Excursions New Zealand

[Cadel]

Hi everyone!

 

We will go on our second cruise from New Zealand to Sydney On Celebrity Solstice in November.

 

Is there somebody who can recommend travel agencies, etc. that offer excursions in the ports of call besides the offered ones from Celebrity?

 

Kind regards

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Hi Cadel :)

 

I guess you mean Tour Company’s / Operators?

 

Depending on what you want to do on your cruise around here (New Zealand), you don't really need a tour company, or to do ship tours, as you can get around by your self quite easily in many of the ports, plus you can pick tours up from many of the ports on the day you arrive there :)

 

What are you thinking you would like to do in New Zealand?

 

I Guess your ports are Bay of Islands, Tauranga, Wellington, Akaroa and Port Chalmers (Dunedin), correct?

Edited July 10, 2014 by Kiwi_cruiser

[Cadel]

Hi Kiwi Cruiser!

 

Exactly, Tour operators!

 

Ports are as mentioned, additionally Tasmania is on the list.

 

We worked out a nice Plan so far, e.g. Glowworm Cave in Bay of islands, Hobbiton definetely, maybe some more Lord of the Ring excursions, And some nature excursions maybe.

[Cadel]

So far we pointed out:

 

Bay of Islands...Glow Worm Cave

Tauranga...Hobbiton

Wellington....LOTR

Akaora....Harbours & Wildlife

Dunedin.....?

Hobart....something like nature/wildlife/...

[Cadel]

Definetely Lord of the Rings, not maybe :-)

 

We like the idea of having everything prepared in advance so we can just go off the ship directly to the Bus Or whatever and enjoy the stop at a Maximum level

[TLCOhio]

Hi everyone! We will go on our second cruise from New Zealand to Sydney On Celebrity Solstice in November. Is there somebody who can recommend travel agencies, etc. that offer excursions in the ports of call besides the offered ones from Celebrity? Kind regards

 

Lots of options to consider for both what to do and how to get that arranged. Things vary much as certain ports are smaller and more limited with their independent providers. What type of experience and/or adventure do you seek? As noted in the live/blog below, we got off of the Solstice in February. Check out these postings for more info/background on the port options we did, this nice ship, its entertainment, food options, etc.

 

We did, along with other couples in our travel group from Central Ohio, the two-day, overnight Queenstown excursion through Celebrity. It might be a good choice, but not cheap. There are pro's and con's to consider. Milford Sound is suppose to be the best of the three lower NZ fjord/sound areas you will visit. BUT, the biggest roll of the dice in this area will be the weather. These fjords can be spectacular, but you can have iffy weather. Maybe great and sunny. Maybe rainy with overcast, etc.

 

On my live/blog I detail much on ALL that we did on this two-day excursion through the ship. 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. Below are some visuals to give a better idea for what did and why we liked it.

 

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.

 

On Wellington, we got a cab right there as we got off of the ship, did a nice custom tour around this town in the morning, went to the top of a great visual overview of this charming capital, etc.

 

Would you like the thrills of a JetBoat ride down a narrow, scenic canyon in southern New Zealand? That's an option to consider from Akaroa. That port is somewhat remote and distance. Private tour there are fairly limited there due to its small size and being "temporary" while and if Christchurch is being, hopefully, rebuilt. Ship tours are not always the best or cheap, but they can solve some of the logistical issues/challenges.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and 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 much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 65,319 views for this fun posting.

 

Going into Milford Sound on the Solstice, there were great view 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.:

 

 

 

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!!:

 

 

 

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.:

 

 

 

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!!:

 

 

 

Here is one 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.:

 

 

 

 

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.:

 

[TLCOhio]

So far we pointed out:

Hobart....something like nature/wildlife/...

 

Maybe the historic Port Arthur prison camp and the wildlife center with cute Kangaroos, wombats, etc., could be an option?? Reactions? Need more details, info?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 176,927 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

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

 

 

From Port Arthur, the historic Tasmanian penal colony seen during our stop in Hobart, here are a series of views for some of the sights there. First is an overview for a portion of this camp. Second, shows a view from some of the old building remains towards to the nearby water area and the location where the prisoners would arrive from England for this “visit”. It took six to nine months to make the journey from England to this distant part of the world. Third is an interior view as some members of our Central Ohio group tour and learn more about daily operations here.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are two samples from the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary from its location nearby to Hobart. Much more on the full live/blog.

 

How can you not love seeing the Koalas up close and personal? Unlike at Kangaroo Island, we did not see this one in the wild, but here we got closer. What a face? So, so super cute!!:

 

 

 

Here is a mother Kangaroo with the baby “Joey” in the pouch. We saw two different mothers carrying babies in their pouch.:

 

[Cadel]

Hi there!

 

Thank you very much for all the visuals provided as well as the infos!!!

 

We have also been considering the Celebrity Overnight Option.... Lets wait and see...Thanks for the notice about the vast amounts of rain down there.....

 

We just returned from Celebrity Infinity Iceland And Fjords and were soooo lucky with the weather!!!!!

 

Do you know by chance any local tour operators that you can recommend?

 

Greetings from Austria (not Australia :-)

[Cadel]

And please post the link to your journey! Want to read more :-)

[kiwipete]

In my opinion the best excursion in Dunedin is the "Tairei Gorge Railway". Dating back to the Gold Rush days, this railway is an amazing feat of engineering and runs through some fabulous scenery.

Enjoy NZ and Aus!!

[OzKiwiJJ]

I second the Taieri Gorge Railway trip from Dunedin. Awesome scenery, and quite diverse.

 

Rotorua is also an amazing place to visit from Tauranga. It might be worth taking a tour like this http://www.cruisetauranga.com/Tours/HobbitonTours.aspx that combines Rotorua and Hobbiton. You'll also get to see some beautiful countryside.

 

Russell, in the Bay of Islands, is a very pretty and historic little town, and the Treaty House at Waitangi is worth a visit. I believe the tenders dock close to this?

 

Rain is to be desired in Milford Sound, you get the best waterfalls during or just after a good fall of rain.

[johndon]

CADEL

 

The Taieri Gorge rail trip is a must. You can book direct with the Railways at http://www.taieri.co.nz/bookings I looked two days ago and and for the trip from Dunedin to Puckerangi was $105. There is a longer trip on some days as far as the end of the line at Middlemarch. We will be in Dunedin on Xmas day this year. The ship will have its own train excursion from the wharf, shipside but it will be double the $105 price of the railways direct booking. The train departs Dunedin Railway Station at 0930 but the Railways provide their own shuttle bus from Pt Chalmers and return for about $25 to $30 and I think you can book this when you book the train tickets. You do not pay anything until you front up at the ticket office at 0915. You can pay by credit card if you wish. For an additional small fee the bus will take you on a city tour when you get back from the train trip and drop you off at the gangplank in plenty of time for sailing.

The New Zealanders are very organised at all the Ports of Call and have excellent Information offices at all ports. There is no need to book any shore excursions from the ship as most of what the ship offers plus more is available from the tourist information centres. The ship will not like this as they make a tidy profit from ship excursion sales.

The ships do not usually promote the shore sales, only their own.

 

John

[Flipper133]

Hi everyone!

 

We will go on our second cruise from New Zealand to Sydney On Celebrity Solstice in November.

 

Is there somebody who can recommend travel agencies, etc. that offer excursions in the ports of call besides the offered ones from Celebrity?

 

Kind regards

 

Hi Cadel

 

Here is a direct answer to your question.

 

A company I use, and can highly recommend is

 

http://www.shoretripsandtours.com

 

They offer professional, reliable and reasonably priced tours in all cities visited by cruise ships in NZ and most in Aust.

 

There are many other that tend to be port specific, but this mob is a good place to start as they cover all the ports and specialize in cruise ship tours.

 

cheers

[Cadel]

Thanks for all the advices!!!

[Wyuna1]

If trains are not your thing and enjoy a tipple the Speight's Brewery tour is excellent way to spend around 90 minutes or so. It is centrally located in Dunedin.

[Cadel]

Train sounds nice to me :-) Beer on train even more :-D

[Alaskanb]

We will be doing this in Dunedin. http://www.elmwildlifetours.co.nz/our-tours/cruise-ship-shore-excursion

[Flipper133]

Train sounds nice to me :-) Beer on train even more :-D

 

 

Have a look here then.....

 

http://travelheadfirst.com/local-legends/cruise-packages-dunedin/

 

cheers

[TLCOhio]

Hi there! Thank you very much for all the visuals provided as well as the infos!!! We have also been considering the Celebrity Overnight Option.... Lets wait and see...Thanks for the notice about the vast amounts of rain down there..... We just returned from Celebrity Infinity Iceland And Fjords and were soooo lucky with the weather!!!!! Do you know by chance any local tour operators that you can recommend? Greetings from Austria (not Australia :-)

 

Cadel: And please post the link to your journey! Want to read more

 

Appreciate this nice follow-up from our friend from wonderful Vienna. Have been to that great part of Austria twice and loved it both times. Great' date=' classy city.

 

Below for you and others is that link to my live/blog with lots of visuals, details and options.

 

For our Hobart, Tasmania, tour with our group of seven couples, including visits to Port Arthur and the wildlife center, we worked with [b']Judy Livingston of Eye See Personalize Tours[/b]. She gets well-deserved, high ratings from such services such as TripAdvisor. You can reach Judy at

E-mail: eyesee@netspace.net.au

Website: http://www.eyeseetasmania.com.au

Tell her that Terry said HI!!

 

For our trip to Rotorua and the native Maori options/potentials, including Te Puia for a Maori concert, our excellent guide was Matt from Grumpy's Transfer's & Tours Ltd. You can reach them at this e-mail of: Grumpy@Grumpys.co.nz.

 

Wellington we did on our own, including by doing a morning cab custom introduction/tour. Plus ship cruises at Akaroa for the combo Tranz Alpine/JetBoat trip and the overnight Queenstown trip.

 

Look through the live/blog and let me know any added questions. Happy to share more with our friend from the Imperial capital in Austria.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and 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 much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 65,514 views for this fun posting.

[Couple_who_cruises]

I think we are on the same cruise! We have booked a hire car from Dunedin. Someone correct me if im wrong, but i believe the ship will have buses to The Octagon in Dunedin? From there just a short walk to hire a car from either Avis or Thrifty. We plan on visiting the castle, brewery and Cadbury

[Cadel]

Thank you for the link! Very much to go through :-) Enjoying reading it!

 

We also planned Stopovers in order to reduce Jetlag from the long flights.

 

We will fly from Vienna to Hongkong for two nights (about 10h flight). Then heading towards Aukland and do some sightseeing there.

 

Then cruising :-)

 

Pre-Cruise plans are visiting Sydney plus Blue Mountains, then a flight to ULURU, staying 1-2 nights including "Dinner under the stars"....and then back to Sydney and directly to Singapore, staying there 2 nights and back home.

[dancinman66]

Sounds like a pretty good plan

Enjoy

Just watch out mountains can be cool even in summer

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Cadel]

Post-Cruising plans of course...

[torchlight]

Please please dont bother going to the Cadbury Factory. It was the worst tour I had ever been on, a total waste of money with hardly any machines going and a grumpy lady guide...

[AussieGypsie]

Have a look here then.....

 

http://travelheadfirst.com/local-legends/cruise-packages-dunedin/

 

cheers

Hey Flipper, have you booked tours through Travel Head First? I'm doing some research for our first cruise sailing Dec 2014 and came across their website as well as a few too many more.

 

We have been to Dunedin and surrounds before so not looking at doing a tour with them there but possibly one of the other areas they service.