Shuttle bus info- Tauranga

[aussie57]

Saw this on a Princess Facebook Discussion thread today:

 

From a local tour operator

PLEASE NOTE: For those passengers arriving into the PORT OF TAURANGA on your cruise of New Zealand there will be a charge of $15.00 NZD per person to get the SHUTTLE into the CBD of Tauranga City. If you walk OUTSIDE the gates at Salisbury Avenue and make your way to the Mount i-site (5 minutes) you can get the HOPPER BUS for $2.00 - $3.00 NZD. Also note that there is an i-site INSIDE the Port compound - they will sell you tickets for the $15.00 option. This SHUTTLE SERVICE was run by us for the past 3 years as a COMPLIMENTARY service - However, Greed has overtaken common sense by collaborating partners - Tourism Bay of Plenty, Port Authorities and ship agent ID Tours - and now the cruise ship passenger is sadly a target for fleecing!

[erewhon]

Thank you for posting this information.

[moyaroo]

Of course one can still walk into the Mt. Maunganui area for free. Walk around the mount, shop hit the beach etc. I didn't even know that there was a shuttle to the main city and I've been there a couple of times. Most folk either hang out at the beach or head for Rotorua.

[almost retired ann]

Saw this on a Princess Facebook Discussion thread today:

 

From a local tour operator

PLEASE NOTE: For those passengers arriving into the PORT OF TAURANGA on your cruise of New Zealand there will be a charge of $15.00 NZD per person to get the SHUTTLE into the CBD of Tauranga City. If you walk OUTSIDE the gates at Salisbury Avenue and make your way to the Mount i-site (5 minutes) you can get the HOPPER BUS for $2.00 - $3.00 NZD. Also note that there is an i-site INSIDE the Port compound - they will sell you tickets for the $15.00 option. This SHUTTLE SERVICE was run by us for the past 3 years as a COMPLIMENTARY service - However, Greed has overtaken common sense by collaborating partners - Tourism Bay of Plenty, Port Authorities and ship agent ID Tours - and now the cruise ship passenger is sadly a target for fleecing!

thanks for the info.

we'll be there in Jan and just figuring out how to get around.

great help..

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Of course one can still walk into the Mt. Maunganui area for free. Walk around the mount, shop hit the beach etc. I didn't even know that there was a shuttle to the main city and I've been there a couple of times. Most folk either hang out at the beach or head for Rotorua.

 

 

I agree. Very few people head over to the Tauranga CBD. It is the financial centre for the Bay of Plenty and is mainly just street after street of offices, banks and insurance companies, plus the shops and cafes that services the staff of same.

All you want ,re tourist shopping and visitor interest , can be found a short walk from the ship in Mt Maunganui. There are lots of shops geared to visitors as it is a holiday mecca for NZ.

 

We took the local bus over to Tauranga once and after sitting in traffic for ages, got off, waked around the block, then jumped back on and headed back to the Mount.

 

You will find the majority of the ship will be heading over to Rotorua for the day , as Tauranga is the nearest port to the Thermal areas.

 

[The_Big_M]

Of course one can still walk into the Mt. Maunganui area for free. Walk around the mount, shop hit the beach etc. I didn't even know that there was a shuttle to the main city and I've been there a couple of times. Most folk either hang out at the beach or head for Rotorua.

 

Count me the same. Liked the things that could be done hanging out in the Mt Manganui area, and 'climbing' the mount, without needing to explore further.

[erewhon]

Take your camera and walk up the Mount for the view of the surrounding area.

[Flossie1967]

There are a number of Qualmarked tour operators located outside the port gates that can be booked for local or Rotorua tours through the iSite on Salisbury Ave.

[KiwiIan]

thanks for the info.

we'll be there in Jan and just figuring out how to get around.

great help..

While the shuttle operated by the person making the comment was indeed free, as ever there is no such thing as a free lunch, the aim being to entice you into a gift shop to buy stuff and also sell you one of their tours to Rotorua, makes sense as what private company would spend thousands on buses if there was not a dollar in it for them. Due to these actiosn the ships have forced the port to not allow any operator to trade [free shuttle or otherwise] inside the port area, which was a unique situation for Tauranga in any case. The huge increase in the number of independant tour companies [us being one of them] and large numbers of hire cars being offered "for hire" finally got to the point where the ship said no more. Now all operators must sell through the port located information centre, pay commissions, and leave the customer interface to the council employed staff. Passengers can still get some great on the day tours booked here but the old days are gone. Best way is of course to go through the official channels of sites like Tourism NZ, Qualmark etc, or just google for the things you want to do. And by the way, the current situation with a container ship aground 3 miles off shore [ the RENA] has had no impact on the cruise ships or anything the passengers on board may want to do, so dont believe all you read in the press, Tauranga is open for business, ships, and able to offer cruise passengers a great choive of things to do, both local and in Rotorua.

[bobhsv]

Good news re the Rena. Sounds like the aussie press are reporting correctly atm, as we are getting the same message as you put over. Thanks. I can imagine the locals over there being worried about tourism, but I think at the end of the day, we all know the strong and happy spirit of the kiwis will always overcome any obstacles thrown at them....much like your cousins here over the ditch. We are looking forward to Tauranga etc....Rena will simply give us another photo shot!! Re the shuttles....typical...times change, and you just have to go with the flow. Sorry you have to pay extra for supplying a good honest service.

Jen

[Violet Poole]

Of course one can still walk into the Mt. Maunganui area for free. Walk around the mount, shop hit the beach etc. I didn't even know that there was a shuttle to the main city and I've been there a couple of times. Most folk either hang out at the beach or head for Rotorua.

 

 

SO I am assuming that we can get off the ship and make our way by foot to Mount Maunganui without spending any money to get there?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

SO I am assuming that we can get off the ship and make our way by foot to Mount Maunganui without spending any money to get there?

 

Its a level , 5 minute walk from ship to shops.....

 

Tauranga, is at the head of the harbour, over a bridge ,and about 15 minutes drive away.

 

 

[Flipper133]

Good to see you back on these boards Ian. Its been a while.

Your useful, unbiased and succinct comments are always good value.

 

cheers

[erewhon]

SO I am assuming that we can get off the ship and make our way by foot to Mount Maunganui without spending any money to get there?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

The shops at Mount Maunganui are a short walk from the ship.

When you exit the gate, turn right, walk to the roundabout and turn left along the main shopping street.

You will probably be given an information leaflet with a map as you exit the port gate.

[KiwiIan]

Good to see you back on these boards Ian. Its been a while.

Your useful, unbiased and succinct comments are always good value.

 

cheers

Yes, been away for a while, busy running the business, used to love seeing all the various input to the CC boards, will try and keep any eye on them for now and put straight any issues that i see. Regards.

 

News today re the RENA ship wreck, weather a little worse so pumping of oil stopped but should resume after a day or so as good weather expected. Having visited the Incident Control Centre today here in Tauranga and spoken with some of the key players i really am confident that we can deal with this issue. It will be a long haul and there may be some more oil spills but these will be short term issues cleaned up quickly by an army of volunteers [the first time volunteers used in such an incident anywhere in the world i am told] mainly and the beaches will be back to normal soon. Great Photo opporunity for the cruise passengers as well, though you will need a telephoto lens as we have an exclusion zone and the cruise ships will be taking a wide berth around the reef i am sure. So no worries about come to Tauranga on the cruise boats or even just a shore based holiday, we need your support as many businesses will be affected for a while. Two ships in port tomorrow so another busy day.

[aussie57]

Yes, been away for a while, busy running the business, used to love seeing all the various input to the CC boards, will try and keep any eye on them for now and put straight any issues that i see. Regards.

 

News today re the RENA ship wreck, weather a little worse so pumping of oil stopped but should resume after a day or so as good weather expected. Having visited the Incident Control Centre today here in Tauranga and spoken with some of the key players i really am confident that we can deal with this issue. It will be a long haul and there may be some more oil spills but these will be short term issues cleaned up quickly by an army of volunteers [the first time volunteers used in such an incident anywhere in the world i am told] mainly and the beaches will be back to normal soon. Great Photo opporunity for the cruise passengers as well, though you will need a telephoto lens as we have an exclusion zone and the cruise ships will be taking a wide berth around the reef i am sure. So no worries about come to Tauranga on the cruise boats or even just a shore based holiday, we need your support as many businesses will be affected for a while. Two ships in port tomorrow so another busy day.

Thanks Ian

So reassuring to hear an update from someone on the ground :)

[Cush1964]

While the shuttle operated by the person making the comment was indeed free, as ever there is no such thing as a free lunch, the aim being to entice you into a gift shop to buy stuff and also sell you one of their tours to Rotorua, makes sense as what private company would spend thousands on buses if there was not a dollar in it for them. Due to these actiosn the ships have forced the port to not allow any operator to trade [free shuttle or otherwise] inside the port area, which was a unique situation for Tauranga in any case. The huge increase in the number of independant tour companies [us being one of them] and large numbers of hire cars being offered "for hire" finally got to the point where the ship said no more. Now all operators must sell through the port located information centre, pay commissions, and leave the customer interface to the council employed staff. Passengers can still get some great on the day tours booked here but the old days are gone. Best way is of course to go through the official channels of sites like Tourism NZ, Qualmark etc, or just google for the things you want to do. And by the way, the current situation with a container ship aground 3 miles off shore [ the RENA] has had no impact on the cruise ships or anything the passengers on board may want to do, so dont believe all you read in the press, Tauranga is open for business, ships, and able to offer cruise passengers a great choive of things to do, both local and in Rotorua.

 

@KiwiIan " ... Due to these actiosn the ships have forced the port to not allow any operator to trade [free shuttle or otherwise] inside the port area, which was a unique situation for Tauranga in any case ..." Are you stating that the cruise lines FORCED the Port to exclude ALL operators from selling tours inside the port facilities because of the FREE SHUTTLE service that was provided last season? One of these services(FREE SHUTTLE) being provided by your company. Furthermore, the "ships" you refer to ... do you refer to ALL the cruise lines "forcing" the port not to allow trading to take place?