Picton, New Zealand Tour Option

1/22/19. Picton:  Viator Tour.  Please reply if interested.  Guarantee Ship Return.

Viator.  Marlborough Sounds Cruise.  $120/couple 

Can book as Group to be on same Ferry...

Take in the sights of Queen Charlotte Sound and visit Ship Cove on a morning boat tour from Picton. The 3.5-hour journey follows a network of waterways as your captain narrates the highlights of the Marlborough Sounds. During free time while anchored at Ship Cove, see Maori wood carvings and a Captain Cook memorial, and explore the sheltered beach. Be on the lookout for marine life and other natural features of this breathtaking region while you sip complimentary tea and coffee on board. 3.5-hour boat cruise through the Marlborough Sounds to Ship Cove, from Picton Learn about the region's history from your expert captain Have at least 30 minutes to explore Ship Cove, Captain Cook’s favorite anchorage in New Zealand See beautiful Endeavor Inlet Travel along parts of the inter-island ferry route and Queen Charlotte Sound, located within the larger Marlborough Sounds Sip complimentary tea or coffee on board the boat 

Read more about Marlborough Sounds Cruise from Picton 2018 - https://m.viator.com/tours/Picton/Marlborough-Sounds-Cruise-from-Picton/d4769-6607SCENIC?mcid=56757

Paul's Thoughts:

Picton is a great sail in and sail out port for the Queen Charlotte Sounds so get a seat up front in the Sky Lounge like we showed you to do on Constellation 😉. Picton is the port for the Marlborough wine region but you will see that it is a busy port for the loading of timber. Unfortunately, you will not have the time to take the Mail boat up the Sound which stops at each house but you can do the round trip from Picton to Blenheim to Havelock to Picton. In Blenheim, if anyone has an interest in planes, there is the most fantastic  air museum called Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. Quite unique and if you Google it, you will see what I mean. You can then drive on into the Marlborough wine country and visit so many vineyards. This is one of the most famous NZ wine regions. Drive onto Havelock which is the Green Lipped Mussel capital of the World for a special tasting.....so fresh and superb. Then continue back to Picton with beautiful views of the Sounds on the left. Do the drive in a clockwise direction mainly for the last section as you are driving on the left side of the road, not the right, and the views are better. A very small tip but well worth it. It is an easy drive. And well within the time limits but again maybe check on a local tour driver instead of the ship as I doubt that they would do my itinerary. Leaving out the Aviation Centre gives you plenty of time for food, wine and views but still worth trying to do it.

From Christchurch you can take the Tranz Alpine train that runs between Christchurch and Greymouth. This train runs right through the Souitern Alps. This journey can be done as a day return. https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/tranzalpine/

Since we are not stopping at the Christchurch port, this trip is only available through Celebrity.

(Probably too risky to do on own based upon port stop timetable and departure.)

Celebrity offers a Tranzalpine Trip with a Jet Boat Ride!  Pricey, but the only way to see the Southern Alps....

Akaroa, New Zealand Tour Option

CONFIRMATION: Southern Alps.  Akaroa. 1/23/19.  Tender Port. Departs 8:00am

7 couples.  NZ$160 or USD. $113 pp.     $226.00/couple

Southern Alps Mountains and Inland Rural Canterbury tour to the mountain village of Arthurs Pass. This area boasts of spectacular farmland and mountainous scenery as it travels over the volcanic peninsula and through many rural towns of inland Canterbury. A full day tour to experience the magnificent scenery within the area of the Arthurs Pass National Park and its high Southern Alps mountainous area that is bordered by the two mighty rivers of the Rakaia and the Waimakariri. A tour into this area encompasses many magnificent views including a location made use of for movie productions. The travel includes the traversing the two high mountain passes on route leading to the mountain village of Arthurs Pass. Near to the Arthurs Pass village is the engineering achievement of a high roadway viaduct that ensures safe and all year round road access to the magnificent West Coast area of the South Island. 

The beauty of ‘private touring’ is that the content of the day can be varied to suit our client’s preferences. 

The itinerary as provided is the base but is flexible as to content, within the allowable time of the ship’s visit. New Zealand’s extensive walking/hiking tracks are predominantly within our large National Parks but they are generally of lengthy durations, well beyond the time you would have ashore. However. At the Castle Hill Rocks there is an opportunity to walk the track up to the base of the impressive rock formation, and as the day is all about spectacular scenery (volcanic peninsula and harbour bays, inland rural farmland. mountains (NZ Southern Alps), lakes & rivers) there are many photo opportunity stops included on route. I recall travelling with a family and the ‘Dad’ took 200+ photos throughout the journey. Your driver/guide will closely monitor the time as your day progresses and will keep your group informed to ensure the most is made of the time ashore. All of our groups generally enjoy the stop at the ‘Village Bakery/Pie Shop’ on route, and as a result often shorten the planned lunch stop at the Arthurs Pass village to enable additional time at the locations of particular interest.  

Cost: Private tour, by luxury mini-coach with a driver/guide: NZ$160.00. per person (minimum charge of 6 PAX).  14 persons confirmed.

Tour disclaimer applies.  

Disclaimer:  This Tour is not sponsored by Celebrity, therefore each person at their own risk of missing the ship departure if not back to port on time.   However, as is case with most private tours, the tour operators are very well aware of cruise timelines and their business reputation is on the line!  We enjoy private tours as they are more personalized and have booked them quite frequently, balancing risk with reward.  😉

Paul's Thoughts:

Akaroa is special because of the volcano.  It has a French Heritage because of the French arriving first but stupidly not claiming it with the French flag which you will see there including French language signs like Gendermarie, Boulangerie, Rue Montmartre etc. Best fish and chips are available at a small eat outside place opposite the library which has excellent free WiFi. Try the Elephant fish. That is another tip for you that most local city libraries have the best free WiFi. That was true for us in Wellington, Russell, Mt. Manganui (Tauranga), Dunedin and Akaroa. It is a nice place to wander for a coffee and there are a couple of trips you can do when you arrive off the tender so better to do them from there if they are local. If you want to do the all day trip to Christchurch, then do the ship one despite the expense. Personally, since Christchurch was devastated in the earthquake a few years ago, it is not that great to see as they have not rebuilt due to constant tremours. There are short trips to do for dolphins, penguins, sheep farm and vineyards. New Zealanders like their wine 😃