Australia/NZ Ports of Call - Our Experience

[A.Emgee]

We just returned from Diamond Princess Syndey-Auckland January 8, 2006 and wanted to post our experiences with the ports of call (with a focus on transportation), as there seems to be a paucity of information on these boards for DIY'ers at these ports. We did not join any excursions so this information will be mainly useful for those looking to self-tour. If there are any questions, post a reply and I'll try to answer promptly.

 

Sydney

 

We would recommend getting a DayTripper, which for AU$15.00 allows access to rail, bus and ferries and also gives discounts to certain attractions. Details here: http://www.cityrail.info/out_about_sydney/day_trips.jsp

 

Melbourne

 

The ship docks at a pier about 25 minutes from Melbourne city. To get into town, simply take the #109 tram available at the end of the pier. It’s cheaper to buy a day pass as opposed to two one-way tickets, and it will also permit further travel on any of the Melbourne trams if necessary. The fare is AU$6.10. For those with correct change, tickets can be dispensed onboard the tram. For those without the correct change, tickets are available at the IGA Foodmart located next to the tram.

 

Information about the tram can be found at the following website (it looks complicated but when you get to Melbourne it's really idiot-proof): http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/timetables/timetable_options.php?type=tram&id=MTM109. The #109 tram will end up on Collins St. and it's probably best to get off at around Swanston St., although the inner city is so walkable that it really doesn't matter.

 

Hobart

 

The ship docks right outside of Hobart city adjacent to the Princes Wharf. The city graciously provides a complimentary shuttle to the downtown region. It is a short 15 minute walk to Salamanca Place and if one wanted to walk to the downtown it takes about 25 minutes (slight incline).

 

Port Chalmers for Dunedin

 

Note: The Princess Patters states: An independent locally operated shuttle is available from the pier to Dunedin. Shuttles will start from the end of the pier at 9:00am. A $5.00 US fee applies each way, cash paid directly to the shuttle co-ordinator.

 

Port Otago located in Port Chalmers was one of the most disorganized ports to which we’ve ever been. We had planned to take the local bus from Port Chalmers to Dunedin but were unsure where the bus stop in Port Chalmers was located (more about this later). Therefore, when we got off the ship almost immediately at 7:50am and were directed by the port personnel to a white shuttle labeled ‘City’, we thought that the shuttle might be there early and easier to take. Just as we were about to approach the shuttle, the Taieri train came in and blocked off access to the shuttle. We were told to wait until the train left before boarding the shuttle. When the train picked up its passengers and left, we were then told that the shuttle was only for crew going into Dunedin. The ‘real’ shuttle for passengers was in a long queue, trying to get into the port through the mess of motorcoaches. By this time it was 8:15am and we watched as the local bus arrived on time at its stop (which just happens to be across the street from the pier) and depart for Dunedin (a 25 minute ride – we would have been there by 8:40am). Finally at 8:25am the shuttle got through the port security and pulled up alongside. In 30 minutes, there had been only one taxi available shoreside, with many buses and taxis stuck in the lineup to get into the port through security. Within minutes this shuttle bus was full of eager Princess passengers. The sign on the bus, with Holland America Lines on it, listed the prices: return trip NZ$15 or US$10. We all tried to pay the bus driver but he knew nothing about accepting a fare, as he was told that we would have prepaid return tickets. After finding supervisor after supervisor, it took the port personnel 20 minutes to sort out the payment of the fares, and the shuttle finally left at 8:45am. Ironically, we would have been in Dunedin by that time had we not even considered the shuttle.

 

In the end, we had gotten frustrated at waiting for the port personnel to get their act together and just got off the shuttle at 8:40am and walked across the street to the regular city bus, which was to arrive at 9:00am. In fact, the shuttle is the same type of vehicle as the city bus (it’s labeled "CitiBus’ too). Since we had been waiting since 7:50am anyway, we figured, "what is another 15 minutes?" The bus fare to Dunedin from Port Chalmers on the city bus is NZ$2.80 one way (exact change NOT required). The bus stops are all clearly marked with the timetables. We were on the bus with some Aussies who were also on the Diamond Princess. The bus drives through Sawyer Bay so as a bonus we got to see a local community. It arrived at the Octagon as scheduled, 25 minutes after departing Port Chalmers. We got dropped off two stops later on Princes St. where we were to pick up our rental car from Europcar. To return to the port from Dunedin, the bus leaves on Cumberland St. near Stuart St. in front of a supermarket – just minutes from the Octagon. The bus is clearly marked "Port Chalmers" and drops off right in front of the cruise ship. Unlike the shuttle, there was absolutely no lineup. When we boarded this bus, we were asked if we were returning to the cruise ship, and when we said, "yes" we were told our fare was free! In the end, we paid NZ$2.80 for our return trip to Dunedin as opposed to NZ$15 and more or less got door to door service, with two of the friendliest bus drivers we have ever met in any city in our travels.

 

For those of you interested, the bus route is at: http://buses.orc.govt.nz/BusTT/PDF/{79013EBE-9FFC-470C-BE59-FC91CF6DB9E1}.pdf and the bus timetable is at: http://buses.orc.govt.nz/BusTT/PDF/{97D4E260-92BF-49E3-8395-46A7E31B5154}.pdf.

 

Lyttleton for Christchurch

 

Note: The Princess Patters states: An independent locally operated shuttle is available from the pier to Christchurch. Shuttles will start from the end of the pier at 9:00am. A $5.00 US fee applies each way, cash paid directly to the shuttle co-ordinator.

 

The Port of Lyttleton is located about 30 minutes away from Christchurch city. Like Port Chalmers, the port is basically a container port. However, unlike Port Chalmers, this place really has its act together. Once off the ship, we were welcomed by a well-staffed Port of Lyttleton information tent with many helpful brochures about the region. The shuttle to Christchurch was nowhere to be found. However, there was a frequent complimentary shuttle to the town of Lyttleton which makes two stops: 1) the local bus stop for those wishing to take the city bus into Christchurch; and 2) the Lyttleton Visitor Information Centre (incidentally, these two stops are only about a block apart). One could also walk into Lyttleton but it would probably take about 15 minutes. The town of Lyttleton is not very large but is very tourist-friendly with well marked attractions and even signs indicating where one can find a public washroom.

 

With respect to the public bus to Christchurch from Lyttleton, nothing could be easier. The Christchurch city bus exchange is a major stop for either bus number 28 ("Lyttelton-Rapaki") or 35 ("Heathcote"). Note that the #35 bus is slightly slower to Christchurch by a few minutes. Both buses will stop at the aptly named "City Exchange," which is just two blocks away from Cathedral Square. These two buses (#28 and #35) come very frequently – about one every 10 minutes. The fare is NZ$2.50 each way (exact change NOT required); although, if you plan to do any further traveling by public transit, then a day pass for NZ$10 is a great value. For example, we took the bus from Lyttleton into the Christchurch City Exchange and then took the Airport Line (creatively named "A") to the International Antarctic Centre (which is located adjacent to the airport). Normally it costs NZ$14 roundtrip to/from the International Antarctic Centre and NZ$5 roundtrip from/to Lyttleton, but with a day pass all trips are included for just NZ$10!

 

On the way back from Christchurch to Lyttleton, many fellow cruise passengers got off the #28 bus one stop before entering the long tunnel to Lyttleton. This stop, named "Christchurch Gondola" is the stop for the Christchurch gondola and the bus drops off and picks up at right in front of the gondola station. We had the same bus driver on the way in and out of Lyttleton, and he knew that many cruise passengers were on his bus. Therefore, instead of making his regular city stop in Lyttleton, he detoured and dropped us off right in front of the Visitor Information Centre where the free shuttle was awaiting to take us back to the ship.

 

For those of you interested, the bus route and timetable for Lyttelton to Christchurch and back via bus #28 is here: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/timetables/28/28.htm and the bus route and timetable for Lyttelton to Christchurch and back via bus #35 is here: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/timetables/35/35.htm. The bus route and timetable for Christchurch to The International Antarctic Centre and back (line "A") is here: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/timetables/nov05/Airport.pdf.

 

Mt. Maunganui for Tauranga

 

Note: The Princess Patters states: An independent locally operated shuttle is available from the pier to Tauranga. Shuttles will start from the end of the pier at 8:30am. A $4.00 US fee applies each way, cash paid directly to the shuttle co-ordinator.

 

The Port of Tauranga has three sections – North Mt. Maunganui, South Mt. Maunganui, and Sulphure Point on the Tauranga side. The map included on the provided Princess information sheet was annoyingly incorrect as it showed the ship docked at South Mt. Maunganui. In fact, the ship was docked at North Mt. Maunganui. The ship docked at 7:00am and we were off the ship by 7:30am. The Princess shuttle was nowhere to be found, as expected. There were no taxis at this time. No rental car companies had shuttles at that time but we heard that Hertz had a shuttle later in the day. We were directed by the Port security officers to the Mt. Maunganui Information Centre, which is only half a block away from the pier. From there we took a local bus into Tauranga to pick up our rental car.

 

For those of you who are interested in taking a city bus into Tauranga from the pier, the bus stop is conveniently located in front of the Mt. Maunganui Information Centre. There are two buses that travel from Mt. Maunganui to Tauranga – the #1 (Mount Maunganui - Bayfair) bus and the #2 (Bayfair - Mount Maunganui) bus. Do NOT attempt to take the #1 bus from the ship to Tauranga, as it travels in a clockwise direction and takes 45 minutes to get to the city. In contrast, the #2 bus travels in an anti-clockwise direction and arrives in Tauranga in 15 minutes. However, on the way back from Tauranga (if necessary – we did not need to take a bus back to the ship since the staff at the Budget Rent A Car shuttled us back), take the #1 bus as it will arrive much more quickly (15 minutes vs. 45 minutes again). Neither bus is frequent so it is essential to have a timetable. The #1 bus travels roughly every 30 minutes whereas the #2 bus only travels once an hour or longer, depending on the time of day. The fare is NZ$2.50 each way (exact change NOT required).

 

For those of you interested, the bus route for the #1 bus (to get back to the ship from Tauranga) is here: http://www.baybus.co.nz/tauranga_map1.html and the timetable is here: http://www.baybus.co.nz/tauranga_timetable_1.html. The bus route for the #2 bus (to get to Tauranga from the ship) is here: http://www.baybus.co.nz/tauranga_map2.html and the schedule is http://www.baybus.co.nz/tauranga_timetable_2.html.

 

Auckland

 

Just a few quick notes about touring Auckland. There are a number of good transportation options. For those wanting a narrated tour, there is the Auckland Explorer Bus (http://www.explorerbus.co.nz/). We were planning to take this double-decker bus but the thing is not even air-conditioned, looks no better than an ordinary city bus, costs NZ$30 per person, and only comes around once an hour! Just for fun, we'd recommend taking the red electric hybrid City Circuit Bus (http://www.stagecoach.co.nz/citycircuit/) which doesn't go very far but is entirely free! It will provide free air-conditioned transportation from the Ferry Building to the Sky Tower, for example (do not attempt to walk this like we did - it's a 25 minute walk on a 45 degree incline, since Auckland is built on extinct volcanoes!). Finally, we would recommend taking the Link Bus (http://www.stagecoach.co.nz/thelink/), which circles the CBD (including Victoria Park Market), University, Ponsonby, Parnell, Newmarket and beyond! The fare is just NZ$1.50 per trip, and the bus comes every 10 minutes. If you plan to keep hopping on and off at all the interesting sites, then a day pass is available for just NZ$7.00. If you plan on taking the ferry to Devonport from the Ferry Building, then for just NZ$10.00 you can get an AucklandPass, which includes unlimited rides on all buses and the North Shore - Downtown Fullers ferries.

 

Hope this helps somebody! If any questions, please post!

[MVPinBoynton]

Thanks for posting. We leave for Aukland and the Diamond on Thursday. Fortunately we have all of our private excursions already arranged, but your info should be very helpful for those that don't. I hope some of this has been straightened out by the time we cruise. The type of problems you had in Dunedin are so upsetting.

[maxx]

For Sydney transport info try www.131500.com, you can check out maps, fares and timetables. A day tripper ticket is the way to go, unlimited train bus & ferry in metro area.

[KiwiIan]

Hi. Some more info re Mount Maunganui NZ. Princess operates a shuttle bus as mentioned in this thread, cost is in US$. This is the one you will find at the bottom of the ships gangway but this usually only runs after the tour buses have left. The other options are the normal city buses which can be found outside the information centre about 100m from the port exit gate [itself just 150m from the gangway]. The ships always berth at No.1 berth, closest to the exit for down town Mount Maunganui.

 

There is also a local tour running which offers an hours tour of the Mount area with a stop at the local shopping mall and the newly opened classic aircraft museum, this can be found outside the gates i think.

 

The port allows private tour operators to ply for trade inside the port [but the other side of the ships security exclsion zone] and these must follow strict NZ transport rules as well as some self defined operator rules. The shipping lines tolerate this but obviously want you to take their own tours. These operators are normally only allowed on to the port once the ship has docked and the ships tour coaches have departed. There will be a range of vehicles from standard sedans to small coaches [as well as some special vehicles such as Rolls Royces! on occasions].

 

There are also a rank of taxis [12 max at any one time] in the similar location and these must take you on a metered run if requested. They will also offer you a 'deal' for a tour [no meter] so you can haggle a trip to suit.

 

Hire cars if pre booked are also located in a similar area.

 

The local toursim office have a number of specially trained 'Ambassadors' who can offer advice as well, either at the foot of the gangway or on some ships by the exit on board.

 

For those of you who may have found an independant operator for a DIT tour, then these will be waiting close to the gangway, just outside the security cordon.

 

So you have a lot of choices, pre book a private tour, find a tour operator when you arrive [but sometimes there are not enough to go round], hire a taxi for a trip or longer tour, book a private self drive hire car. Thats if you have not booked a ships tour [there are a lot of good options offered but the cost is often quite high when compared to local operators] and you will often be travelling in a large group that can slow things down.

 

As you will have noted, each port does things a little differently and we thing The Mount has it about right.

 

Its also a great destination as you can just get of the ship and walk to some of the best beaches, walks, shops, restaurants and cafes in NZ, and thats all free.

 

Dont be too hard on the ports that maybe not get it right, they are not like the Carribean destinations who have ships arriving many times a week and have dedicated cruise ship facilities, in NZ most ports are primarily commercial with just a few cruise ship visits each year [the Mount has 28 i think this season] but we do our best.

 

Ian [tauranga]

[A.Emgee]

I just wanted to point out that Ian is a wealth of information and didn't hesitate to provide advice about my independent Tauranga arrangements, even though I made it clear from the get-go that I was a DIY'er and would not be taking one of his tours.

 

His website, www.mctours.co.nz, is very organized and has information and links to notable attractions from Tauranga. I found it invaluable in planning my two days in the region.

 

Despite the minor problems at Port Chalmers, I can't reiterate enough how friendly and polite all the New Zealanders were and I hope that I didn't come across as criticizing the ports, as that was not the intention. All of the ports clearly take cruise passengers seriously, as the security and facilities were impeccable. In general, the ports are well-located (considering the size of the Diamond) and transportation to/from is convenient. I've actually found some of the Caribbean ports to be far more disorganized than the New Zealand ports.

 

Without fail, everybody (including little kids) thanked the bus driver when getting off, and by the same token several bus drivers went out of their way to drop us off closer to our destination. Too often in big North American cities we forget these little niceties and courtesies!

 

P.S. Sorry for the typos in my original post. "Lyttleton" should be LyttELton and the third Port of Tauranga section is Sulphur Point, not Sulphure Point.

[Andrea A]

Just wanted to thank you for your post and all the info from Kiwi Ian. I couldn't plan my cruises without cruise critic. I make use of your information.

Andrea

[snowpixel]

To A. Emgee

Thank you for providing such a detailed description of the local transportation to get into the various ports of call in N.Z.. We are leaving tomorrow for Auckland and will be taking this cruise on Feb 18th and found your info extremely helpful. Thank you again for your time & effort in helping us fellow travelers.

[WichitaCruiser]

Wow, A. Emgee - great info - thanks so much for posting! We'll be on the Diamond Princess in a couple of weeks. What were the things you saw in each port that impressed you the most?

 

Wichita Cruiser

[A.Emgee]

Wow, A. Emgee - great info - thanks so much for posting! We'll be on the Diamond Princess in a couple of weeks. What were the things you saw in each port that impressed you the most?

 

Wichita Cruiser

 

There were so many impressive things, but I would have to say:

 

Sydney: World's finest harbour, Bridgeclimb

Melbourne: Flinders Railway Station and very tourist friendly

Hobart: Russell Falls and World's tallest hardwood trees (wallabies jumping around along the path, too)

Fiordland: Unbelievable scenery in Milford but couldn't get the ship into any other fiords due to gale force winds (TV monitor said "violent storm") and 15 foot swells

Dunedin: Albatrosses (far away) and yellow-eyed penguins (inches from you!), plus some of the friendliest people anywhere

Christchurch: Very walkable "English" city and interesting Antarctic Centre

Tauranga: Our favourite NZ stop, with so much to do and so little time... a soak at the Polynesian Spa was really heavenly, and the public access Kuirau Park has a huge bubbling lake and mud pools right in the middle of Rotorua! We also didn't know that Kiwifruit grow like grapes and not on big trees!

Auckland: Looking down to the street from the top of Sky Tower on glass that is allegedly as strong as concrete

 

I'd be happy to answer any other questions!

[Andrea A]

Hello,

We will be on the Diamond 3/21 Sydney to Auckland. I can't wait and am taking in all the information on the various ports and sightseeing. I have arranged a private charter on the day we disembark in Auckland. I'm wondering how long it took to get off the ship in Auckland and retrieve luggage? I'm hoping to be off the ship before 8:00 a.m. and be on the tour bus to Waitomo by 8:30 a.m. Does this sound realistic.

 

Also, I'm wondering if the times posted for each day port arrival and time to be on the ship are accurate. Do you recall if the pre cruise information and itineary varied much from the actual times you experienced while on your cruise?

I'm a little concerned about booking independent tours that take us quite a distance from the ship (all day tours) and coordinating being back on time to board the ship. I know a Princess booked tour will wait for passengers to return, but they do not wait for independently booked travel.

Any info/insights would be appreciated.

I hope you enjoyed your cruise.

Andrea

[A.Emgee]

I'm wondering how long it took to get off the ship in Auckland and retrieve luggage? I'm hoping to be off the ship before 8:00 a.m. and be on the tour bus to Waitomo by 8:30 a.m. Does this sound realistic.

For our cruise, disembarkation started at 7:00am. Passengers with early independent arrangements were "Cream 2" color luggage tags and so they got off very quickly. I would say that it might be slightly risky but should be no problem. Be sure to inform the Passenger Services desk about your early arrangements so that you can get the correct color luggage tags.

 

Do you recall if the pre cruise information and itineary varied much from the actual times you experienced while on your cruise?

For us, the ship arrived usually a few minutes early and left right on time at all the ports.

 

I'm a little concerned about booking independent tours that take us quite a distance from the ship (all day tours) and coordinating being back on time to board the ship. I know a Princess booked tour will wait for passengers to return, but they do not wait for independently booked travel.

Ha, I should know about this, since I must be one of the few people on Cruise Critic who had the ship abandon us at a port when we were on a private tour. This was in Naples in 2003 when a tragic highway accident resulted in hours and hours of traffic jam. Anyhow, yes, you do take the risk with independent tours and yes, the ship will leave you behind. The best advice for this is to always take the Ship's Agent contact information (located on the Patter and also the Port Information sheets) with you. In the event you get stuck and can't make it back to the ship before it leaves, they will be the ones to take care of you.

 

Hope this answers your questions.

[Andrea A]

Thank you, you addressed all my concerns and I will heed your advice of taking the proper information with me when I leave the ship. Without your information, I do not think I would have known who to contact in the event of missing the ship. I am aware of others in the Carribbean who also missed the ship, and it wasn't fun for them.

Again, thanks for the post and Happy Future Cruising

Andrea

[flightiebel]

Thank you soooooooooooooo much for all your info, it is a great help I am actually going to print it off while planning for mine & my hubbys cruise 02april ... Reading your post got me excited about my upcoming cruise. What is the Diamond Princess like? Where there many activities to do? Was the fod nice? What were the other passangers like? As we are both 24-28. Where was your cabin? sorry so many questions so little time

[Superglue]

Just wanted to say a special Thanks for posting your Experianes on Ports of call in New Zealand found it most helpful, as we are 4 over 65 Pensioneers on voyage from Sydney Feb 25 to Auckand Mar 9 :)

[A.Emgee]

Thank you soooooooooooooo much for all your info, it is a great help I am actually going to print it off while planning for mine & my hubbys cruise 02april ... Reading your post got me excited about my upcoming cruise. What is the Diamond Princess like? Where there many activities to do? Was the fod nice? What were the other passangers like? As we are both 24-28. Where was your cabin? sorry so many questions so little time

 

It was my 12th cruise with Princess so everything starts to look and taste the same after a while! The ship was big and at times very crowded, especially in the Princess Theater. I enjoyed my usual dinner favourites - lobster thermidor, wonderful soufflés, pastas, etc. The prime rib was actually much better than I've had previously on Princess. I tried all the special dishes in the PC dining rooms and all are very good. We went to Sabatini's for the first time and were not that impressed, but that's all personal opinion. It was impossible to get a table for two in the dining room for breakfast or lunch, which was a nuisance. Afternoon tea was well advertised and busier than on previous ships. We did, however, secure the same nice table for dinner in the Pacific Moon Dining Room for the entire cruise. Most of the other passengers were older - probably most above 65. We are 28 and 28 and did feel a bit young on this cruise, but didn't let it bother us! We always found something to do on the ship and were never bored, although they did repeat a few production shows in the afternoons on At Sea days. Cabin was D734.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[flyer682]

We just returned from Diamond Princess Syndey-Auckland January 8, 2006 and wanted to post our experiences with the ports of call (with a focus on transportation), as there seems to be a paucity of information on these boards for DIY'ers at these ports. We did not join any excursions so this information will be mainly useful for those looking to self-tour. If there are any questions, post a reply and I'll try to answer promptly.

 

Lyttleton for Christchurch

 

Note: The Princess Patters states: An independent locally operated shuttle is available from the pier to Christchurch. Shuttles will start from the end of the pier at 9:00am. A $5.00 US fee applies each way, cash paid directly to the shuttle co-ordinator.

 

The Port of Lyttleton is located about 30 minutes away from Christchurch city. Like Port Chalmers, the port is basically a container port. However, unlike Port Chalmers, this place really has its act together. Once off the ship, we were welcomed by a well-staffed Port of Lyttleton information tent with many helpful brochures about the region. The shuttle to Christchurch was nowhere to be found. However, there was a frequent complimentary shuttle to the town of Lyttleton which makes two stops: 1) the local bus stop for those wishing to take the city bus into Christchurch; and 2) the Lyttleton Visitor Information Centre (incidentally, these two stops are only about a block apart). One could also walk into Lyttleton but it would probably take about 15 minutes. The town of Lyttleton is not very large but is very tourist-friendly with well marked attractions and even signs indicating where one can find a public washroom.

 

With respect to the public bus to Christchurch from Lyttleton, nothing could be easier. The Christchurch city bus exchange is a major stop for either bus number 28 ("Lyttelton-Rapaki") or 35 ("Heathcote"). Note that the #35 bus is slightly slower to Christchurch by a few minutes. Both buses will stop at the aptly named "City Exchange," which is just two blocks away from Cathedral Square. These two buses (#28 and #35) come very frequently – about one every 10 minutes. The fare is NZ$2.50 each way (exact change NOT required); although, if you plan to do any further traveling by public transit, then a day pass for NZ$10 is a great value. For example, we took the bus from Lyttleton into the Christchurch City Exchange and then took the Airport Line (creatively named "A") to the International Antarctic Centre (which is located adjacent to the airport). Normally it costs NZ$14 roundtrip to/from the International Antarctic Centre and NZ$5 roundtrip from/to Lyttleton, but with a day pass all trips are included for just NZ$10!

 

On the way back from Christchurch to Lyttleton, many fellow cruise passengers got off the #28 bus one stop before entering the long tunnel to Lyttleton. This stop, named "Christchurch Gondola" is the stop for the Christchurch gondola and the bus drops off and picks up at right in front of the gondola station. We had the same bus driver on the way in and out of Lyttleton, and he knew that many cruise passengers were on his bus. Therefore, instead of making his regular city stop in Lyttleton, he detoured and dropped us off right in front of the Visitor Information Centre where the free shuttle was awaiting to take us back to the ship.

 

For those of you interested, the bus route and timetable for Lyttelton to Christchurch and back via bus #28 is here: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/timetables/28/28.htm and the bus route and timetable for Lyttelton to Christchurch and back via bus #35 is here: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/timetables/35/35.htm. The bus route and timetable for Christchurch to The International Antarctic Centre and back (line "A") is here: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/timetables/nov05/Airport.pdf.

 

 

Hope this helps somebody! If any questions, please post!

 

Hello everyone.

I have been involved with the Shuttle operations between Lyttelton & Christchurch for a number of years with all the cruise ships calling at Lyttelton - not just Princess. Chances are a lot of you will have come across me.

The Shuttle mentioned at the top of the post is actually provided by Princess and is contracted out to a local bus operator. Frequency is constant all through the day - at least one every 10 minutes - although first thing in the morning is bedlam and as there is only a certain amount of buses available it can be difficult at times to keep up with demand. Be assured one will arrive! Once things "settle" down, there is almost always a bus at either shipside or at the stop in town.

Transit time is approximately 20-25 minutes (depending on traffic) and is a point-to-point service, Shipside to Cathedral Square and vice versa.

Pax using the local timetable bus causes real problems for this service. As the bus can leave Lyttelton with a full standing load, it means that local people are unable to catch it, thereby causing them to be late for work, appointments, etc. The Bus Company takes a lot of phone calls from irate locals who are finding that "their" bus has been "hijacked". It also takes longer and causes a hassle for the driver when he/she arrives at the City end with everyone wanting to know where to catch the bus back and other sundry questions. He does have a Timetable to keep to!

Then there is also the problem of getting into Lyttelton to catch it and vice versa. Port security will not allow pax to walk out of the port area, it is a working port with a lot of heavy equipment operating. The only way out is via the free shuttle provided by the Port Company (not Princess) and this is operated by (for the most part) by small 10 pax vans and queues get very long, especially first thing. It's reason for existence is to ferry people out of the Port Area and for those wanting to visit Lyttelton township, not as a ferry service to a local bus.

One further point to consider - the ship will always wait for the last ship-organised tour or shuttle to arrive shipside. Not so for those who may have chosen to take a "cheaper" option. Believe me, I have seen it happen.

This is not intended to be a criticism of the original post but I feel that people need to be aware of the wider implications by taking a so called cheaper option.

[roberts2005]

Flyer682---- Thank you for your information, and welcome to Cruisecritic.

 

What's the availability of taxis at the pier, and what would be the cost into Christchurch?

[flyer682]

Yes, taxis are available at shipside along with very helpful taxi company representatives. Approximate cost one-way to Christchurch would be $30-00 (NZD). You can also hire the taxi to take you on a personally guided tour for however long you want.

Be aware though if catching a taxi back to Lyttelton from Christchurch. The Lyttelton Port Company will only allow two taxi companies onto the wharf - Blue Star and Gold Band. Any others will have to drop you at the Security Gate and then you have to wait for a passing bus or if you're lucky, Port Security personnel will take you in one of their vans.

[roberts2005]

Yes, taxis are available at shipside along with very helpful taxi company representatives. Approximate cost one-way to Christchurch would be $30-00 (NZD). You can also hire the taxi to take you on a personally guided tour for however long you want.

Be aware though if catching a taxi back to Lyttelton from Christchurch. The Lyttelton Port Company will only allow two taxi companies onto the wharf - Blue Star and Gold Band. Any others will have to drop you at the Security Gate and then you have to wait for a passing bus or if you're lucky, Port Security personnel will take you in one of their vans.

 

It would seem the most efficent way, if you are a group of four, would be a taxi.

[JonconOH]

Thank You! to: A.emgee, Flyer 682 and KiwiIan for the wonderful information re: Australia and NZ ports of call. We are a group of 10 seniors booked on the forthcoming Oceania's Splendors Down Under aboard the Nautica in Jan. '08 and are making plans now for all the sights we can hope to see.

[KiwiIan]

Yes, taxis are available at shipside along with very helpful taxi company representatives. Approximate cost one-way to Christchurch would be $30-00 (NZD). You can also hire the taxi to take you on a personally guided tour for however long you want.

Be aware though if catching a taxi back to Lyttelton from Christchurch. The Lyttelton Port Company will only allow two taxi companies onto the wharf - Blue Star and Gold Band. Any others will have to drop you at the Security Gate and then you have to wait for a passing bus or if you're lucky, Port Security personnel will take you in one of their vans.

Just another bit of info re taxis in NZ. Yes they normally offer a very good service but like any proffession there will always be a few rogues. Here in NZ there are very strict rules for anyone operating a fare paying passenger service [taxis, tour buses etc] and one particular rule that most people are not aware of is this.

 

If a taxi offers you a tour for a fixed price, he must still keep his taxi meter running and you are not obliged to pay any more than the meter rate at the end of the trip. Often his deal offered you will in fact be less [he is having an easy and enjoyable day so often makes you a good offer] but there has been a few cases where a deal was struck for say $300 for the trip but in fact under the meter running rules it would have only been $200 [figures just given as examples] , of course it comes down to service and personality, you might be quite pleased to pay a bit extra for his services, but if you have not had a good day then you can insist on just paying the meter rate. If he has turned it off [illegal to do] then you can either report him or just pay nothing. I am not giving you this info to put you off going with a taxi tour, just to let you know the facts. Small tour buses offering tour at the ship are also governed by rules but these are different to taxis and it would take a lot of time here to explain. If you have any issues regarding any tour service take this up with the Port Security staff who will pass it on to the relevant authorities. Not that we have only heard of two such complaints last season out of over 65000 passenger visits to our port. Hope that helps, regards Ian [Tauranga]

[KiwiIan]

Yes, taxis are available at shipside along with very helpful taxi company representatives. Approximate cost one-way to Christchurch would be $30-00 (NZD). You can also hire the taxi to take you on a personally guided tour for however long you want.

Be aware though if catching a taxi back to Lyttelton from Christchurch. The Lyttelton Port Company will only allow two taxi companies onto the wharf - Blue Star and Gold Band. Any others will have to drop you at the Security Gate and then you have to wait for a passing bus or if you're lucky, Port Security personnel will take you in one of their vans.

Just another bit of info re taxis in NZ. Yes they normally offer a very good service but like any proffession there will always be a few rogues. Here in NZ there are very strict rules for anyone operating a fare paying passenger service [taxis, tour buses etc] and one particular rule that most people are not aware of is this.

 

If a taxi offers you a tour for a fixed price, he must still keep his taxi meter running and you are not obliged to pay any more than the meter rate at the end of the trip. Often his deal offered you will in fact be less [he is having an easy and enjoyable day so often makes you a good offer] but there has been a few cases where a deal was struck for say $300 for the trip but in fact under the meter running rules it would have only been $200 [figures just given as examples] , of course it comes down to service and personality, you might be quite pleased to pay a bit extra for his services, but if you have not had a good day then you can insist on just paying the meter rate. If he has turned it off [illegal to do] then you can either report him or just pay nothing. I am not giving you this info to put you off going with a taxi tour, just to let you know the facts. Small tour buses offering tour at the ship are also governed by rules but these are different to taxis and it would take a lot of time here to explain. If you have any issues regarding any tour service take this up with the Port Security staff who will pass it on to the relevant authorities. Not that we have only heard of two such complaints last season out of over 65000 passenger visits to our port. Hope that helps, regards Ian [Tauranga]

[KiwiIan]

Yes, taxis are available at shipside along with very helpful taxi company representatives. Approximate cost one-way to Christchurch would be $30-00 (NZD). You can also hire the taxi to take you on a personally guided tour for however long you want.

Be aware though if catching a taxi back to Lyttelton from Christchurch. The Lyttelton Port Company will only allow two taxi companies onto the wharf - Blue Star and Gold Band. Any others will have to drop you at the Security Gate and then you have to wait for a passing bus or if you're lucky, Port Security personnel will take you in one of their vans.

Just another bit of info re taxis in NZ. Yes they normally offer a very good service but like any proffession there will always be a few rogues. Here in NZ there are very strict rules for anyone operating a fare paying passenger service [taxis, tour buses etc] and one particular rule that most people are not aware of is this.

 

If a taxi offers you a tour for a fixed price, he must still keep his taxi meter running and you are not obliged to pay any more than the meter rate at the end of the trip. Often his deal offered you will in fact be less [he is having an easy and enjoyable day so often makes you a good offer] but there has been a few cases where a deal was struck for say $300 for the trip but in fact under the meter running rules it would have only been $200 [figures just given as examples] , of course it comes down to service and personality, you might be quite pleased to pay a bit extra for his services, but if you have not had a good day then you can insist on just paying the meter rate. If he has turned it off [illegal to do] then you can either report him or just pay nothing. I am not giving you this info to put you off going with a taxi tour, just to let you know the facts. Small tour buses offering tour at the ship are also governed by rules but these are different to taxis and it would take a lot of time here to explain. If you have any issues regarding any tour service take this up with the Port Security staff who will pass it on to the relevant authorities. Not that we have only heard of two such complaints last season out of over 65000 passenger visits to our port. Hope that helps, regards Ian [Tauranga]

[KiwiIan]

Thank You! to: A.emgee, Flyer 682 and KiwiIan for the wonderful information re: Australia and NZ ports of call. We are a group of 10 seniors booked on the forthcoming Oceania's Splendors Down Under aboard the Nautica in Jan. '08 and are making plans now for all the sights we can hope to see.

Hi, what ports of call do you have for your cruise, have not seen anything posted yet for this cruise. Regards Ian [Tauranga]

[flyer682]

Port of Otago website is showing two visits for NAUTICA in January 2008. I don't know anything further about this ship.

And to OceaniaBuffs, glad to be of some help.