New Zealand Excursions

[naddym87]

Hey everyone!

Just wondering what excursions people think are most worth while in we zealand?

[Aus Traveller]

Hey everyone!

Just wondering what excursions people think are most worth while in we zealand?

Which ports are you going to?

[rumpelstiltskin]

The two I liked best are the geothermal park near Rotorua (Tauranga)

 

and the Journey Into Middle Earth where the spectacular mountain valley scene was shot in the Lord of the Rings.

 

We opted to take the ship's excursion, and I'm glad we did on the Middle Earth excursion for the following reason:

 

When we stopped for a photo op, the bus driver discovered some damage to the bus undercarriage, due to traveling on a gravel road.

 

Fortunately, there was another excursion bus with enough seats to accommodate us for the remainder of the trip.

 

Had that happened on an excursion we booked privately, we would've been in dire straits trying to make it back to the ship in time.

[MicCanberra]

The two I liked best are the geothermal park near Rotorua (Tauranga)

 

and the Journey Into Middle Earth where the spectacular mountain valley scene was shot in the Lord of the Rings.

 

We opted to take the ship's excursion, and I'm glad we did on the Middle Earth excursion for the following reason:

 

When we stopped for a photo op, the bus driver discovered some damage to the bus undercarriage, due to traveling on a gravel road.

 

Fortunately, there was another excursion bus with enough seats to accommodate us for the remainder of the trip.

 

Had that happened on an excursion we booked privately, we would've been in dire straits trying to make it back to the ship in time.

 

You were very lucky then.

I can recommend the Speights brewery tour in Dunedin.:D

[mr walker]

I can recommend the Speights brewery tour in Dunedin.:D

 

Agreed - it was a good tour and the tasting was extra generous, based on other brewery tours I've done :)

[bazzaw]

Absolutely, definitely, totally, unreservedly, emphatically, unequivocally --- NOT, the Cadbury factory in Dunedin!!

 

 

Barry

[MicCanberra]

Absolutely, definitely, totally, unreservedly, emphatically, unequivocally --- NOT, the Cadbury factory in Dunedin!!

 

 

Barry

A tour of the local supermarket's candy aisle is good for cadbury chocolates.:p

[Kiwi Kruzer]

A tour of the local supermarket's candy aisle is good for cadbury chocolates.:p

 

...and probably cheaper as well..:eek:

[MicCanberra]

...and probably cheaper as well..:eek:

Yes, also can pick up some snacks to take back onto the ship. I find that the ship's gift shop really misses out on the selection of savoury snacks.:D

[kiwipete]

The Taiarei Gorge railway in Dunedin is rated one of the top rail journeys in the world. We really enjoyed it. If you book thro Princess the train comes to the dock. If you book privately you have to make your way to the station. Worth investigating.

[Aus Traveller]

The Taiarei Gorge railway in Dunedin is rated one of the top rail journeys in the world. We really enjoyed it. If you book thro Princess the train comes to the dock. If you book privately you have to make your way to the station. Worth investigating.

I believe that the private-booked tour has a shuttle bus going to the railway station.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Absolutely, definitely, totally, unreservedly, emphatically, unequivocally --- NOT, the Cadbury factory in Dunedin!!

 

I will disagree with bazzaw here :), and recommend the Cadbury factory in Dunedin :).

 

We went to it in 2008, and had a good time. Really enjoy it. Mind you it was late December, so we did not see them making chocolate bars etc..

 

We got some friends who went there just a few weeks ago, so I will ask them and see what they think of it.

 

...and probably cheaper as well..:eek:

 

This was in 2008, so thing might have changed, but when we where there in 2008, the chocolate was cheaper in the shop then in the supermarket!!

[Flipper133]

Hey everyone!

Just wondering what excursions people think are most worth while in we zealand?

 

Hi

 

We have cruised NZ a few times and done a combination of private and ships tours. This is what I reckon:

 

Dunedin: Done the Cadbury factory (sorry Bazz) and the ships Pub Hop Tour, which includes a visit to Speights Brewery. However my recommendation is Elms Wildlife Tour - a most professional organisation that well understands the situation (and risks) of passengers booking tours privately.

 

Akaroa: This town is the only tender port... and despite what some might say tendering (especially in sheltered waters) can be an adventure in itself. Explore the township, and arrange to take a 1.5 hour coach tour around the local sights - there is even a red double-decker London bus you can catch. Inquiries (and bookings) can be made at the Visitors Information Kiosk on the pier.

 

Wellington: The Te Papa museum is a must, and it is free.

 

Napier: A wander around this quaint town is rewarding, but we also booked a private tour to visit two wineries and a chocolate factory :)

 

Tauranga: A tour to Rotorua is always worthwhile, but we had visited before, so we booked a ships tour to visit a horse stud farm. Unfortunately Shirley was unwell so I had to cancel.

 

Auckland: we have rellies there, so our visits to Auckland usually mean having a beer or two at one of the Irish Pubs at the Quay side. Kelly Tarltons is Ok, but I have seen better (and its a bit exxy) and the bunjee jumping at the sky tower is definitely not our thing - but some like it.

 

We will probably cruise NZ again - it is always a fantastic experience.

 

cheers

[Aus Traveller]

Hi

 

We have cruised NZ a few times and done a combination of private and ships tours. This is what I reckon:

 

Dunedin: Done the Cadbury factory (sorry Bazz) and the ships Pub Hop Tour, which includes a visit to Speights Brewery. However my recommendation is Elms Wildlife Tour - a most professional organisation that well understands the situation (and risks) of passengers booking tours privately.

 

Akaroa: This town is the only tender port... and despite what some might say tendering (especially in sheltered waters) can be an adventure in itself. Explore the township, and arrange to take a 1.5 hour coach tour around the local sights - there is even a red double-decker London bus you can catch. Inquiries (and bookings) can be made at the Visitors Information Kiosk on the pier.

 

Wellington: The Te Papa museum is a must, and it is free.

 

Napier: A wander around this quaint town is rewarding, but we also booked a private tour to visit two wineries and a chocolate factory :)

 

Tauranga: A tour to Rotorua is always worthwhile, but we had visited before, so we booked a ships tour to visit a horse stud farm. Unfortunately Shirley was unwell so I had to cancel.

 

Auckland: we have rellies there, so our visits to Auckland usually mean having a beer or two at one of the Irish Pubs at the Quay side. Kelly Tarltons is Ok, but I have seen better (and its a bit exxy) and the bunjee jumping at the sky tower is definitely not our thing - but some like it.

 

We will probably cruise NZ again - it is always a fantastic experience.

 

cheers

When we went to the chocolate factory in Napier it was a real non-event - really just sales of very expensive chocolates. I didn't mind the chocolate factory in Dunedin - we saw them making chocolate bars and saw how they make chocolate Easter eggs. I wouldn't say the tour was great, but it was OK.

 

Wellington - Te Papa is great. Catch the shuttle bus or walk. We weren't very impressed with the other museum in town.

 

Auckland - We enjoyed Kelly Tarltons. The hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus cost $20 a couple of years ago but it is now $40. It was really good value at $20, but at $40 ???

 

Napier - book a tour at the visitor centre.

[MicCanberra]

Te Papa in Wellington is a must see, also the botanical gardens with the tram ride up is great.:D

[CruznRagtop]

The Taiarei Gorge railway in Dunedin is rated one of the top rail journeys in the world. We really enjoyed it. If you book thro Princess the train comes to the dock. If you book privately you have to make your way to the station. Worth investigating.

 

Thank you for sharing!

 

Has anyone reading this combined the railway journey with a visit to Larnach Castle? All comments are welcome.

[dizzy1948]

Just come back from our cruise today - and we were in Dunedin on Boxing day - and whilst the Cadbury Factory was closed - there was a tour - and it was very informative - we got a bag of chocs in the entry price $16.00 and saw a "chocolate pour". We got a ships transfer into Dunedin and were dropped at the Octagon - you can walk to Speights, and walk to Cadbury's from there - we did both - and it was great. We jumped a taxi to Baldwin Street - and the grandies thought it was phenominal - they walked it - in the pouring rain - the taxi waited and then took us back to the Octagon. I have to say we cheated a bit - the taxi driver drove us to the top - and the kids walked down. We stayed in the taxi and drove down) There's a plaque at the top with info.

We got a ships transfer for $15.00 each return to the Octagon. Lots of helpful guides there to help you out.

[suncityga]

Hey everyone!

Just wondering what excursions people think are most worth while in we zealand?

 

Hi,

 

Our cruise was in February 2013.

 

In Tauranga, we used Cruise Tauranga/Learning Journeys and had a fantastic tour. We did their Classic Rotorua Tour to Wai-O-Tapu with many additional stops... in addition to Wai-O-Tapu (which is amazing), we really enjoyed visiting Hamurana Springs and the 'young' Redwood forest nearby. We had an excellent and very knowledgeable driver/guide.

 

In Dunedin, my wife and I did the Elm Wildlife Tour and it was absolutely fantastic. We saw the beautiful Otago Peninsula coastal scenery and a lot of wildlife, upclose and personal. Two couples, plus Brian as our driver/guide. We first did a Dunedin city tour, then went out to the Royal Albatross center. After that, we went to see NZ Fur Seals and had a great picnic lunch overlooking the cliffs of Cape Saunders. After lunch, an empty beach with the 5 of us and huge Hooker Sealions and Yellow Eyed Penguins... an amazing experience.

 

If interested... suggest checking TripAdvisor for more details.

 

We did Auckland (ferry to Devonport) and Napier on our own.

[MicCanberra]

In Dunedin, my wife and I did the Elm Wildlife Tour and it was absolutely fantastic. We saw the beautiful Otago Peninsula coastal scenery and a lot of wildlife, upclose and personal. Two couples, plus Brian as our driver/guide. We first did a Dunedin city tour, then went out to the Royal Albatross center. After that, we went to see NZ Fur Seals and had a great picnic lunch overlooking the cliffs of Cape Saunders. After lunch, an empty beach with the 5 of us and huge Hooker Sealions and Yellow Eyed Penguins... an amazing experience.

 

It is beautiful out there on the Cape, very interesting as well. I had forgot about this as something to do on as an excursion, we had a car hired and went out there by ourselves.:D

[Aus Traveller]

Thank you for sharing!

 

Has anyone reading this combined the railway journey with a visit to Larnach Castle? All comments are welcome.

Would there be time? Larnach Castle is a distance outside Dunedin. We toured it many years ago and I have to confess, we weren't overly impressed, although the gardens are lovely.

[CruznRagtop]

Would there be time? Larnach Castle is a distance outside Dunedin. We toured it many years ago and I have to confess, we weren't overly impressed, although the gardens are lovely.

 

BBM

 

Thank you for sharing your impression; it means a lot to me!

[windsor26]

I have not had time to read this whole thread but just replying to the question so may repeat.

 

In Akaroa we did the Hector's dolphin cruise in the bay and had a fantastic time and well worth the cost which was much cheaper than the direct cruiser line cost. Easy to book before you go on line and pay on the day.

 

Dunedin Take the cheap shuttle into the town and visit the railway station on your own the art exhibition is interesting the when we were there the 'painter' in charge was very interesting and humerous to chat to. There is a cost for the sports exhibition but a very small one. The actual architecture of the station is very interesting

 

Pre book the Speights Brewery tour - again direct on line and pay on the day - They get busy and the cruise company tours are over twice the price and of course with a cruise tour you ONLY do what is on the tour you cannot break off and take advantage of being in the town itself. The Brewery tour was excellent their samples are huge and you can get as many as you like As a non beer drinker (I should make that used to be a non beer drinker) I enjoyed all 8 samples and found the whole tour extremely interesting. Should you desire I am told by the couple who were with us for the tour who went on to the brewery's restaurant their lunch was excellent value.

[gek]

I also enjoyed the Cadbury factory in Dunedin. Not amazing but a pleasant diversion for an hour or so.

 

In Tauranga we took a combined (private) tour of Hobbiton and Rotorua. For anyone who likes anything to do with Middle Earth, Hobbiton is a must. The Lord of the Rings tours in Wellington are great fun too.

 

I wouldn't really recommend the Journey into Middle Earth tour for anyone who is not a LoTR fan. It's a long drive and there's probably better scenery elsewhere, but for people like me who are LoTR tragics it's like a pilgrimage.

[yeah-its-us]

Hi

 

We have cruised NZ a few times and done a combination of private and ships tours. This is what I reckon:

 

Dunedin: Done the Cadbury factory (sorry Bazz) and the ships Pub Hop Tour, which includes a visit to Speights Brewery. However my recommendation is Elms Wildlife Tour - a most professional organisation that well understands the situation (and risks) of passengers booking tours privately.

 

Akaroa: This town is the only tender port... and despite what some might say tendering (especially in sheltered waters) can be an adventure in itself. Explore the township, and arrange to take a 1.5 hour coach tour around the local sights - there is even a red double-decker London bus you can catch. Inquiries (and bookings) can be made at the Visitors Information Kiosk on the pier.

 

Wellington: The Te Papa museum is a must, and it is free.

 

Napier: A wander around this quaint town is rewarding, but we also booked a private tour to visit two wineries and a chocolate factory :)

 

Tauranga: A tour to Rotorua is always worthwhile, but we had visited before, so we booked a ships tour to visit a horse stud farm. Unfortunately Shirley was unwell so I had to cancel.

 

Auckland: we have rellies there, so our visits to Auckland usually mean having a beer or two at one of the Irish Pubs at the Quay side. Kelly Tarltons is Ok, but I have seen better (and its a bit exxy) and the bunjee jumping at the sky tower is definitely not our thing - but some like it.

 

We will probably cruise NZ again - it is always a fantastic experience.

 

cheers

 

Some good suggestions....again, we have rellies there as well, so we'll probably play it by ear.....first time 'round NZ for us as we've usually gone round the islands....thought it was about time we went around the land of our birth....which chocolate factory is located in Napier?

[Aus Traveller]

Some good suggestions....again, we have rellies there as well, so we'll probably play it by ear.....first time 'round NZ for us as we've usually gone round the islands....thought it was about time we went around the land of our birth....which chocolate factory is located in Napier?

 

The one we went to on our tour was a small boutique chocolate manufacturer. I think it might have been Silky Oak Chocolates.