Christchurch port

[space27]

Hey, I'm heading on a cruise on Princess soon where one of the ports is Christchurch. My daughter insists on working while in port and with connection and she would like to go to the city to find a library. I was told that the port when docking in Christchurch is a slightly long drive to the actual city, so does the cruise line provide transportation or do you have to have an excursion or your own means of transport? 

 

[MicCanberra]

You are likely to dock in Lyttleton, it is a working port so you cannot just walk out. There will be a free shuttle  to the town, there is also a shuttle to Christchurch for around $15.

[Yaya_in_Oz]

I’ve been to the Turanga Library in Cathedral Square. Nice library, helpful staff and 10 min or so walk from where the shuttle bus drops you off. A local sent me there as I wanted a view of how the rebuilding of the cathedral was going which I got from the fourth floor. Later I had a snack at the library coffee shop and connectivity was fine so I assume the rest of the library is the same.

[hammo]

Any information on the new plan to get cruisers from Lyttelton into Christchurch ? We will be visiting on Oasis of the seas and have heard somewhere that due to local unrest from passengers clogging up local transport to Christchurch , the Cruiseline / Council have devised other options ? Any info on that ? 

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, hammo said:

Any information on the new plan to get cruisers from Lyttelton into Christchurch ? We will be visiting on Oasis of the seas and have heard somewhere that due to local unrest from passengers clogging up local transport to Christchurch , the Cruiseline / Council have devised other options ? Any info on that ? 

As mentioned above, purposed shuttles just for the cruise passengers rather than the local buses.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, hammo said:

Any information on the new plan to get cruisers from Lyttelton into Christchurch ? We will be visiting on Oasis of the seas and have heard somewhere that due to local unrest from passengers clogging up local transport to Christchurch , the Cruiseline / Council have devised other options ? Any info on that ? 

Their initial response saw the removal of the shuttle into Lyttleton, but they have backflipped on that plan.

 

The local council and the ships have a new arrangement to keep passengers off the local buses. There is a free shuttle from the ship into Lyttelton. There is a more moderately charged cruise ship shuttle into Christchurch. While these options are designed to keep passengers off the local buses, if someone can get into Christchurch a dollar cheaper via public transport they will, and I am not aware of anything that would prevent them doing so.

[MicCanberra]

Once you are off the dock and in Lyttleton, you could also walk it, it is a fair hike but it saves some money as well as walking off the ship's breakfast.

[colourbird]

There's a really good library in Lyttelton with free wifi. As long as you aren't there on a Sunday, the library will be open. Saves having to travel into Christchurch.