TAXI? New Zealand Ports

When we have traveled in Europe very often there are cab drivers available right at port side. Many offer private tours, 3-4 hours etc. I am wondering if any of the CC readers know of this first hand regarding Dunedin, Wellington, or Akaroa, NZ. We are traveling this January on the Solstice.

Many Thanks for any input. :):):)

You could consider also posting this question on the Australia / NZ cruisers board here

When we have traveled in Europe very often there are cab drivers available right at port side. Many offer private tours, 3-4 hours etc. I am wondering if any of the CC readers know of this first hand regarding Dunedin, Wellington, or Akaroa, NZ. We are traveling this January on the Solstice. Many Thanks for any input.

For Wellington, we did a cab tour that worked super well for us and our needs/interests. This gave us a great "introduction" to the city and sampling on the many nice views and options. Later in the day, on our own, we did lunch and shopping in the charming Cuba area and then did their famed museum later in the afternoon, etc., etc.

Check out my live/blog connected below. Happy to share more and answer added questions.

Akaroa is a very small village. OK for walking around. The other "stars" are farther away and will mostly involve a ship's tour such as for JetBoat and/or TranzAlpine adventure that we did there. On Dunedin, are you considering doing the Celebrity overnight excursion to Queenstown? That worked very well for us. Can share more as needed about that option.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, 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 more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 119,129 views for this posting.

We started out our day in Wellington by hooking up with an excellent cab driver for a mini-tour and introduction to this city. This included first going up to Mount Victoria for a great overview of the city and seeing many sights around town. Here is an overview for this city from this great location on a wonderful weather day. We could also the residential structures that climb up the hills all around this great, scenic harbor. And, we had a view of the Wellington airport where the top movie/computer operations for Peter Jackson and James Cameron are working their magic for future film releases. Wellington is now the center for this type of film production in the world. There was also a closer view of the Te Papa museum shown below from this vantage point.:

This is the main government center for New Zealand, including on the left with its round, Beehive building. The Beehive was built in stages between 1969 and 1979. It is extensively decorated with New Zealand art. The top floor is occupied by the Cabinet room, with the Prime Minister's offices on the ninth floor. The Parliament is located next door in the middle building shown.:

This is the inside of Old St. Paul's church in Wellington. See, we did go to church on our trip! It is the former cathedral in the Diocese of Wellington for the Anglican Church. As an example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture, they adapted to colonial conditions and materials. It is at 34 Mulgrave Street, close to the New Zealand Parliament. Its construction was completed in June 1866. In 1964, the Diocese of Wellington moved to the new St Paul's Cathedral nearby. After a significant battle to prevent its demolition, Old St. Paul's was purchased by the New Zealand Government in 1967 and restored. Although not a parish church, it remains consecrated and is a popular for weddings, funerals and other services. It is constructed from native NZ timbers. The interior has been likened to the upturned hull of an Elizabethan galleon. As this picture shows, it has exposed curving trusses and roof sacking. The flags displayed in the nave include the Royal Navy, NZ Merchant Navy and US Marine Corps. Many of our Marines were stationed in Wellington during World War II. My wife is in yellow walking down the center aisle as she absorb the building details. This was a very important and "moving" site to experience.:

Starting with its contemporary design, this Te Papa Museum is not a boring and/or average facility. And, the admission is FREE!! Such a deal! Well worth it, too. The second picture below reflect some of its native Maori collection and emphasis.:

Below is a view for a small portion of the Wellington downtown reflecting the architecture and art variety, style, interest, beauty, etc. Nice mix and options here for shopping, dining, sampling. Their waterfront is nicely developed with many options there for things to do and see.:

When we have traveled in Europe very often there are cab drivers available right at port side. Many offer private tours, 3-4 hours etc. I am wondering if any of the CC readers know of this first hand regarding Dunedin, Wellington, or Akaroa, NZ. We are traveling this January on the Solstice.

Many Thanks for any input. :):):)

My thoughts are that Wellington , (out of the ports you mention ) is the only one that you could rely on a Taxi tour from cabs at the dock. They are lined up just outside the terminal . The dock ,being in the City , is handy for the cabs to be there, whereas Dunedin and Akaroa rely on a long distance one way drive and return by the taxi while it is empty , so are not popular with the drivers as they would have to charge far too much to cover their costs.

Thank you so much for the information.....helps me plan better.

Appreciate all the information you have provided. Very helpful as we plan this trip. I have read part of your blog and intend to read more. You all are great planners!

Appreciate all the information you have provided. Very helpful as we plan this trip. I have read part of your blog and intend to read more. You all are great planners!

Appreciate your follow-up and work in planning ahead. Keep these good questions rolling along!! Lots of great ideas and people are here on these boards and they are happy to help. Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It will be very helpful for when you do your actual trip and that experience.

Why? Many only get to these areas "down under" once or for a limited time. There are many, many options. You want to get the right "mix" of activities and variety to fit your personal needs and interests. Good luck!! Look forward to hearing more from our "neighbor" in Naples, Fla.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, 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 more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 119,306 views for this posting.

To our neighbor in Ohio......it just so happens that we are traveling from NC to Ohio next week. My husband hails from Cincinnati :)

Thanks for the good advise....I will again work on the Aussie trip when we return.