Guided tours - independently booked

[FraserK]

We will be doing a Ruby Princess cruise around NZ next February.  Looking at excursions and wondered if anyone had used an independent external company to book tours.  We will be visiting the following and wondered if any are doable without an excursion or which tours would be recommended as a must do.

 

Dunedin (Port Chalmers)

Akaroa

Wellington

Napier

Tauranga

Auckland

Bay of Islands

 

Appreciate any advice and thanks in advance.

 

Kat

 

[WAVTAM]

Have done all these ports independently . (Would never do cruise ship tour based on price and bus experience).

All have tour offices on dock or walking distances to City center.

Can give recommendations  , but each person likes is different.

[possum52]

We cruised to NZ last November and did a mixture of do it yourself and organised non ship excursions. We booked tours through Viator who use local tour companies. In Dunedin we did the Taieri Gorge train - we were picked up from Port Chalmers Cruise Terminal, just a short walk from the ship and taken to Dunedin railway station to catch the train and returned to the port after the train trip and a tour of Dunedin. 

 

Akaroa - we just walked around the town and enjoyed a drink at the pub and lunch of fish and chips.

 

Wellington - shuttle into town and wandered around.

 

Tauranga - a tour to Rotorua to the Te Puia Maori Culture Centre and Thermal Springs, a drive through the redwood forest, a drive around Rotorua, a visit to a kiwi fruit farm and a manuka honey business. Tour company was Zealandier Tours.

 

Auckland we did a morning tour of the city and across to Devonport. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour - about 10 of us in the mini bus. Tour company was Bush and Beach.

 

It really depends on your interests, you could certainly do your own thing at all the ports or find a tour/excursion to suit you.

 

Enjoy your trip Down Under.

 

Leigh

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by possum52

[FraserK]

That's a great help thanks.

 

Kat

[epixx]

On ‎3‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 8:25 AM, FraserK said:

 

 

Dunedin (Port Chalmers)

Akaroa

Wellington

Napier

Tauranga

Auckland

Bay of Islands

 

Appreciate any advice and thanks in advance.

 

Kat

 

 

We sailed around NZ in Dec 2018.

 

Dunedin:  We enjoyed an excellent full day marine wildlife tour with Elm Tours.

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

 

Akaroa:  We took a kayaking tour and saw a ton of wildlife.

https://www.pohatu.co.nz/Sea+Kayaking.html

 

Wellington:  We took the free shuttle to Zealandia Econsanctuary and then walked on our own through the Botanic Gardens.

https://www.visitzealandia.com/

 

Napier:  We rented bikes and took a long bike ride on our own outside of town, mostly on the bike paths.

https://www.bikehirenapier.co.nz/

 

Tauranga (day 1 of 2):  We did a private tour with CJays (highly recommend) to Waitomo Glow Worm Caves and to the Hobbiton.

https://www.cjaystourgroup.co.nz/

 

Tauranga (day 2 of 2):  We went again with CJays to Te Puia Geothermal and Cultural Center, Kiwi Fruit Farm, Blue and Green Lakes, and Redwood Forest Treewalk.

 

I recommend all of the above.

 

[FraserK]

Thanks Epixx

[FraserK]

How do we find out which ports have shuttle buses into town?  Is this possible?

 

Thanks

 

Kat

[Adventures ahead]

On 3/22/2019 at 2:13 PM, FraserK said:

How do we find out which ports have shuttle buses into town?  Is this possible?

 

Thanks

 

Kat

Maybe begin a thread with your question. It may vary by cruise line and port. For example:  

 

Topic:

Shuttles from your ship in New Zealand and Australian ports?

Question:

Recent cruisers, did your cruise line, or port, provide shuttles into town?

Were they free or was there a fee?

 

I think this would help a lot of people.

[WAVTAM]

Dunedin would be the only port with distance. Local bus exists outside port gate. Most tours independently  booked on dock will pick you up at port.

Wellington if NO bus is a 20 minute walk. All other ports you are parked in town

Napier did have free shuttle when there..

[FraserK]

Great idea....posted now.

 

Thanks

 

Kat