Post cruise Auckland

[Vincenta]

Booked on Diamond Princess Jan.15-27 ending in Auckland and have a tentative itinerary from TA for 6 days in Auckland . Includes sightseeing in Auckland, Mt. Eden, Waiheke Island with a wine tour. Waikato, Glowworm caves, overnight in Rotorua, Te Puia, Rainbow Nature Park, sheep show at the Agrodome then back to Te Puia for dinner and show. Next day on to Napier via Taupo for a wine tour then fly out to Auckland to pick up homeward bound flight.

Just wondering if anyone has done a similar itinerary and would we have a good overview with such an itinerary? Looking for some feedback from fellow CC's who have done this cruise and any other ideas.

P.S. this will be a very pricey 6 days

[MargoK]

Hi Vincenta.

 

Do you have the name of the company providing the tour?? I see you have 2 nights in Rotorua, where are the other nights?

 

Hubby use to be a New Zealand Tour Coach Driver (North Island) so might be able to offer some advice.

[Aquarians]

Booked on Diamond Princess Jan.15-27 ending in Auckland and have a tentative itinerary from TA for 6 days in Auckland . Includes sightseeing in Auckland, Mt. Eden, Waiheke Island with a wine tour. Waikato, Glowworm caves, overnight in Rotorua, Te Puia, Rainbow Nature Park, sheep show at the Agrodome then back to Te Puia for dinner and show. Next day on to Napier via Taupo for a wine tour then fly out to Auckland to pick up homeward bound flight.

Just wondering if anyone has done a similar itinerary and would we have a good overview with such an itinerary? Looking for some feedback from fellow CC's who have done this cruise and any other ideas.

P.S. this will be a very pricey 6 days

Kia ora,

You will certainly get a taste of inland NZ on this suggested itinerary but presuming your ship calls at Tauranga and Napier there could be some duplication as you would have the opportunity to visit a vineyard/wine tour in Napier and probably some of the Rotorua activities from Tauranga.

Aquarians

[Vincenta]

Do not have the name of the tour company- we spend 2 nights in Auckland, 2 in Rotorua and 2 in Napier (not sure we need the Napier stop) Ship calls at Dunedin,Christchurch, Taruanga and Auckland. Would we duplicating seeing that we stop in Taruanga... I have been doing some research too and Kauri tours have a couple that does not include Napier -anyone used Kauri Tours?

Thanks

[flamomo]

Hi Vincenta,

You are going to be on the same cruise we are booked for, following a 5 day Princess land tour.

We have a roll call going for it, and there are discussions about planned excursions, etc.

Why don't you come over to the Roll Call board, find the date for this cruise on the Diamond board, and join us.

[Vincenta]

Hi Vincenta.

 

Do you have the name of the company providing the tour?? I see you have 2 nights in Rotorua, where are the other nights?

 

Hubby use to be a New Zealand Tour Coach Driver (North Island) so might be able to offer some advice.

 

We are using Goway's tour company (Canadian) and I think we will drop the Napier part of the trip and return to Auckland from Rotorua and spend the extra days in Auckland... will look into what we can do while there. Would appreicate your husband's thoughts too.

Thanks

[Aquarians]

We are using Goway's tour company (Canadian) and I think we will drop the Napier part of the trip and return to Auckland from Rotorua and spend the extra days in Auckland... will look into what we can do while there. Would appreicate your husband's thoughts too.

Thanks

kia ora,

As you are already docking in Napier your thought of not going there again by road frees up time for other things. Rotorua is the north island's 'must see'. The area has a high Maori population and an overnight stay means you can see and experience much more, especially some of the cultural activities. For overnighters a Rotorua-Taupo-Waitomo (Waikato) combination has merits and covers some of the best farming areas. As you will be in Rotorua later it may pay to spend your Tauranga day around the Tauranga/Mount Maunganui and leave the best for last! Auckland itself has a number of attractions and if your cruise itinerary doesn't include the Bay of Islands you could consider an overnight visit up there.

Aquarians

[Vincenta]

Thank you so much for the tips .. we are spending 2 nights in Rotorua and will definitely try to see as much as possible of the Maori culturre while we are there. I was also wondering about the Bay of Islands as I have been researching it on the"net" so now we have another great location to spend one of our free nights.

Thanks so much for all these great ideas... have been waiting a long time to do this trip so looking forward to being there and enjoying it all.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

When in Auckland , a very pleasant and inexpensive trip is to take the ferry over to Devonport.When you get to the end of the pier at Devonport look out for a shuttle or mini bus that will take you up to the top of Mt Victoria for some amazing views of the City, Harbour and out to the Gulf.

[Grumpy100]

Do not have the name of the tour company- we spend 2 nights in Auckland, 2 in Rotorua and 2 in Napier (not sure we need the Napier stop) Ship calls at Dunedin,Christchurch, Taruanga and Auckland. Would we duplicating seeing that we stop in Taruanga... I have been doing some research too and Kauri tours have a couple that does not include Napier -anyone used Kauri Tours?

Thanks

We used Kauri Tours when we were in Auckland this past November. We had a great tour of the black beaches on the other side of the peninsula, the kauri trees, a short visit at a winery, the gannet nesting birds on the rocky coast and some of the city of Auckland and a look at the volcano extinct on the outskirts of the city. We had a great tour.

[Ricky Chan]

When in Auckland , a very pleasant and inexpensive trip is to take the ferry over to Devonport.When you get to the end of the pier at Devonport look out for a shuttle or mini bus that will take you up to the top of Mt Victoria for some amazing views of the City, Harbour and out to the Gulf.

 

Kiwi Kruzer:

 

Thanks for the suggestion, we will spend three days in Auckland post criuise and plan to spend an afternoon in Devonport.

 

Questions: How long will it takes to go up to top of Mt. Victoria and what is the cost.

 

Ricky

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Kiwi Kruzer:Thanks for the suggestion, we will spend three days in Auckland post criuise and plan to spend an afternoon in Devonport. Questions: How long will it takes to go up to top of Mt. Victoria and what is the cost.Ricky

 

Hi Ricky,

Whenever we have taken folk to Devonport we usually end up there after a drive around the sights , then they return to the City on the Ferry, so we get the luxury of driving to the top of the Mount.

However heres a link to a company that does tours in Devonport and may be of some help...

 

http://www.devonporttours.co.nz/index.htm

 

seems they work in with the ferry which is is run by Fullers.

(google Fullers Ferries in Auckland ,they may have more info as well)

 

Depending on how "fit" you are, you can also walk to the top of Mt Victoria. Its an easy walk to the top of the shopping street, but then you follow the road which winds and twists to the top. There is also a grass track that goes straight up, but it is very steep towards the top, and if wet would be slippery.

[Ricky Chan]

Hi Ricky,

Whenever we have taken folk to Devonport we usually end up there after a drive around the sights , then they return to the City on the Ferry, so we get the luxury of driving to the top of the Mount.

However heres a link to a company that does tours in Devonport and may be of some help...

 

http://www.devonporttours.co.nz/index.htm

 

seems they work in with the ferry which is is run by Fullers.

(google Fullers Ferries in Auckland ,they may have more info as well)

 

Depending on how "fit" you are, you can also walk to the top of Mt Victoria. Its an easy walk to the top of the shopping street, but then you follow the road which winds and twists to the top. There is also a grass track that goes straight up, but it is very steep towards the top, and if wet would be slippery.

 

David:

 

Thanks for the info and link. We will definitely take the tour, may take the lunch tour instead. I am not a mobile person, I need a cane for long walk. So walking to the top is not an option for me.

 

Ricky