Seeking recommendations for Feb-Mar 2024 Australia/New Zealand Cruise

[gdlamberth]

Four of us will be taking two 15 day B2B cruise Sydney.  We are all in the 63-73 range, physically active and really like culture, nature, and historical adventures.  We are looking for suggested activities in the following ports; any suggestions are greatly appreciated:

 

1. Melbourne for an overnight (dock 0800 depart 1700 next day)
2. Dunedin (0900-1900)
3. Christchurch (0800-1800)
4. Picton (0900-1900)
5. Wellington (0700-1700)
6. Gisbourne (1000-1800)
7. Rotorua (Tauranga)(0900-1800)
8. Whangarei (0800-1900)
9. Napier (1000-1800)
10. Bluff (0800-1700)
11. A 2nd Overnight in Melbourne (1000-0400)
12. Geelong (0800-1800) Anchor

If it matters Melbourne and Picton are the only stops on a weekend.Thanks,

Greg

 

 

 

[lissie]

Off the top of my head for hte areas I'm familiar with: 

Wellington:  Shuttle to town( free and compulsory) take an uber up to Zealandia (beat the crowds) - take the shuttle or an uber back to the top of the cable car - free museum at the top worth a quick look- take the cable car down (no queue) - walk across to Te Papa (free national museum - needs a couple of hours if you are interested in the Gallipoli exhibition ) 

 

Picton Edwin Foxx museum (its a ship) is nicely done its very near the ferry terminal I'm not sure where you will dock . its only 35 min to Blenheim many, many wineries there. Also the excellent Omaka War birds museum  Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre - very, very good  - can take a few hours. I'd probably recommend hiring a car for flexibility with 4 of you. 

 

Gisborne - note there's been recent flood damage in that area so older reports maybe out of date -which ship are you on as this is not a usual port call 

 

Napier - walk the Art Deco trails - the info will find you. i suspect a shuttle bus from the industrial port will drop you in the centre of Art Deco the museum is worth starting iwth as it explains  why  the Art Deco is there (and yes it's the best in the world - Miami is not even close). 

 

Tauranga - nowhere near Rotorua if you do want to go to Rotorua this may be worth considering a ship's tour for. 

 

Whangārei - Hunderwassar Art Museum - quite newly opened I've not been yet but has had good reviews hundertwasserartcentre.co.nz  

 

Bluff is an interesting stop - nothing there - its literally the end of the road! Invercargill is nearby - they have some quirky museums but is not tourist central. If you have the chance fly to Stewart Island - won't be cheap but it is extraordinary. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by lissie

[reeves35]

• Melbourne for an overnight (dock 0800 depart 1700 next day) - Plenty of things to do and just about everything is open on a weekend.  Ship will dock at Station Pier in Port Melbourne which is 15 minute tram ride into CBD.
• Dunedin (0900-1900) We did an independent 3 port tour (Dunedin, Wellington and Napier) that we bought on line.  It was great in covering the sites in all 3 cities with pickups at or near the port..
• Christchurch (0800-1800)  Haven't cruised there but I understand the port is about 12kms from Christchurch.  Christchurch is a pretty city but there is plenty to also see in the Canterbury region
• Picton (0900-1900) Really pretty place if the weather is good.  Cruise ships dock about 3kms from town with bus transfers between port.  This is near the Marlborough wine region if you like Sauvignon Blancs.
• Wellington (0700-1700) See above.  Large cruise ships dock in container port with bus transfers
• Gisborne (1000-1800) Haven't been
• Rotorua (Tauranga)(0900-1800) Tauranga and Mount Maunganui are pretty seaside towns in their own right.  Rotorua is about 60kms inland and is a centre for Maori culture as well as the smelly thermal ponds etc. 
• Whangarei (0800-1900) Haven't been
• Napier (1000-1800) See above.  Our tour did both Napier and the wider Hawkes bay region which was good as the scenery is great and there are only so many art-deco houses you can look at before getting a bit bored.
• Bluff (0800-1700) Haven't been
• A 2nd Overnight in Melbourne (1000-0400) As above.  Given they are overnight stays, you may want to look at a trip to Phillip Island to see the famous penguins, wildlife and stunning coastline.  In summer, these wouldn't get back to the city / port until after midnight as it is about 130km to the island.
• Geelong (0800-1800) Anchor From Geelong, the obvious day tours would be along the stunning Great Ocean Road to towns such as Lorne and Torquay as well as the subtropical rainforests of the Otway Ranges

[possum52]

19 minutes ago, reeves35 said:

• Melbourne for an overnight (dock 0800 depart 1700 next day) - Plenty of things to do and just about everything is open on a weekend.  Ship will dock at Station Pier in Port Melbourne which is 15 minute tram ride into CBD.
• Dunedin (0900-1900) We did an independent 3 port tour (Dunedin, Wellington and Napier) that we bought on line.  It was great in covering the sites in all 3 cities with pickups at or near the port..
• Christchurch (0800-1800)  Haven't cruised there but I understand the port is about 12kms from Christchurch.  Christchurch is a pretty city but there is plenty to also see in the Canterbury region
• Picton (0900-1900) Really pretty place if the weather is good.  Cruise ships dock about 3kms from town with bus transfers between port.  This is near the Marlborough wine region if you like Sauvignon Blancs.
• Wellington (0700-1700) See above.  Large cruise ships dock in container port with bus transfers
• Gisborne (1000-1800) Haven't been
• Rotorua (Tauranga)(0900-1800) Tauranga and Mount Maunganui are pretty seaside towns in their own right.  Rotorua is about 60kms inland and is a centre for Maori culture as well as the smelly thermal ponds etc. 
• Whangarei (0800-1900) Haven't been
• Napier (1000-1800) See above.  Our tour did both Napier and the wider Hawkes bay region which was good as the scenery is great and there are only so many art-deco houses you can look at before getting a bit bored.
• Bluff (0800-1700) Haven't been
• A 2nd Overnight in Melbourne (1000-0400) As above.  Given they are overnight stays, you may want to look at a trip to Phillip Island to see the famous penguins, wildlife and stunning coastline.  In summer, these wouldn't get back to the city / port until after midnight as it is about 130km to the island.
• Geelong (0800-1800) Anchor From Geelong, the obvious day tours would be along the stunning Great Ocean Road to towns such as Lorne and Torquay as well as the subtropical rainforests of the Otway Ranges

Just a correction - the Otway Ranges are cool temperate rainforests, not subtropical with mainly mountain oak forests.

[cruiser3775]

Melbourne is easy - there's a shuttle bus that runs right from the dock into the city. If you walk off the end of the pier and cross the road, there is the terminus of a tram line that also goes into the city. You need to buy a MYKI card.  Once in the city, there is a free tram service, including the City Circle tram that uses historical trams and provides an interesting commentary on the history and architecture of places you are passing.

Dunedin - I did a ship's tour on the Taeri Gorge railway. It was expensive and I can't recommend it.  The working part of the line no longer starts at the port and goes along the wide estuary into Dunedin, so you have to take a bus to the station. The train ride is shortened and ends at a point where there is absolutely nothing to do.

Picton - magnificent scenery. I did a winery tour with Na Clachan Tours, which I can highly recommend.

Wellington - easy to DIY once you get into the city on the shuttle bus.

Napier - also easy to DIY from the shuttle bus into town

Tauranga - if you want to see Rotorua, you need a tour, because it is 70 kms away. I walked off the ship as early as possible and went to the port gates, where the local visitor information people had set up a tent and were a central booking location for many tours running that day. 

 

[greyskier]

Dunedin    We did a HAL ships tour on the Taeri Gorge railway. The train left from the ship and it was a really good day. Yes it was expensive but we were given lots of food and drinks and the staff on the train were fabulous. The scenery was pretty good. the people that booked on their own had to get the bus into Dunedin to join the train.

 

Wellington  Get the shuttle into town, the National museum was really good. then the cable car to the top. ( can't remember the name )  We had a lovely lunch at the top then walked back to the shuttle through the botanic gardens. We were mid february and the gardens were really  beautiful

 

Melbourne,, I think going to Phillip Island to see the penguins come ashore would be my definite. Maybe on the 2nd visit as it will be a late night.

 

Tauranga  We did a ships tour to Rotorua and it was a very interesting day

 

[cruiser3775]

16 hours ago, greyskier said:

We did a HAL ships tour on the Taeri Gorge railway. The train left from the ship and it was a really good day.

That must have been pre-pandemic?  Since then, they have abandoned the first section of the line that runs from the port into the main railway station. That was a very scenic part of the trip, right alongside the estaury. Now they put you on a bus into Dunedin.  The actual train ride is now shorter at the other end than it used to be. You can no longer do it as an independent traveller, because the only train running is booked exclusively by the cruise ship company. Not good value for money.

Edited May 3, 2023 by cruiser3775

[Ondine]

They nearly closed it down completely because of COVID.  We are lucky that even part of it has been reopened.  I hope in time they will have sufficient money to do the necessary maintenance and get their carriages back (I understand they loaned some of them to another railway) so it can run the full distance once again.  They are volunteers and it was touch and go.

[LittleFish1976]

On 5/1/2023 at 5:00 AM, gdlamberth said:

Melbourne for an overnight

 

What sort of people are you?

 

You may like to jump on a tram to the city and spend a few hours in the National Gallery of Victoria, have morning tea or lunch upstairs in the little tea room. Stroll around the Botanic Gardens nearby afterwards and have afternoon tea at the lakeside cafe.

 

Or hire bikes and head south along the bayside bicycle path stopping for sitting on the sand or the grassy parklands; fish and chips and icecreams on the beach; fancy lunch at the Stokehouse (book in advance probably advisable) or casual lunch at the Beachcomber restaurant. Or bring your rollerblades with you and do it that way.

[Aussieflyer]

1. It would also depend on which ship you are on - at Picton we were on Silversea and docked right in the town. A Princess ship in on the same day had to berth round in Shakespeare Bay and had to shuttle in. I visited the Edwin Fox - quite pleasant and also had coffee in town. DH had a kayaking ship excursion which he enjoyed.

The Te Papa museum in Wellington is very good.

We will be in Bluff in December - so can give some ideas after that. It seems to be a very small place and the ship has very few included excursions. A pity as Oban is much better and I am sad we are not docking there again.

 

[Tigerlily75]

Some ideas for Melbourne:

 

Pick up some walking maps from a tourist information centre at Federation Square, there are all kinds of self guided walks you can take such as Street Art and Arcades, or Parks and Gardens, or various historical paths. Or otherwise, look up a walking tour for your first day, that will help you get your bearings as well as hit up some of the main sites (such as the arcades, laneways and street art, much of Melbournes beauty is off the main streets). You might then find something you want to go back and visit properly on your other days such as the National Gallery of Victoria, or the Royal Botanical Gardens, or St Pauls Cathedral.  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (visitvictoria.com)

 

Get Hot Jam Donuts from the "American Doughnut Kitchen" caravan at the Queen Victoria Market. Queen Victoria Market | Melbourne's Marketplace (qvm.com.au)  American Doughnut Kitchen - Queen Victoria Market (qvm.com.au) You can even do some foodie tours: Book Now - Ultimate Foodie Tour | Queen Victoria Market | Melbourne (qvm.com.au)

 

Have an espresso (and a bowl of spaghetti) at Pellegrinis. Pellegrini's (broadsheet.com.au)

 

On another day you could venture slightly further afield by taking the 96 tram from Bourke Street to St Kilda, take a stroll along the boardwalk, visit the famous cake shops on Acland Street (Monarch Cakes is my personal recommendation, especially the chocolate kuglehopf ) St Kilda, Destinations, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (visitmelbourne.com)   Monarch Cakes: Exquisite Since 1934

 

Or explore just north of the city around Fitzroy and Collingwood Fitzroy area guide | A local's guide to Fitzroy in Melbourne (timeout.com)  Top 10 things to do in Collingwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (visitvictoria.com)

 

Take a rest in Carlton Gardens, in front of the Royal Exhibition Building Carlton Gardens - What's On Melbourne

[lovedecruise]

I live in Tauranga and find it a very pretty harbour to sail in/out off.  You will dock at Mt Maunganui and from there, have easy access to the harbour beach/ocean beach and shops.  Walking out of the wharf area will take you to a board walk which will then take you to the iconic "Mount" which you can walk around, or if feeling more energetic, you can find trails leading to the top for magnificent views.  If this isn't your thing, you can catch a tour through to Rotorua, with the focus being on our Maori culture.

There also used to be tours to Hobbiton but I'm not sure if they are still running due to work being done there at the moment.

 

Another idea for Picton, is the Marlborough Flyer which is a steam train that travels through from Picton to Blenheim.  It is an enjoyable ride and you get to spend a decent amount of time in Blenheim.  We booked directly with the company as we knew, having ship folk on board as well, there would be no problems in getting back in time for sailing.  

 

In Dunedin, we really enjoyed the Early Settler's Museum, which was free and we always enjoy a visit to Te Papa Museum in Wellington.  If you're into politics, there is a free tour through the Parliament.

 

Hope you enjoy your trip.

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, lovedecruise said:

I live in Tauranga and find it a very pretty harbour to sail in/out off.  You will dock at Mt Maunganui and from there, have easy access to the harbour beach/ocean beach and shops.  Walking out of the wharf area will take you to a board walk which will then take you to the iconic "Mount" which you can walk around, or if feeling more energetic, you can find trails leading to the top for magnificent views.  If this isn't your thing, you can catch a tour through to Rotorua, with the focus being on our Maori culture.

There also used to be tours to Hobbiton but I'm not sure if they are still running due to work being done there at the moment.

 

Another idea for Picton, is the Marlborough Flyer which is a steam train that travels through from Picton to Blenheim.  It is an enjoyable ride and you get to spend a decent amount of time in Blenheim.  We booked directly with the company as we knew, having ship folk on board as well, there would be no problems in getting back in time for sailing.  

 

In Dunedin, we really enjoyed the Early Settler's Museum, which was free and we always enjoy a visit to Te Papa Museum in Wellington.  If you're into politics, there is a free tour through the Parliament.

 

Hope you enjoy your trip.

The Parliament is well worth a visit for the unique design to protect foundations from earthquakes.