Cruising NZ - how warm is it really?

[VanessaNJ]

Hey guys,

So I’m counting down the days until my NZ cruise in December and was just looking at some photos from cruisers.
 

I’m wondering, how hot or cold is it really going to be in December? In the Sounds I can see people wearing pants and coats. In other ports sometimes pants and coats and sometimes standard summer fair, so I’m not really sure! What about sea days!? 
 

hoping those who’ve cruise NZ at this time can share their experience. Thanks! 

[losfp]

It varies a LOT. Freezing cold in Fiordlands and baking hot further north around Bay of Islands/Tauranga.  So I would pack the same as I would for Alaska in the summer. lots of layers so you can put them on/off while transitioning from inside to outside. Cruising through the Tasman you always get a chilly breeze. I think mostly you'd be wearing pants, shirt and maybe a light jacket - with a heavier jacket on in the southern parts of NZ.

 

That's how it was for our Dec/Jan cruise in 2018/19 and I expect the same for our Jan cruise coming up.

[MMDown Under]

It is always cool on board a ship cruising NZ, so take wind breaks.  On land, it can be all of above, as you mentioned.  We're from Queensland, yet our family members got sunburnt having too much fun building dams to capture  the hot water on "Hot Water Beach".  So prepare for sun, as well as cold and wind. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

NZ is variable so pack layers and a good rain jacket. I also recommend a warm hat, scarf and gloves for scenic cruising in Fiordland as the first sound you reach is usually fairly early in the morning and it can be chilly when the ship is moving.

 

 

[Aus Traveller]

I agree with what everyone else has said. When you cruise into Milford Sound it can be cold or very cold. On one cruise years ago, snow fell onto the deck of the Pacific Sun in Milford Sound. This was the first week of December. That was quite unusual, but you should be prepared for cold. The best views of Milford are from the open decks, particularly the forward deck so keep in mind that there is quite a breeze from the movement of the ship.

[Ozwoody]

12 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

NZ is variable so pack layers and a good rain jacket. I also recommend a warm hat, scarf and gloves for scenic cruising in Fiordland as the first sound you reach is usually fairly early in the morning and it can be chilly when the ship is moving.

 

 

Definitely a raincoat/windbreak especially in Wellington, bit like Melbourne there, never sure what you will get. Lived there for five years, loved it but they don't call it windy Wellington for no reason.😃

[Bubbeh]

We did a cruise to NZ in February / March a few years ago and it was freezing.  The only really nice, and by that I mean warm, weather we had was in Akaroa which was a beautiful sunny day but the temperature didn't reach much more than 20 degrees.  The rest of the time I lived in jeans and a parker with gloves and a scalf.

 

Mind you we did the UK in June / July (which they laughingly refer to as summer) and I froze then too.  Did Tasmania in February / March and froze then.  I'm not a fan of cold weather and find anything under about 23 degrees too cool.

 

FYI, for what it's worth.  

[lissie]

I'm a local.  I agree with the above - anywhere  that time of the year can be anywhere from cold to hot.  This photo was taken in Milford sound in early Jan - we had come via zodiac so hence the layers - we landed wearing those clothes and it was warm enough to sit in the sun with some layers unzipped - maybe 16C. 

 

2 hours later getting back on the ship via zodiac - the wind came up - we wore and entire wall of sea water in the zodiac  which was quickly washed off by the torrential rain. Wet through all the layers! 

 

I recommend a windproof layer, a merino layer or 2,  and sun screen lots of sun screen. I really like a sleeveless vest like the guy on the right is wearing - then a windproof over the top if required - not as bulky as a full jacket underneath. The down ones pack down real small 

 

Edited June 8, 2022 by lissie

[Sparky74]

[MicCanberra]

Lol, Definitely T shirt weather, just bring a jacket to wear over it if it is cold and extra layers if freezing.

[Mikey22]

Take a coat at the very least.

There is always snow on the mountains in Milford sound in summer.

[Ondine]

I have cruised to NZ a few times between November and March.

Fiordland can be cold/cool in the morning but if you are there in the afternoon then it is nice.

Dunedin/Port Chalmers - I have been drowned each time I have been there but I would say cold/cool

Akaroa has always been lovely say 20-22 degrees

Picton was similar to Akaroa

Wellington if you take into fact the wind factor is cold and very very windy

Napier has always been lovely again 20-22 degrees

Tauranga is a little bit warmer than Napier

Gisborne was similar to Tauranga

Auckland I found to be warm or hot and rather humid

 

Having said all that I am a cool blooded person who dislikes the heat so that probably colours my perception of temperatures.

[Ozwoody]

Funny thing is I have lived there for nearly five years in the Wellington area, a place called Paraparaumu. 

And yes it can be very cold, but on each of my four cruises to NZ we had great weather, warm and dry.

So there you go, be prepared, but relax, cold or warm, there's some wonderful scenes and warm friendly people to discover.

Enjoy your trip.

[lissie]

19 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

Funny thing is I have lived there for nearly five years in the Wellington area, a place called Paraparaumu. 

And yes it can be very cold, but on each of my four cruises to NZ we had great weather, warm and dry.

So there you go, be prepared, but relax, cold or warm, there's some wonderful scenes and warm friendly people to discover.

Enjoy your trip.

Waves from Titahi Bay!  It cracks me up because the TV weather  proclaims a heat wave in Wellington when we have a couple of  days over 25C !!! We actually managed a couple of days of near 30C in Porirua  this summer. Even went in the sea (we live next to the sea), once.  Global warming has a big up side for Wellington 

[MMDown Under]

6 minutes ago, lissie said:

Waves from Titahi Bay!  It cracks me up because the TV weather  proclaims a heat wave in Wellington when we have a couple of  days over 25C !!! We actually managed a couple of days of near 30C in Porirua  this summer. Even went in the sea (we live next to the sea), once.  Global warming has a big up side for Wellington 

I prefer the North Island of NZ to the South Island, contrary to most people.  We found the South Island hot and dusty when we drove around it twice.  Not to mention the mosquitos the size of small helicopters!

[OzKiwiJJ]

19 minutes ago, lissie said:

Waves from Titahi Bay!  It cracks me up because the TV weather  proclaims a heat wave in Wellington when we have a couple of  days over 25C !!! We actually managed a couple of days of near 30C in Porirua  this summer. Even went in the sea (we live next to the sea), once.  Global warming has a big up side for Wellington 

People acclimatise to the temperature zones they live in. When I lived in Wellington, many years ago, 25C was definately considered hot! Now I live in Sydney and 25C is just a pleasant temp. 

[Ozwoody]

38 minutes ago, lissie said:

Waves from Titahi Bay!  It cracks me up because the TV weather  proclaims a heat wave in Wellington when we have a couple of  days over 25C !!! We actually managed a couple of days of near 30C in Porirua  this summer. Even went in the sea (we live next to the sea), once.  Global warming has a big up side for Wellington 

It's amazing the difference in weather once you cross the Pukerua hill and do the run along the ocean to Paekākāriki. it's a whole new world from Wellington.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 minute ago, Ozwoody said:

It's amazing the difference in weather once you cross the Pukerua hill and do the run along the ocean to Paekākāriki. it's a whole new world from Wellington.

That's because it's more sheltered from the southerlies. 

[Ozwoody]

48 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That's because it's more sheltered from the southerlies. 

Is that opposed to going through Upper Hutt  and over the Rimutaka Hill to the Wairarapa?

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

Is that opposed to going through Upper Hutt  and over the Rimutaka Hill to the Wairarapa?

Paraparaumu lies on the northeast side of the lower part of the North Island. It's sheltered by the Orongorongas and further up by theTaranuis. Wellington mostly faces due south, although the hills between Brooklyn and Makara provide a little bit of shelter. The Wairarapa also cops a fair bit of the southerly blows. 

 

BTW I lived in Wellington for over 20 years, in Karori and Petone.

Edited June 10, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[Ozwoody]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Paraparaumu lies on the northeast side of the lower part of the North Island. It's sheltered by the Orongorongas and further up by theTaranuis. Wellington mostly faces due south, although the hills between Brooklyn and Makara provide a little bit of shelter. The Wairarapa also cops a fair bit of the southerly blows. 

 

BTW I lived in Wellington for over 20 years, in Karori and Petone.

was thinking off that point, as you go over the top, that the wind nearly picks up your car and tosses it. Frightened the pants of me the first time going over.

 

By the way Petone is a very nice area. You must miss it.

 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 minute ago, Ozwoody said:

was thinking off that point, as you go over the top, that the wind nearly picks up your car and tosses it. Frightened the pants of me the first time going over.

 

By the way Petone is a very nice area. You must miss it.

 

 

It was a long time ago and Petone was still a bit down market then. It's certainly changed since I lived there. 

 

Yes, the Rimutakas could be a bit challenging at times but as an ex-skier I was used to mountain roads. 😁

[Ozwoody]

16 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It was a long time ago and Petone was still a bit down market then. It's certainly changed since I lived there. 

 

Yes, the Rimutakas could be a bit challenging at times but as an ex-skier I was used to mountain roads. 😁

It was very quite in 1974-1979 when I was there, I like the quite village type of places.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

It was very quite in 1974-1979 when I was there, I like the quite village type of places.

I was there from 1976 to the early 1980s. Petone really hadn't developed a good village atmosphere at that point in my opinion. There were small groups of shops that had developed that vibe but they were too isolated from each other to give that true village feel. Plus the cafe culture hadn't really developed at that time and that's one of the things that is the foundation of a village atmosphere.

[Ozwoody]

16 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I was there from 1976 to the early 1980s. Petone really hadn't developed a good village atmosphere at that point in my opinion. There were small groups of shops that had developed that vibe but they were too isolated from each other to give that true village feel. Plus the cafe culture hadn't really developed at that time and that's one of the things that is the foundation of a village atmosphere.

That's one of the things I liked about, quite and unspoilt.

The other thing about it the architect houses built into the hill side. 

I cant remember the architects name, he had a name for his unusual houses.

I thought they were quaint.☺️ Others probably didn't.