Our own excursion, Milford Sound to Dunedin, Rental Car?

[Ski_Bum]

My wife and I are booked on a Royal Carribean Cruise in New Zealand next month. We are interested in the Milford Sound area.

 

RC has an excursion ,for something like $1300, that includes an overnight, and meets up with the ship in the next port (Dunedin.)

 

After searching, I saw a few posts in this forum saying they had seen others rent a car and explore the Milford sound area on their own. Does any one know if Dunedin car hire, or any other rental agency's will deliver to the Milford Sound port? Would we be able to set this trip up with a local company (or find a driver)?

 

We are also debating chartering a plane in Dunedin and flying back to view the area by air (this appears to be affordable.)

[newfarmers]

My wife and I are booked on a Royal Carribean Cruise in New Zealand next month. We are interested in the Milford Sound area.

 

RC has an excursion ,for something like $1300, that includes an overnight, and meets up with the ship in the next port (Dunedin.)

 

After searching, I saw a few posts in this forum saying they had seen others rent a car and explore the Milford sound area on their own. Does any one know if Dunedin car hire, or any other rental agency's will deliver to the Milford Sound port? Would we be able to set this trip up with a local company (or find a driver)?

 

We are also debating chartering a plane in Dunedin and flying back to view the area by air (this appears to be affordable.)

 

Knowing what the road is like from Dunedin back up in to Milford I can't see any rental car company dropping anything off there for you:( .

 

I'm reading that you can actually debark in Milford to do this overnighter? Seems strange but things change. When we were there last (we drove in from Queenstown in 2003) there were only two places to stay in Milford - a backpackers open to all where we stayed, and a hotel where only those who have walked, or are about to walk the Milford Trail, can stay.

 

Sounds like a plane or helicopter from Dunedin is looking the more do-able.

 

pete

[Ski_Bum]

I'm reading that you can actually debark in Milford to do this overnighter?

 

They have it listed that a tender boat will bring you to the small dock.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They have it listed that a tender boat will bring you to the small dock.

 

My understanding was that the tender boat is only for the people who had booked the cruise lines overnight tour.Once they are off ,the ship carries on with scenic cruising.

Milford is your first/last call in NZ, so immigration and customs would have to be arranged.

As the previous poster said, there is only 1 road to Milford and its a long drive.

If you can arrange to get off at Milford on your own,you could look at having a plane meet you at Milford,they do have a small airport,fly to and overnight in Queenstown,(with a scenic flight on the way), and then drive to the ship in Dunedin.All up though it may be more expensive than the ships tour.

[mochuck]

You would have to drive through the Homer Tunnel (if you manage to get a rental car). They have lights in it now, which they didn't when we went through it in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Tunnel

[newfarmers]

You would have to drive through the Homer Tunnel (if you manage to get a rental car). They have lights in it now, which they didn't when we went through it in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Tunnel

 

 

we (I) drove throught the Homer in 2003. Aweful!!! It's narrow and there's buses coming at you, you drive from light into very dark until your eyes adjust.... argh!! I love driving but driving into and through the Homer was one of the most unpleasant driving experiences of my life. When we emerged into the upper sound it was pouring rain and the cloud had dropped right down. Mmmm, was it really that bad? yep, but the Sound made up for it a thousand times over. Pictures are on webshots gallery (link is below our countdown clock)

 

pete

[Hebe]

When we traveled in New Zealand by car, some rental car agencies would not insure you on the road to and from Milford Sound.

 

Your looking at a charter flight could be an option but keep in mind that the Milford Sound area is subject to fog and you could be stuck at the airport. That happened to us --- we booked a van to Milford Sound and then a Sceanic Flight back. When we got to Milford Sound it was raining and flight was cancelled. We had to ride back in the van. Not to be disappointed, we scheduled the flight the next day.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

It's narrow and there's buses coming at you, you drive from light into very dark until your eyes adjust.... argh!! I love driving but driving into and through the Homer was one of the most unpleasant driving experiences of my life. pete

 

Its quite a few years ago since I drove through the Homer tunnel,but I seem to recall at that stage, it was one way traffic, and you had to wait at either end for the traffic lights to let you enter.

 

There is also the thought that you may not even make it into the sound as Regal Princess found out yesterday.Here is a thread from the P&O Australia board..........

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=635508

 

[newfarmers]

Its quite a few years ago since I drove through the Homer tunnel,but I seem to recall at that stage, it was one way traffic, and you had to wait at either end for the traffic lights to let you enter.

 

There is also the thought that you may not even make it into the sound as Regal Princess found out yesterday.Here is a thread from the P&O Australia board..........

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=635508

 

 

Two way in 2003 but with give way bays for the peopel heading down to pull in to to let the people coming up and out a clear run. Going down was easier but coming out the buses just ignored the give way bays and just came straight at you.:eek:

[Ski_Bum]

Wow - I can't believe those seas! I normally don't get sea sick, but I think I will go to the DR to get the patches.