trish

Thanks again Jasp 0401, there are lots of great suggestions. We now have to decide what we want to do at each port.

Leigh

Thanks again Jasp 0401, there are lots of great suggestions. We now have to decide what we want to do at each port.

 

Leigh

Your very welcome .I hope you have a wonderful cruise

In case anyone is interested here's some information on the Bay of Islands .

Bay of Islands is a tender port and in the past they have always offered a free shuttle bus into Piahia. Some tour suggestions are going to Waitangi treaty grounds,Hole in the Rock &Dolphin swim cruise or a trip to Russell. The ship does offer these as tours but you can book and do them on your own alot cheaper. The free shuttle will drop you off and pick you up right near the Waitangi Treaty grounds and also out side fullers tour office on the wharf where a lot tour leave from also the ferry to Russell. In Piahia they also set up a market near where the shuttle bus stops and they also have Joy flights .

http://www.dolphincruises.co.nz/bay-of-is…/hole-in-the-rock/

http://www.waitangi.org.nz/

http://russellnz.co.nz/

I know some people worry about the ship leaving with out them if they don't book a ships tour. But we have never had any problems being back on the ship on time. If you want to go out on your own you just need to take note of the time you need to be back on the ship by. All the private tour guides I have used know what time they need to have you back to the ship by and we have always arrived back in plenty of time. We have cruised around NZ a few times and have never seen or heard of any private tour operator bringing their passengers back to late and missing the ship.

Cheers Trish

In Wellington, we caught the shuttle bus and headed straight for the cable car site (to beat the queues) which took us up to the top of the Botanical gardens for stunning views. Walked down through the Botanical Gardens on the main path. At the bottom, we caught a local bus to the museum mentioned in a previous post. There was a volunteer in the gardens who directed us to the right bus stop and the bus driver was super friendly and made sure we got off at the right stop. Museum was well worth a visit.

In Tauranga, we pre-booked a local company online who met us at the dock and took us to Rotorua, kiwi world and other sites. Got us back to the ship with plenty of time to spare.

In Auckland, we headed straight for the skytower for stunning views and then just wandered and shopped. Had a lovely but there are plenty of other options for your day in Auckland. Loved sailing out of Auckland harbour.

Auckland and its a lot like docking in Sydney so there is lots of things you can do on your own with in easy reach of the port.You can catch the hop on & off bus that will take you to a lot of the sights and you don't have to pre book.

If you have kids Kelly Tarltons is great. http://www.kellytarltons.co.nz/

Rotoroa island is great. http://www.360discovery.co.nz/.../about-rotoroa-island.php

https://www.explorerbus.co.nz/

www.aucklandadventurejet.co.nz/adventure-duck

Cheers Trish

a couple more links

https://www.fullers.co.nz/experiences-tours/day-tours/auckland-harbour-cruise/

https://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/sky-tower/

https://www.explorerbus.co.nz/

Also there is a free bus that will take you to Kelly Tarltons its shaped like a shark .So kids love it

Cheers Trish

Akaroa . Being a tender port you need to allow time to get ashore if you book a private tour,Akaroa is about 60 minutes to 90 minutes drive from Christchurch..

Christchurch is a garden city on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, set on the Canterbury Plains. Flat-bottomed punts glide on the Avon River, which runs through the city centre. On its banks are cycling paths, the green expanse of Hagley Park and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. In 2010 and 2011, 2 major earthquakes destroyed many city-centre buildings, and the restoration work continues .If you don't want to book a tour to take you into Christchurch .Akaroa is a pretty little town that you can wonder around on foot. Akaroa's beautiful harbour is set in an ancient volcanic crater and is home to some rare native wildlife including Hector's dolphins, little blue penguins and fur seals.

You have options of wildlife cruises and swimming with the dolphins or enjoy scenic walking trails around town. Visit the Museum, Lighthouse, Quaint Galleries and Cafes.

Just a few links on things to do

http://akaroa.com/

https://www.akaroabus.co.nz/Cruise-Ship-Tours/

https://www.blackcat.co.nz/

Cheers Trish

A few more good tour options

http://www.toursouth.co.nz/port-akaroa-new-zealand.php

http://www.akaroa-tours-charters.co.nz/

http://www.theinsidestory.co.nz/private-day-tours/private-day-tours-from-akaroa

Cheers Trish

Fantastic, informative thread - thanks everyone!

Sailing on Majestic 6 February I am so excited now reading all the information. Thank you

Thanks a lot Trish for the info on Tauranga, Napier, Wellington and Bays of Islands. I wonder if you can enlighten me with info on Dunedin as well? Our first cruise to New Zealand and definitely a different topography and geography compare to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.

Raymond

Can recommend this activity for Devonport, Auckland. Enjoyed it so much the first time we did again on our second visit.

https://www.magicbroomsticktours.co.nz/about/