Has anyone been on the Milford Sound- Dunedin overnight excursion

[LVHOKIE]

We are going on the March 9 HAL Sydney to Auckland cruise and were considering the overnight bus trip from Milford Sound to Dunedin.  Has anyone been on that trip.  We've read about the Celebrity excursion which seems similar but nothing on the HAL option.  It's pretty expensive and wondering if it's a must do or if it's better to see the fjords from the ship.  Also wondering if you would arrive in Port Chalmers in time to do an excursion after you meet the ship there.

[Over from NZ]

Interesting. You'll see the fjords from the ship even if you do take the tour - the ship will have to enter the Sound to reach a point to drop you off. Yes, the drive into Milford Sound is rather spectacular (Google Te Anau and also the Mirror Lakes for example).. but it will be expensive as heck. Where will they put you up for the night? In Dunedin? Other than the drive from Milford.. what else would you see or do on the HAL excursion? It's got to be about a 5-6 hour drive from there to Dunedin. If you've got the time.. it would probably cost you no more than the cost of the excursion and be miles better.. to instead fly from Auckland to Queenstown after your cruise and spend a few nights in the Jewel of NZ and see Te Anau etc from that direction.  

[cruiser3775]

If you get off the ship and do the overland tour, you miss seeing some of the most remote fjords from the sea, which is the best way to see them.  You will see Milford Sound going in, because you have to be picked up and transferred on a small boat, but you won't see it going out. Then you will miss the next two, much bigger fjords, which the ship will travel through en route to Dunedin.

You could do it yourself after the cruise and get a much better experience. A flight from Auckland to Queenstown return would cost maybe $NZ350 each.  Two nights in a modest Queenstown hotel would cost maybe $300 - 350 per night for two. Car hire for two days would be another $200 or so, or you could pay for a day tour from Queenstown to Milford, which costs about $250 each   That's a budget of about $NZ1600 - 1900 for two people, plus meals.   How much is the HAL excursion?  I think I remember it being about $1300 each?

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Over from NZ said:

Interesting. You'll see the fjords from the ship even if you do take the tour - the ship will have to enter the Sound to reach a point to drop you off. Yes, the drive into Milford Sound is rather spectacular (Google Te Anau and also the Mirror Lakes for example).. but it will be expensive as heck. Where will they put you up for the night? In Dunedin? Other than the drive from Milford.. what else would you see or do on the HAL excursion? It's got to be about a 5-6 hour drive from there to Dunedin. If you've got the time.. it would probably cost you no more than the cost of the excursion and be miles better.. to instead fly from Auckland to Queenstown after your cruise and spend a few nights in the Jewel of NZ and see Te Anau etc from that direction.  

Yes, it is expensive as heck ($AU1500) for the Princess version. The overnight is in Queenstown.

Princess Cruises - Excursion - Fiordland, Queenstown & Dunedin Overland (Double Occupancy)

Edited February 12 by arxcards

[arxcards]

It has been years since I have read any reviews on this tour. It isn't something we have done, but people who have done it have rated it as one of THE tours to do.

 

The link above is for Princess, but I think it likely that it will be very close to the same as HAL. It appears the tour arrives at the ship in Port Chalmers after lunch, but it does include a Dunedin scenic tour.

 

We have considered doing this, but the tour often sells out before we board, and I don't like the idea of pre-paying so much for a tour that can be easily cancelled when the weather prevents the ship from transiting into Milford Sound. If you haven't seen the fiords by ship, that is also something to see - and included in your fare.

[Over from NZ]

1 hour ago, cruiser3775 said:

If you get off the ship and do the overland tour, you miss seeing some of the most remote fjords from the sea, which is the best way to see them.  You will see Milford Sound going in, because you have to be picked up and transferred on a small boat, but you won't see it going out. Then you will miss the next two, much bigger fjords, which the ship will travel through en route to Dunedin.

You could do it yourself after the cruise and get a much better experience. A flight from Auckland to Queenstown return would cost maybe $NZ350 each.  Two nights in a modest Queenstown hotel would cost maybe $300 - 350 per night for two. Car hire for two days would be another $200 or so, or you could pay for a day tour from Queenstown to Milford, which costs about $250 each   That's a budget of about $NZ1600 - 1900 for two people, plus meals.   How much is the HAL excursion?  I think I remember it being about $1300 each?

Totally agree. Although would strongly recommend not driving from Queenstown to Milford - take the tour bus with glass roof! It's a windy drive, but spectacular and you're far better staring up at the peaks through the glass-roofed bus than concentrating on the windy road. They pick you up from your Hotel. Alternatively, stay a night in Te Anau and have them pick you up from there. If they could squeeze in 3-nights.. they could have a look around Queenstown on the day they get there.. do the Milford drive the next day (it's a long day.. about 12-hours or more from memory) and then the next day take the rental car and get to Arrowtown, Glenorchy, the wineries, or whatever floats their boat. Heck, you could spend weeks down there.. but 3-nights would give you a great taste. 

[lyndarra]

I have not done the ship tour but all the reviews I have read were very positive. It would be, IMO, a bucket list item, a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I have done a self drive S Island tour a few years back (a couple of months before the CC earthquake) to Milford also taking Wanaka, Queenstown, Mt Cook etc., and it was fantastic. You get to see a lot of NZ and have an experience you would not otherwise get on a cruise. If you can afford it, go for it.

[Porky55]

Yep, we've done it, off Celebrity and personally we loved it. Read the details and decide if it's something you would enjoy. We were really well looked after and saw places we would never have thought of visiting … so, we highly recommend it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

cheers, Rose 🌹

Edited February 14 by Porky55

[Sarah Jane Smith]

We did this tour when it was cheaper from a Princess ship and thought it was value for money. The drive / scenery from Milford Sound through Fjordland National Park was spectacular. The bus stopped several times for quick walks and photo opportunities (waterfalls, wildlife, lakes, etc). Lunch at a nice pub was included. In Queenstown overnight we were escorted on the steam powered paddlewheel to the sheep farm across the lake for an included dinner and sheep dog performance. The following days' bus trip was similar with frequent tourist stops and we arrived at the terminal at Port Chalmers just in time for sail away.

 

We would recommend this excursion if you have already sailed through the fjords and around the coast of southern NZ.

[lyndarra]

Sounds great to me.

[jota]

I seriously considered it and regret we didn’t do it