kiwijo

Not true.  Our PM has commented that the new COVID variants are making it harder to open a trans-Tasman or South Pacific bubble which was hoped for in Q1 2021.  Re-opening NZ's borders will rely on evidence that "being vaccinated means you don't pass Covid-19 on to others or we need enough of our population to be vaccinated and protected that people can safely re-enter New Zealand."

At the moment, anybody entering New Zealand - resident or visitor - needs to immediately enter a managed isolation quarantine hotel and remain there for a minimum of 14 days as well as returning multiple negative COVID tests during that stay.

Additionally, New Zealand's borders are closed to cruise ships and have been since March 2020, unless they meet some highly complex maritime work criteria.  Two small expedition ships which have met that criteria are operating cruises - under very modified conditions - in Feb and March to the very south and sub-Antarctic islands for New Zealand residents only.

In short, it's complicated.  New Zealand hasn't had a community case of Covid in over 70 days - all our current cases are imported from returning residents, essential workers or exempted visitors and have been stopped at the border.

Akaroa is a seaside village of a few hundred people - I'd be surprised if there was any option at all.  I think you will need to get to Christchurch to have any range of options.

Xena was some of the earlier special effects and film manufacture (costumes, weapons, make up) work done by Weta Workshop. If your cruise is visiting Wellington, a Weta Workshop behind the scenes tour would take you back to some of those early days and also the work they're doing now on products like the upcoming Avatar movies, Pete's Dragon, Narnia, Thunderbirds .. even Power Rangers!

Kia ora from Wellington.  I'm sure you were hoping for a straightforward answer, but Easter Sunday trading is mixed around New Zealand depending on local conditions.  Shops in Wellington are most likely going to be closed but the key attractions will be open, so plan on spending time on a tour out to Weta or other offerings onboard, or visiting Te Papa national museum, Zealandia, Cable Car etc.  Sorry you'll miss the shopping this time though!

A couple of tips for Wellington: you will be shuttled off-port to the central city in Wellington. At least half of the shuttles are wheelchair accessible and the staff will prioritise wheelchair passengers to the front of the queue to enable easy boarding. All of the major attractions - Te Papa, Wellington Cable Car, Parliament, Space Place, Wellington Museum - are accessible venues. While Wellington has a reputation as a hilly city, the waterfront and downtown area are all flat.

There's a couple of tourism operators who specialise in wheelchair transport if you want to tour - have a look at: https://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/plan-trip-to-wellington/accessible-wellington/

https://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/sights-activities/silver-cloud-luxury-tours/

I think it's a fantastic way to explore a country too. So for NZ, definitely Whittakers chocolate - you can get some uniquely NZ flavours if you get to the full range in a supermarket. Hokey Pokey (aka honeycomb in the UK) is common here, in ice-cream and chocolate. For reasons unexplained, New Zealanders are big on marshmallow, so see if you can pick up some marshmallow easter eggs, 'chocolate fish' or Buzz Bars. New Zealand manuka honey is much sought after, but you'll need to check if you're allowed to take that back home - the Australians will not let it across their borders. Definitely wine, if that's your thing, which is available in supermarkets here. 42 Below vodka includes a Feijoa flavour, which is a bit like a guava - pour over soda or sparkling water, add a slice of cucumber and you've got a Falling Water cocktail which is heaven on a hot day.

Make it easy on yourself and book the There & Back Again - and book it well in advance as it will sell out on peak days.

Even if you're not a fan of The Hobbit, a visit out to Weta Studio Tours covers plenty of other movies like Avatar, Narnia Chronicles, Ghost in the Shell. this isn't Universal Studios - it's a glimpse into the mad creativity being turned out in a little corner of Wellington which is being seen on screens around the world. It's a glimpse into the creative and film-making processes. You've got two options - a location tour that will visit some of the scenes used for filming the LOTR and Hobbit movies plus a visit to Weta Studio Tours to do the behind-the-scenes tour, or a shorter option visiting just Weta-only. My key advice is book - these are hugely popular and often sell out on cruise days, so book in advance.

If your partner is a fan and you have time, you might want to consider also doing the ex-Auckland day trip to Hobbiton - a totally different experience touring the film set use for The Hobbit.

It's a four-year exhibition that coincides with the period of WW1 and will definitely be on during your visit. Weta Workshop did the storytelling, one of which is focussed on an Australian that served in NZ forces during the campaign. I cannot recommend this highly enough - don't save it for a rainy day!

Thankyou kiwijo. I will ring and get quotes from the city ones today. Btw, I have pics of what I thought were rentals...maybe they were the imports lined up, LOL. Whatever, we are glad to be returning to our favourite city in NZ.

You'll be welcome back! If you haven't seen the outstanding Gallipoli exhibition at Te Papa, I cannot recommend it highly enough to fellow ANZACs.

Kia ora Hangfive,

You need to leave CentrePort to be able to rent or pick up a car. Tour operators can pick up from port, even post-quake, but there's never been on-port rental car hire. You'll be shuttled off-port upon arrival and will be able to make your way to Ace's Depot. From memory, Budget in Ghuznee St and Avis in Dixon St both have reasonably convenient inner-city depots.

Enjoy your day,

My suggestion would be - if there's something you really want to do in any of the ports, book it. You'll be travelling in NZ's peak period and when a lot of Kiwis and other international visitors are on their holidays too. If you're happy to make it up as you go and have no 'must see' things, then you'll be alright. It's worth noting though that you often can't buy tours or pick up rental cars at port in New Zealand - certainly the case in Wellington.

I reckon a Canadian family in Wellington might really enjoy Zealandia, a nature area and conservation project just 10 minutes cab ride from downtown Wellington - a great place to visit if you want to understand why New Zealand's environment is so different to the rest of the world. If visiting Weta Studios for a film tour is something that appeals, you should definitely book that in advance.

If there's anything that interests you in each port, definitely book in advance. December is summer in NZ and if you don't book, you might miss out. In some ports there maybe selling of tours at the wharef - i.e. Tauranga, whereas in others you will need to make your way to the Visitor Centre. In Wellington, you might want to check out the special effects movie-making geniuses at Weta Workshop - pre-book the There & Back Again tour which includes transport from the Information Centre and the tour. And definitely pre-book .. it's one of the first to sell out on cruise day.

Prebook, prebook, prebook!!! This is a hugely popular attraction in Wellington, not just with cruise passengers! I'd highly recommend the There & Back Again tour which leaves from the i-SITE Information Centre in the centre of town. Don't leave it until the day - you could easily miss out.

The advantage would be very minimal. It's true that the Cable Car is often very busy on cruise ship days, so the best tip is to make it the last thing you do in your day. Peak time is usually 0930-1130 if it's a 2000pax plus ship, and then it quietens in the afternoon. I use the Cable Car to go home most days, and I haven't seen a separate queuing system in operation. The journey itself only takes 5-7 minutes, so consider heading onto Zealandia, visiting Carter Observatory and walking through the Botanic Gardens while you're up there.

Happy to let ya'll know that the Pacific Aria is docked here on a stunning Wellington day. All the tours are going ahead as scheduled. Despite the dire media reports, the worst effects are localised in the small town of Kaikoura in the South Island.

Hello from the Shaky Islands. Yes, we rocked and rolled but we're hoping to be back close to normal in Wellington tomorrow. It sounds dramatic, but we've been very fortunate with minor injuries only in the region. Downtown was mainly closed to enable assessors to check on building safety and start cleaning up. The port and cruise terminal is still undergoing assessment, but we don't have any ships visiting this week.

An update below on the current situation in Wellington from local authorities:

Following this morning’s*earthquake in North Canterbury, local and international travellers planning on heading to Wellington will be welcomed by tourism operators with the city’s hotels, cafes, restaurants and the majority of tourism attractions open for business tomorrow (Tuesday 15 November), the region’s tourism body says.

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Wellington Economic Development Agency (WREDA) chief executive, Chris Whelan, says engineers have assessed much of the inner city, with no major structural damage to any tourism*related businesses reported.

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Wellington Airport, Cook Strait ferries, trains, all hotels, Wellington Zoo, Zealandia, the Wellington Cable Car and Weta Cave are all planning on opening tomorrow. Te Papa remains closed tomorrow but is planning to*open again on Wednesday.*

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“Any tourists into Wellington will be warmly welcomed and well looked after with local businesses ready to get back up and running.

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“The city is busy with shows and events going ahead as planned. *Roads and public transport are*operating as normal.”

This story gives me a little opportunity to mention Zealandia in Wellington, the location for this news release. It's a large valley just 10 minutes from downtown Wellington and thanks to a ground-breaking fence has been predator free for 17 years or more. After one visit, even non-experts can quickly discern the difference between a pristine landscape and one that has possums, stoats and feral cats. I know most visitors to New Zealand are drawn by the landscape and scenery - a visit to Zealandia is a great way to understand why the country had no mammals, only birds, and why introduced species have wrought such havoc on our environment.

As I live nearby and get the joy of the burgeoning wildlife, I can also appreciate the damage that one feral cat would do to the two endangered takahe birds living at Zealandia. Thought extinct in 1898, there are now around 260 birds total in New Zealand, living in conservation areas like Zealandia. For an even more charming bird, check out the kakapo parrot. No-one likes killing kitty, but introduced species have caused the extinction of many native species here. As we were the last major land mass to be discovered, we're in a unique position to address some of the damage too and that journey is explained really well at Zealandia.

A couple of tips for you. Do book any of your independent touring as soon as you can. NZ is incredibly busy this summer, so if there's something you want to do, lock it in now! You may not get space if you try and book it on the day. The I-SITE will know what's still available on any given day.

Weta's great if you're interested in how movies get made - they've also just opened a new Thunderbirds experience as they're making the revamped Thunderbirds programme for ITV - great one to do with kids, or if you're fond of the puppet-y originals!

Wellington is really walkable, so if you do end up at Te Papa, you're very close to craft beer heaven. Head upstairs to the Fork and Brewer (1 minute walk from the I-SITE Information Centre) and order one of their tasting trays. There's about 40 beers on tap and they brew onsite as well. Or right next to Te Papa is Mac's Brewery - a bit big in scale to be 'craft' now, but one of the early breweries to take on the big guys.

If you want to take the Cable Car, just schedule it for the afternoon. It's a nice way to get to the top, and then walk back down through the Gardens to Parliament Buildings.

There are a few people in our group that can't do a lot of walking. Does anyone know where the shuttle drops people off at in the city? (And what does it cost?). Does it run everytime there are ships in port? There appears to be a HAL ship and a Celebrity ship in that day (Feb 16).

 

Is it near the i-Site Centre? There's a 2.5 hour Hammonds tour from there we're thinking of catching.

This cruise season, only Royal Caribbean ships - Radiance, Solstice, Explorer and Voyager - and the small Albatross - will stop at both the I-SITE Information Centre in Wakefield Street and in Brandon Street near the Cable Car. Cost is $10NZ, payable in cash at the port and the ticket is valid all day.

HAL, P&O and Princess ships all make one stop only at Brandon Street near the Cable Car. It's around a 10 minute walk through the main shopping area to the I-SITE.

If you have pre-booked a private tour, those companies maybe permitted to pick up port-side as long as they have pre-booked passengers. Check with the company you're travelling with on the pick-up point.

No tour sales are permitted at port though - if you want to do something on the day, head up to the I-SITE Information Centre. It's well worth booking in advance though - tours do sell out, especially city sightseeing and film tours and Weta Workshop.

And Wellington is New Zealand's culinary capital - Whitebait, Shed 5, St John's Bar, Mac's Brewery and Foxglove are all on the waterfront, while there's some great options around Cuba Street and Courtenay Place as well. WellingtonNZ.com has great info on Wellington's food scene.

Hi there,

Most of the tour operators in Wellington are well aware of the requirement to get their passengers back to dock on cruise ship days. Although no tours are sold at port, tour companies can pick up pre-booked passengers and drop them back at the end of the day. There's a big range of local tours - check out the tour operators page on WellingtonNZ.com for lots of options.

Do book in advance though - it'll make the most of your time here and when large ships like Solstice are in port, there won't always be a lot of spare tour capacity.

I knew the train was a commuter service, so those times probably make sense. There is another option I've remembered - there is a bus service -

http://www.intercity.co.nz/search-results/Form

Having said that, I'm thinking that the best way to do this is to try and arrange a private excursion. They should be able to meet you at port, you could go up along the Kapiti Coast on SH1 on the way up, visit Palmerston North and then maybe come home (around the same timing) via SH2 through the Wairarapa wine region .. maybe even time for a cup of tea in cute little Greytown. A full day, but at least you'd get to see a bit of the region and honour your friend.

Kia ora Linda,

It's a lovely ambition and I'd love to try and help you make it work. This is a journey I take reasonably often to visit friends, so it is possible within the day you have here. Firstly, I see you're on the Solstice and I think the 'tendering' comment maybe an typo. The Solstice is a regular visitor to Wellington and she, nor any other ship, has tendered here in living memory!

You can drive, and I'd allow two hours for driving (flat well-marked highway) plus 30 minutes to get to a car rental office and get through the paperwork. No rental cars are leased at port currently.

From the port, it's about 15 minutes walk down to Wellington Railway Station. From there, you can take a commuter train service called the Capital Connection to Palmerston North. It's pretty reliable, but you'd want to allow plenty of time for the return journey. http://www.metlink.org.nz/timetables/rail/PNL

I don't think flying is a brilliant option - it'd be expensive and convoluted for the relatively easy journey that it is.

If you don't feel confident driving, I would contact a couple of local companies and ask about a personalised transfer. It wouldn't be cheap - I'm imagining a couple of hundred NZD - but it might just work out the most efficient and probably the same as a shorex! Wellington Combined Taxis would be a good place to start - they can wait portside. John Barry at Capital Personalised Tours will arrange private tours, as do Flat Earth Tours.

Can you let us know what ship you are cruising on? To make things complicated, the shuttle arrangements vary depending on the line and the vessel. So starting from the beginning: most ships berth at Aotea Quay (only very small ones in the city at Queens Wharf). It's about a 25 minute walk to town but a lot of that walk is getting out of the port and then along a busy road into the city. So to make the most of your time here, I'd recommend getting the shuttle in the city and then doing your walking around the city - it's compact and easy to get around. Go long first - down to the Courtenay Place or Te Papa end of town, and then make your way north through the city back towards the cruise terminal.

Royal Caribbean ships including Solstice, Voyager and Radiance have a paid shuttle service - $NZ10 cash (but AUD and USD also accepted) which you pay to the ticket staff just after disembarkation. They make two stops - the first at the information centre where local Ambassadors can point you in the right direction, and the second stop is in Brandon Street near the Cable Car and right in the retail district. It's just 10 minutes walk through downtown between stops.

Most Princess ships including Sun and Dawn also use a paid shuttle as above but they currently only make one stop in Brandon Street.

Holland America's Oosterdam does not offer a shuttle at all this season. And some of the other ships like Queen Mary and Victoria, Silver Seas etc include the shuttle costs within the cruise.

And a tip on the Cable Car - it's always better to leave taking the Cable Car until at least late morning. Queues can be long early, and it seems like such a waste of a day to queue up for what is quite a short ride. This

There are taxis at port for hire, but no rental cars and no tours are sold at port.

Hope that helps,

My favourite topic! There are a number of ports where you will be able to enjoy New Zealand's top drop. Marlborough is by far New Zealand's most famous and largest wine producing area where Sauvignon Blanc comes from. Picton is the nearest port and you'll only be 20 minutes from your ship before you start seeing vineyards - there's usually lots of options for shore tours and private tours if you berth here.

If your itinerary includes Wellington, you could include one of New Zealand's boutique and premium wine regions - Wairarapa, which is a 75 minute drive from CentrePort. Pinot Noir (Burgundy) production is centred around the village of Martinborough - this is all about personal contact with wine makers, the vineyard dog curled up in the corner and trying wines you will probably never be able to drink once you return home. Flat Earth Tours and Capital Personalised Tours should be able to get you there and back again comfortably in a day.

And if you berth at Napier, you're in another premium New Zealand wine region of Hawkes' Bay. This region is known for Bordeaux-style blended reds - Cabernet, Merlot, Franc and Sauvignon. And some of it is very very good indeed. Look for anything off the Gimbletts Gravels area. Mission, Craggy Range, Elephant Hill and Sileni are some of my favourites and again, there's a wealth of tour operators at all levels of budget and interest who can get you around.

If you do get the chance to pre or post tour New Zealand, it sounds like the Classic NZ Wine Trail route would be ideal for you - it covers all three wine regions, is signposted so you can't get lost and covers those three distinct wine regions.

http://www.wellingtonnz.com/classic-new-zealand-wine-trail

Failing that, enjoy as much of it as you can while you're here!