Now for something completely different

[Blackduck59]

Topic? Isn't it great that the OP (me) didn't really have a "Topic" Just a feeble Canadian looking for local insight to places that I may be in. Every once in awhile I'll throw out something and everybody chime in as you like. The only thing is I would appreciate that we go on the assumption this trip will happen and me being fully aware that world events may conspire against it.

So what can a couple  of middle aged Canadians, who could care less about Hobbiton do in Tauranga?

[By The Bay]

12 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Topic? Isn't it great that the OP (me) didn't really have a "Topic" Just a feeble Canadian looking for local insight to places that I may be in. Every once in awhile I'll throw out something and everybody chime in as you like. The only thing is I would appreciate that we go on the assumption this trip will happen and me being fully aware that world events may conspire against it.

So what can a couple  of middle aged Canadians, who could care less about Hobbiton do in Tauranga?

Rotorua.

[possum52]

4 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Topic? Isn't it great that the OP (me) didn't really have a "Topic" Just a feeble Canadian looking for local insight to places that I may be in. Every once in awhile I'll throw out something and everybody chime in as you like. The only thing is I would appreciate that we go on the assumption this trip will happen and me being fully aware that world events may conspire against it.

So what can a couple  of middle aged Canadians, who could care less about Hobbiton do in Tauranga?

A trip to Rotorua to see geothermal mud pools and geysers plus Maori culture. Is this part of a land trip or cruise excursion? Rotorua is about a 70-75 minutes trip from the port.

 

Leigh

 

[Blackduck59]

Tauranga is a port stop, I know there is an excursion, don't know how much, none of the excursions and prices are listed yet.

Many on CC have said they rented a car and did a self guided tour. I am very interested in Maori culture and look forward to the haka. We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii and it was good but much of it was sooo...Americanized. I think we are 8 hours in Tauranga.

[Chiliburn]

I’ll second Rotorua,it’s a must see .

The volcanic pools and the Maoris living on top of a active volcano.

Car hire is a bit of a hassle,you have to get a taxi to the car place from what I’m told.

On the dock there’s plenty of small tour companies.

We did a tour with arrow tours,they we recommended and we were happy.

[Blackduck59]

Checking out Rotorua on line. There seem to some evening shows that look similar to a luau in Hawaii, those would be out. There is Ohinemutu Maori Village looks interesting. Knowing that cruise excursions are ridiculously priced I'm thinking the rent a car routine is good option. That we we aren't packed in a "luxury coach" and I can do some wrong side of the road driving before we get to Oz.

[Aus Traveller]

18 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Tauranga is a port stop, I know there is an excursion, don't know how much, none of the excursions and prices are listed yet.

Many on CC have said they rented a car and did a self guided tour. I am very interested in Maori culture and look forward to the haka. We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii and it was good but much of it was sooo...Americanized. I think we are 8 hours in Tauranga.

I suggest in Tauranga you either hire a car and go to Rotorua or buy a tour on the dock. We have hired cars a couple of times when the car hire company have brought the car to the dock. On the return, you leave the car keys with the guard at the gate to the dock. If you do this, I suggest you photograph all sides of the car, in the unlikely event the company later claims there is damage.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, Blackduck59 said:

Checking out Rotorua on line. There seem to some evening shows that look similar to a luau in Hawaii, those would be out. There is Ohinemutu Maori Village looks interesting. Knowing that cruise excursions are ridiculously priced I'm thinking the rent a car routine is good option. That we we aren't packed in a "luxury coach" and I can do some wrong side of the road driving before we get to Oz.

In Rotorua I recommend Te Puia for a Maori experience.

[peter1956]

We had to go to a Funeral last Thursday. Could not believe the price of fuel at Ballan and this is on the Western Freeway in the middle of nowhere between Melbourne and Ballarat.

[possum52]

We used Zealandier for our tour to Rotorua. It was a van seating about 10 I think but the van wasn't full. We had pre-booked as there were four of us but a couple didn't, jut arranged it at the port. We stopped at a kiwi fruit farm, a manuka honey place and onto Rotorua to Te Puia which was really great. 

 

A quick tour of Rotorua, including the California Redwoods Forest and an important stop at an ice cream shop!. Yummo! I had to have the famous hokey pokey! 

 

I think most cruises stop at Tauranga for close to 11 or 12 hours which gives plenty of time to go to Rotorua..

 

Leigh

[possum52]

4 minutes ago, peter1956 said:

We had to go to a Funeral last Thursday. Could not believe the price of fuel at Ballan and this is on the Western Freeway in the middle of nowhere between Melbourne and Ballarat.

And just when we are not using our cars very much!

 

[peter1956]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

So what can a couple  of middle aged Canadians, who could care less about Hobbiton do in Tauranga?

When we were at Hobbiton in early March there was a group of 4 cruise passengers who had hired a car in Tauranga ( I noticed the hire companies had a temporary setup just as you leave the ship there ) They said that they had plenty of time to go to Hobbiton and Rotorua and was under half the price of the ships tour

[Blackduck59]

We dock at 0800 and leave at 1830 so being extra cautious means back on board a 1700.

I like the car thing, I don't mind a small tour but would prefer to get an idea of who is on the tour; it only takes one obnoxious person to ruin the whole tour. My only other concern is finding myself at Te Puia with 2000 of my new best friends. I will lok into car hire, you never know we may meet another couple on the cruise whose company we enjoy to share the car with. 

 

[Aus Traveller]

3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

We dock at 0800 and leave at 1830 so being extra cautious means back on board a 1700.

I like the car thing, I don't mind a small tour but would prefer to get an idea of who is on the tour; it only takes one obnoxious person to ruin the whole tour. My only other concern is finding myself at Te Puia with 2000 of my new best friends. I will lok into car hire, you never know we may meet another couple on the cruise whose company we enjoy to share the car with. 

 

We have been to Te Puia on a few occasions when we have docked in Tauranga. It hasn't been overcrowded. I suggest the car hire idea is probably the best, and maybe with another couple to share costs.

[lyndarra]

In February we did a 7 day pore cruise tour and stayed a couple of nights in Rotorua. On one day we did a Hobbiton tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. We also did a night Hangi and cultural show. We booked that through Viatour. Then later on the cruise we pre booked a Maori Clultural tour which included Te Puia.  This was a great experience and included a welcome haka, then a show which included all the men in the tour group getting up on stage to learn the haka. Great fun. Prior to the welcoming haka  a maori guide will select a male from the group to represent all the visitors. This person should look mature and wise - hint, hint. Don't be backward in going forward.

https://www.viator.com/en-AU/tours/Rotorua/Rotorua-Day-Trip-from-Tauranga/d395-70073P1

The tour picks up at the dock and, if the mini bus has spare seats they will take walk up bookings on the day. On the day there was my group of 4 aussies and an American couple = 6 on a twelve seat bus. I can't forget the American gent, a dead ringer for Bert Kibbler the geologist in Big Bang Theory. Looked and sounded like him and his hobby/passion was geology. 😀

 

Edited April 16, 2020 by lyndarra
spelling

[SeaDog-46]

Tauranga is the KIWI FRUIT capial of the world.  KIWI is a New Zealander.

It is also the main storing port for the US based cruise ships in Oceania.

The port is actually right beside the town of Mount Monganui.

If you want some exercise climb the mountain.

[Relaxing Robbies]

If you have time, the walk around Mt Maunganui is very enjoyable and a lot less work than the walk to the top of the mount.

[Aus Traveller]

I have walked to the top of the Mount, I wouldn't call it a climb. However, I feel it is a waste of time for a first-time visitor. The must-do when in Tauranga, is a visit to Rotorua, and if the visitor is interested in The Hobbit movies, add a visit to Hobbiton.

[Blackduck59]

Thank you so much, I think Rotorua is the thing for us to do and the car hire should get us there before the bus hoardes😁

[Chiliburn]

55 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thank you so much, I think Rotorua is the thing for us to do and the car hire should get us there before the bus hoardes😁

I think Rotorua is a good choice Lyle.

 I hate organised tours as much a the next person but in your case I think a small group tour would be better than hiring a car.You have limited time and tours fit a lot in.And in between navigating ,trying to drive on the wrong side of the road you will miss a few things.Also NZ has a couple of odd road rules such as if you apologise you are admitting liability.

 

The tour we did from the dock had 6 passengers and we all got on,we even had a few drinks on the ship later in the cruise.

The tour took us around town with a cometary, to a kiwi fruit farm and tour, to the Maori village with pre booked tickets and then to a cafe on the lake with a reserved table.

We had to buy our own lunch but everything was busy. Good we had a reservation.

After lunch a driving tour of Rotorua with cometary. On the way back to the ship a few more sightseeing.

We were asked what time wanted to be back at the ship as it’s flexible.We all wanted to be back for the pool party,about 2:00

you could do a walk around the town also 

 

[Blackduck59]

So while I'm indulging in the fabulous virtual tour on another thread I really am looking for tips on the real cruise and land tour in 2021. So next stop Napier I know vintage car tour and Art Deco city, I also know there is a famous wine region close by. We dock at 0800 and cast off at 1700 so back on board at 1600 at the latest. Can we do the wine and the town in 6 hours? We will also need lunch somewhere. I know food on the ship is plentiful and included in the cost of my fare but part of traveling is trying local things.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Blackduck59

[lyndarra]

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I have walked to the top of the Mount, I wouldn't call it a climb. However, I feel it is a waste of time for a first-time visitor. The must-do when in Tauranga, is a visit to Rotorua, and if the visitor is interested in The Hobbit movies, add a visit to Hobbiton.

I would agree to a point. I have climbed/walked the mount a couple of times (finding geocaches along the way)  but decided to take in places like Hobbiton as part of a land tour as there is so much to see in that area that could not be covered in one day off a cruise ship (unless one does multiple cruises to Tauranga). One time visitor certainly.

[By The Bay]

47 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

.Also NZ has a couple of odd road rules such as if you apologise you are admitting liability.

 

Help me out here Kiwi's, but I was under the impression that NZ has a no fault accident cover.

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, By The Bay said:

Help me out here Kiwi's, but I was under the impression that NZ has a no fault accident cover.

I'm guessing that would be for injury not vehicle damage.

[Chiliburn]

11 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

Help me out here Kiwi's, but I was under the impression that NZ has a no fault accident cover.

That’s what we were told,if you have a smash don’t say sorry.

There were a couple other odd ones like a horse and cart always have the right of way, not that you see them anywhere.

 

 I’m not sure about the other ones. Something like a overtaking car has right of way???

Also there’s odd one about intersections.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Chiliburn