Price of Shore excursions on Diamond Princess

[Vincenta]

Booked on Jan. Aus./NZ cruise and trying to figure out whether we should book with local companies in NZ (from past experience they are usually much cheaper than the cruise line and smaller numbers)who have all their prices listed on websites. Cannot compare with Princess as you only get a description of the excursion, no price at this time.

Just wondered what the Taieri gorge trip in Dunedin would cost from the cruise line compared to one of the local train line... trying to get the budget in line as there is so much we want to do and want to get the best value.

CC's are so well informed particularly on shore excursions and we have used so many of the suggestions on this board on our previous cruises so your input will be much appreciated.

[coconutmonkey]

We are sailing with Princess and are in the final stages of planning our shore excursions. The Taieri Gorge train trip with Princess is $450 AUD for 2 people and leaves from the port including meals and drinks. Train tickets from the Dunedin train station are $70 NZ. I have posted a thread about the logistics of doing this independantly.

The shore excusion to Rotorua on Princess is $490 AUD for 2 including the Maori Experience and Agridome. We have booked with Archer Tours for $270 NZ for 2 which does not do the Agridome but does a Kiwi fruit orchard instead.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

[Molly Doble]

Hi

We are sailing on Sun Princess to NZ in January. We have booked a mini van for Tauranga, the van will be at the dock waiting for us when we dock. Rotorua is only 1 hour away and we will be visiting the Whakarewarewa 'thermal village' in Rotorua and jet boating. We were last in Rotorua in 2008, our Sapphire Princess cruise finished in Auckland so we travelled down to Rotorua and stayed a few days. There is a lot do but it is also easy to get around if you have a car.

 

In Dunedin we have again booked with Arthurs Tours to take us out for a full day of touring. Dunedin was a real highlight on our last cruise so we are more than happy to use Arthurs Tours again. I just book everything with them by email and their mini van was there waiting for us when we docked. They make sure we are back to the ship in plenty of time. This time as we are a group of 16 i have booked two smaller seperate groups. As one lot want to see Lanarch Castle and others want to visit Speights Brewery.

 

If you are interested in doing Taieri gorge train trip check out this website. http://www.taieri.co.nz/ I had looked at it for us in January and it was $91ea NZ and the train leaves at 9.30am from Dunedin and returns at 3.30pm to Dunedin. Others on here have said they have caught a taxi from the ship to the railway station for about $40 so they were sure not to miss the train.

 

Hope this helps

 

Tania

[Vincenta]

Thanks for the info on the excursions prices and the train timetable... we will definitely book ahead with the train station and then take a cab down there. Looking forward to doing this spectacular train ride.

[flamomo]

VIncenta ...... are you on the Jan. 15th sailing? If so, there is a roll call for it.

[Vincenta]

VIncenta ...... are you on the Jan. 15th sailing? If so, there is a roll call for it.

Yes we are... will check out the roll call.