There could be changes at Milford Sound

[Thecat123]

On the news today

I am glad I visited a few times by car, ship, and airplane  always with good weather

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/milford-sound-cruise-ships-could-be-banned-from-inner-harbour/ar-AAMDx1e?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

 

[Chiliburn]

I always thought,why are these huge ships allowed into such a pristine area.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've flown into Milford Sound.

I've driven into Milford Sound.

I've cruised into Milford Sound three times and it is by far the most spectacular way to see it.

 

I've always regarded it as a privilege to see Milford Sound from a cruise ship but have always worried about how much pollution the ship was emitting.

 

 

[Chiliburn]

27 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I've flown into Milford Sound.

I've driven into Milford Sound.

I've cruised into Milford Sound three times and it is by far the most spectacular way to see it.

 

I've always regarded it as a privilege to see Milford Sound from a cruise ship but have always worried about how much pollution the ship was emitting.

 

 

It is a privilege to wake up in the morning coming into Milford.

When you  see the exhaust or what ever it is coming out of the ship and filling the sound.
You wonder what it’s doing to the moss that can be only found there.

 

But for me ,if the ship didn’t go to fiordlands I would have second thoughts about a cruise to NZ. It’s certainly the highlight.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

It is a privilege to wake up in the morning coming into Milford.

When you  see the exhaust or what ever it is coming out of the ship and filling the sound.
You wonder what it’s doing to the moss that can be only found there.

 

But for me ,if the ship didn’t go to fiordlands I would have second thoughts about a cruise to NZ. It’s certainly the highlight.

Our cruises there have been in the afternoons and it's stunning then with the late afternoon sun on the mountains. And the seals are always out basking in the sun on Seal Rock.

 

We cruise NZ to catch up with family and friends there, the Fiordland cruising is an added, and much loved, bonus for us.

[Chiliburn]

10 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Our cruises there have been in the afternoons and it's stunning then with the late afternoon sun on the mountains. And the seals are always out basking in the sun on Seal Rock.

 

We cruise NZ to catch up with family and friends there, the Fiordland cruising is an added, and much loved, bonus for us.

I have done it both ways.

And waking up to see the sunrise over the alps is a biblical experience.
 

[erewhon]

3 hours ago, Thecat123 said:

On the news today

I am glad I visited a few times by car, ship, and airplane  always with good weather

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/milford-sound-cruise-ships-could-be-banned-from-inner-harbour/ar-AAMDx1e?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

 

 

Thanks for posting this link, had not seen this on our news today.

[getting older slowly]

Honestly.... the Covid shutdown of tourist of places has given the people time to think....

 

It they banned cruise ship it would worry me... would still be happy to go on a cruise to NZ

 

A lot of places have suffered due to over tourism.... now is a good time to do something....

[mr walker]

Yes, I think if they take cruising out of Fiordland, I see a loss for Dunedin, as it is an on-the-way or on-the-way-from port.

I guess the itineraries would become Wellington Picton Christchurch Napier Tauranga one way or the reverse.

I love Dunedin and my good friend Ross Cardus will surely suffer.

[OzKiwiJJ]

26 minutes ago, mr walker said:

Yes, I think if they take cruising out of Fiordland, I see a loss for Dunedin, as it is an on-the-way or on-the-way-from port.

I guess the itineraries would become Wellington Picton Christchurch Napier Tauranga one way or the reverse.

I love Dunedin and my good friend Ross Cardus will surely suffer.

I would be very annoyed if they dropped Dunedin from the itineraries as my brother lives there. He's one of the reasons we do regular NZ cruises. 

[SinbadThePorter]

Does anybody know what constitutes the inner harbour at Milford Sound? Would it be the the section within sight of the village, maybe allowing ships to enter up to a point.

 

Anyway it still leaves Dusky and Doubtful.

 

 

[Thecat123]

22 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

Does anybody know what constitutes the inner harbour at Milford Sound? Would it be the the section within sight of the village, maybe allowing ships to enter up to a point.

 

Quote

Thats what I was wondering as well

The cruise we were on turned around there and I have seen photos of other cruise ships only go that far as well

 

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Thecat123

[OzKiwiJJ]

35 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

Does anybody know what constitutes the inner harbour at Milford Sound? Would it be the the section within sight of the village, maybe allowing ships to enter up to a point.

 

Anyway it still leaves Dusky and Doubtful.

 

 

I can't think why they would specifically use the term "inner harbour" if they were refering to the whole of Milford Sound. My guess is that it does just refer to the last section, where it narrows past the bay where the underwater observatory is. Ships have tended to go right into that section so passengers can get a good view of Bowen Falls.

[getting older slowly]

It they missed Dunedin.... now that would be upsetting.....

 

out of 6 cruises to NZ  missed Fiordland 4 times......

[Russell21]

18 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

It they missed Dunedin.... now that would be upsetting.....

 

out of 6 cruises to NZ  missed Fiordland 4 times......

We've seen it thee three fjords 2/2, just the morning after torrential rain and also bone dry. Magnificent both times for different reasons.

[Thecat123]

A bit more came out today

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/southland/125946218/fresh-vision-for-milford-sound-but-cruise-ship-ban-goes-too-far

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, Thecat123 said:

A bit more came out today

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/southland/125946218/fresh-vision-for-milford-sound-but-cruise-ship-ban-goes-too-far

 

I noticed in Latin America they do a lot of the separate pricing for locals and international tourists. Personally I think NZ is right to consider it. I don't suppose instead of a whole cruise going in would it not be possible to make it a zodiac excursion?

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I noticed in Latin America they do a lot of the separate pricing for locals and international tourists. Personally I think NZ is right to consider it. I don't suppose instead of a whole cruise going in would it not be possible to make it a zodiac excursion?

How many zodiacs do you think would be needed to take a ship of 2500-5000 passengers on an excursion into Milford Sound? It would be impossible, and the ship would have to be anchored there for hours. 

 

Realistically the ships are only in Milford Sound for an hour or two with maybe 30 minutes maximum in the inner part while passenger going to or from the overnight Dunedin/Milford excursion are transferred.

[ilikeanswers]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

How many zodiacs do you think would be needed to take a ship of 2500-5000 passengers on an excursion into Milford Sound? It would be impossible, and the ship would have to be anchored there for hours. 

 

Realistically the ships are only in Milford Sound for an hour or two with maybe 30 minutes maximum in the inner part while passenger going to or from the overnight Dunedin/Milford excursion are transferred.

 

Have to admit I did not realise ships up to 5000 go into the sound😳, though I wasn't thinking every passenger would go. I was thinking more like Alaska where they have zodiac excursions that take you into small fjords. Not everyone goes but those who want to can pay and have a day trip can. I was thinking that could be a compromise🤔. 

[SinbadThePorter]

17 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

I was thinking more like Alaska where they have zodiac excursions that take you into small fjords.

 

It might be too rough to load and unload zodiacs in the open ocean outside of Milford Sound.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Have to admit I did not realise ships up to 5000 go into the sound😳, though I wasn't thinking every passenger would go. I was thinking more like Alaska where they have zodiac excursions that take you into small fjords. Not everyone goes but those who want to can pay and have a day trip can. I was thinking that could be a compromise🤔. 

Ovation of the Seas can hold aroun 4,900 at maximum capacity although it probably doesn't have that many normally. Some ofvthe big MSC ships are over 5,000 passengers but I don't think we've had those here yet.

 

There wouldn't be time for full day trips at Milford unless they added an extra day to the itineraries. The ships typically do a turnaround in Milford plus transits through Doubtful Sound/Thompson Sound and Dusky Sound/Acheron Passage in one day.

[SinbadThePorter]

It sounds as though there is thought to be too much tourist pressure on Milford Sound. If Milford Sound was made off limits, I wonder if there are other sounds along the coast that would be suitable for ships.

 

I notice there is George Sound, Caswell Sound and Charles Sound just down the coast. No idea what they look like though.

Edited August 4, 2021 by SinbadThePorter

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, SinbadThePorter said:

It sounds as though there is thought to be too much tourist pressure on Milford Sound. If Milford Sound was made off limits, I wonder if there are other sounds along the coast that would be suitable for ships.

 

I notice there is George Sound, Caswell Sound and Charles Sound just down the coast. No idea what they look like though.

I think they would be very similar to Doubtful and Dusky Sounds. Beautiful but without the wow factor of Milford Sound. What makes Milford so spectacular by cruise ship is the gently sloping hills at the entrance then the sheer sides once inside, plus the glaciers in the distance, two beautiful permanent  waterfalls, and Mitre Peak.

[Thecat123]

I would agree with you OzKiwiJJ  Milford Sound is the best by miles and once you have been there you will understand the difference between Milford Sound and the other Sounds

[gogo65]

6 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I noticed in Latin America they do a lot of the separate pricing for locals and international tourists. Personally I think NZ is right to consider it. I don't suppose instead of a whole cruise going in would it not be possible to make it a zodiac excursion?

We have booked a NZ cruise from Dunedin with Ponant, as an expedition cruise we will be accessing all the sounds via zodiac. Great idea but the ship only carries 200 people and it has 10 zodiacs, even then we will have to take it in turns…