Recommendations For Private Tours Please

[Mylisa]

We have booked a cruise next year 2021, and prefer to take private/small group tours rather than take the ships tours.

 

Can anyone recommend some private guides/small group tours for our itinerary below.  Your help is much appreciated. 

 

Sydney

Burnie (Tasmania)

Melbourne

Dunedin, New Zealand 

Akaroa

Wellington

Napier

Rotorua (Tauranga)
Whangarei

Bay of Islands

Auckland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MicCanberra]

Cannot recommend any company directly but I find Trip Advisor a great help when researching port shorex's.

[MrPantsOz]

My parents recently returned from NZ and they used shoretripsandtours.com for all of there day tours. They enjoyed them all and found them very reasonably priced.

[Elorac123]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Cannot recommend any company directly but I find Trip Advisor a great help when researching port shorex's.

Ditto

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, Mylisa said:

We have booked a cruise next year 2021, and prefer to take private/small group tours rather than take the ships tours.

 

Can anyone recommend some private guides/small group tours for our itinerary below.  Your help is much appreciated. 

 

Sydney

Burnie (Tasmania)

Melbourne

Dunedin, New Zealand 

Akaroa

Wellington

Napier

Rotorua (Tauranga)
Whangarei

Bay of Islands

Auckland

Depending on your interests, budget and mobility, many of these places can be done on your own. If you have researched some local transport options or walking distances, there is still plenty to see and do with minimal expense.

Where do you reside and can you speak English well?

[Roger88]

You can always contact the local agencies to find out about their tours. They will always adapt their time schedule to meet your needs. Especially if you insist to have a totally private occasion they will do everything to make you comfortable. Also it doesnt cost that much. Maybe like 20-30% more expensive

[Mylisa]

6 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Depending on your interests, budget and mobility, many of these places can be done on your own. If you have researched some local transport options or walking distances, there is still plenty to see and do with minimal expense.

Where do you reside and can you speak English well?

We are from Atlanta, Georgia and speak English.  We have no mobility problems and can hike long distances.  We want a guide so that we can get insight into the people, culture, history, and landscape.  As far as budget goes we would like to have a charge that is less than what the cruise ship charges.  

[Mylisa]

8 hours ago, MrPantsOz said:

My parents recently returned from NZ and they used shoretripsandtours.com for all of there day tours. They enjoyed them all and found them very reasonably priced.

Do you know what tours they took and which ones they might have done differently

[lyndarra]

10 hours ago, Mylisa said:

We are from Atlanta, Georgia and speak English.  We have no mobility problems and can hike long distances.  We want a guide so that we can get insight into the people, culture, history, and landscape.  As far as budget goes we would like to have a charge that is less than what the cruise ship charges.  

I've recently used Viatour for New Zealand land tours. They have a great variety of tours available through reliable subcontracted tour operators. There are also tour operators available at each port as you disembark and can spot book. e.g The free shuttle from the ship in Napier drops you right at the Visitors Information Centre.

[rickays]

Used this company https://www.toursouth.co.nz/ on a recent port stop at Akaroa.  Had a private tour for 6 of us and went to International Antarctic Centre, toured around Christchurch and other stops.  We all had a fantastic day and all very reasonable priced.

[MicCanberra]

My suggestions and there are many other options, but these are all self done and relatively cheap.

 

Sydney - Walk from the OPT to opera house, then the Botanical Gardens, over for a Meat pie from Harry's Café de wheels at Woolloomooloo. The walk back to the city via the Art Gallery of NSW, St Mary's Cathedral, and Hyde park before heading towards Paddy's Markets, Darling harbour and the Chinese gardens, then along to Barangaroo and then around the Rocks area before returning to the ship.

Alternative plans - The ferry to the Taronga Park Zoo or to manly for fish and chips by the beach.

 

Burnie (Tasmania) -The shuttle into town and look around the Galleries and such, or drive to Stanley for the Nut.

Melbourne, the 109 bus ($16) into the Queen Victoria markets, free trams around the cbd for shops, pubs and possibly dumplings in china town, tram down to St Kilda for cake shops and a look at Luna Park and back to the station for the 109 bus.

 

Dunedin, New Zealand - shuttle into Dunedin, walk to the train station, look around town and do a Speight's brewery tour with pub lunch, back for the shuttle.

 

Wellington' - Get the tram to the top and walk back down trough the Botanical gardens, walk to parliament house (the Beehive), go along the water front to Te Papa museum.

Napier - A winery tour along with a walk through the town and see the art deco.

 

Bay of Islands -check out the Waitangi treaty grounds, go into Pahia, they often have markets set up for the cruise ships and walk back along the beach, have a swim.

 

Auckland - Walk up the hill to the Albert park, go up the skytower and also walk along the water front and see all the yachts and the Maritime museum.

[Dimarie40]

We used www.shoretripsandtours.com  to book our tours in NZ.  Excellent service and much better pricing than the ship.

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by Dimarie40

[BoopTennis]

Hi are from the U.S. and we just got back a week ago from a month in Australia and New Zealand, including a 13-day cruise that stopped at many of the NZ ports you mention.

The only excursion we took thru the ship was in Dunedin, the Taieri Gorge Railway Tour. We chose that because we wanted to see some of the interior of the South Island. The day we were there, the train tour could only be purchased via the ship, which was expensive. I am glad we did it, it was pretty and interesting and there was commentary all along the way. Once was enough though, if we go again I would do something else.

We had to skip the Akoroa (tender) port due to weather.

Wellington we walked all over town and did exactly what Mic said with the tram then walked down, very fun. 

Napier - just walked around town, went thru the aquarium and museum which tells you a lot about the earthquake

Tauranga - we rented a car and drove an hour to Rotorua, had an awesome day! Went to Te Puia saw all the geysers and boiling mud, then over to the Redwood Forest Treewalk, an elevated walk high up in the trees very very fun, then back to the ship in plenty of time. Driving on left side wasn't bad LOL

Auckland - we walked over to the SkyTower and purchased on site joint tickets for SkyTower plus the HopOnHopOff bus which has 2 routes, takes you all around the city, and dropped us off right by the pier!

 

We were in Sydney for 4 days, one day took a day tour thru Anderson Tours for  just 20 people to Blue Mountains, saw Echo Point/3 Sisters, Scenic World, Featherdale Wildlife park and a boat ride back to the port. Very fun.

 

Melbourne -we were there for a week but one day took a day small group tour thru Vinetrekker Wine Tours, went to Healesburg Sanctuary (animals) then two different wineries in Yarra Valley for wine tasting. Awesome and well done by owner Paul.

 

 

 

[possum52]

6 hours ago, BoopTennis said:

Melbourne -we were there for a week but one day took a day small group tour thru Vinetrekker Wine Tours, went to Healesburg Sanctuary (animals) then two different wineries in Yarra Valley for wine tasting. Awesome and well done by owner Paul.

Just a small correction - it is Healesville Sanctury.

 

Leigh

[BoopTennis]

WOOPS - yes, thank you Leigh!!

[possum52]

On 3/1/2020 at 5:11 PM, MicCanberra said:

Melbourne, the 109 bus ($16) into the Queen Victoria markets, free trams around the cbd for shops, pubs and possibly dumplings in china town, tram down to St Kilda for cake shops and a look at Luna Park and back to the station for the 109 bus.

Mic, did you mean the 109 tram (light rail) which goes from Beacon Cove at the end of Station Pier? A Myki card will be needed which can be purchased in the cruise terminal - https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki

 

I have heard that there is sometimes a bus as well on days ships are visiting but not turn around days. But I don't know anything else about it.

 

Leigh

Edited March 3, 2020 by possum52

[MicCanberra]

No I meant the 109 bus.

It operates only on days when cruise ships are berthed at Station Pier. Sita Buslines operate a parallel bus service as route 109 Tram between Station Pier and the Arts Centre, which goes from under the cruise terminal (saves walking 200m) and takes you to the Arts Centre stop where you then have access to the trams and free CBD tram travel.

[possum52]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

No I meant the 109 bus.

It operates only on days when cruise ships are berthed at Station Pier. Sita Buslines operate a parallel bus service as route 109 Tram between Station Pier and the Arts Centre, which goes from under the cruise terminal (saves walking 200m) and takes you to the Arts Centre stop where you then have access to the trams and free CBD tram travel.

That's the bus then I mentioned in my post. I didn't realise it was called the 109 bus. I am only at Station Pier for turn around days so haven't seen the bus. 

 

Leigh

 

[boeckli]

11 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

No I meant the 109 bus.

It operates only on days when cruise ships are berthed at Station Pier. Sita Buslines operate a parallel bus service as route 109 Tram between Station Pier and the Arts Centre, which goes from under the cruise terminal (saves walking 200m) and takes you to the Arts Centre stop where you then have access to the trams and free CBD tram travel.

 

The 109 bus does not go to the Arts Centre. The city stop is in Queens Bridge Street (stop 115 Casino Southbank).

More info at https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/news-and-events/events/2019/10/10/public-transport-during-the-2019-2020-cruise-ship-season/

 

 

 

[MicCanberra]

Sorry my mistake, I was trying to remember which stop it was, I knew it was on Queen's Bridge street but thought it was by the arts centre. Thanks for clarifying that.

[GCHAN]

In the NZ ports there were private tours on offer when we walked to the Port exits.

 

In Dunedin we went to see the Albatross which was good and then the tour took us back through the hills and and around into Dunedin town and then we still had time to walk around  The ship had a shuttle back to the port.

 

In Akaroa we did a bus tour into the farming area in the hills which had beautiful scenery. Also had time to walk around the town before tendering back to the boat.

 

Auckland has a hop on hop off which is sufficient in my opinion.

 

In Sydney i would catch the ferry to Taronga Zoo which is fantastic with excellent shows(the bird show is the best) and panoramic views including the opera house and Sydney harbour and bridge. Also the ferry system on Sydney harbour is fantastic and goes to many beautiful places and is worth researching. The city is big but standard and not worth missing all the beautiful views in the harbour.

Edited March 4, 2020 by GCHAN

[DaKa2002]

We can recommend "Show Me Aukland" for a wonderful time with Laurie and Maureen Meyers.  The time with them is one of the highlights of out Australia and New Zealand cruise.

[Mylisa]

4 hours ago, DaKa2002 said:

We can recommend "Show Me Aukland" for a wonderful time with Laurie and Maureen Meyers.  The time with them is one of the highlights of out Australia and New Zealand cruise.

How do I contact Laurie and Maureen Meyers?

[Mylisa]

4 hours ago, GCHAN said:

In the NZ ports there were private tours on offer when we walked to the Port exits.

 

In Dunedin we went to see the Albatross which was good and then the tour took us back through the hills and and around into Dunedin town and then we still had time to walk around  The ship had a shuttle back to the port.

 

In Akaroa we did a bus tour into the farming area in the hills which had beautiful scenery. Also had time to walk around the town before tendering back to the boat.

 

Auckland has a hop on hop off which is sufficient in my opinion.

 

In Sydney i would catch the ferry to Taronga Zoo which is fantastic with excellent shows(the bird show is the best) and panoramic views including the opera house and Sydney harbour and bridge. Also the ferry system on Sydney harbour is fantastic and goes to many beautiful places and is worth researching. The city is big but standard and not worth missing all the beautiful views in the harbour.

Did you take an organized tour to see the Albatross?  If so, who did you use?

 

Also, what bus tour did you take I. Akaroa?

[DaKa2002]

2 hours ago, Mylisa said:

How do I contact Laurie and Maureen Meyers?

The last contact I had with Laurie Meyers was at "showmeaukland@gmail.com"