Tender location in Russell for Encore

[MsSommelier]

We will be on Encore for the Jan 6 2020 sailing Auckland to Sydney.  I'm wondering if anyone who has done this previously can tell me where we tender into (which wharf) in Russell, Bay of Islands?  I am trying to book a day sail but the timing is super tight with the last tender and it will make a difference where we tender to.

Thank you.

[FlyingScotSailors]

We were on the Encore in January, 2019, round trip from Auckland, almost identical to the first of your back-to-back cruises. Russell is tiny, with only one pier.  The ship did call at Waitangi first, but only to tender in a ship's excursion;  many passengers were upset they could not get off there on their own.

 

Remember that, depending on weather or other conditions, the Captain may decide the change the sailing time.  You would know that before you left the ship that day, and hopefully you could change the end of your day sail.

 

We had various weather-related changes on our cruise, but not in Russell.  We wrote a review of the cruise, which discussed the changes. https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=650510

[MsSommelier]

Thank you - very helpful info (and link).  Although we primarily book tours on our own, I think in this case 'discretion is the better part of valor' and we'll take a pass on trying to book a sail tour.  It's just too iffy.  Perhaps we can find something else interesting.