Bubbleman7 Posted February 15, 2023 Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 Hi All, I'm Soloing an 11 night cruise next January on Ovation of the seas 348 days to go and looking for recommendations on favorite shore excursions: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA PICTON, NEW ZEALAND NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND The only thing I know for sure is that I'm doing the Weta Workshop tour in Wellington. I would love to hear from those that have traveled there before for suggestions? Thanks Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted February 15, 2023 Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 Avoid anything Lord of the Rings. They are tourist traps. Wellington has a nice museum and Botanical gardens at top of funicular. If we go back we'll try to see more of the country. It's awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleman7 Posted February 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 ChessE4, Thanks for the tip. If I want to see the Weta Works should I book a separate tour not from the ship? Just curious on what you experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted February 16, 2023 Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 18 hours ago, Bubbleman7 said: ChessE4, Thanks for the tip. If I want to see the Weta Works should I book a separate tour not from the ship? Just curious on what you experienced. Sorry, but we didn't do Weta Works. We had some luck with Viator excursions in Australia after we disembarked at Sydney. They are an alternative to RC excursions. Bubbleman7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleman7 Posted February 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 Thanks for the tips they are appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zacharius Posted February 16, 2023 Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 I have a lot of experience in some of these locations, but not on a cruise. Here's my thoughts: Sydney - if it's your first time there, don't do an excursion. Just walk around, hit the highlights (Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Botanic Garden, The Rocks, food and drink). Picton - if you're in to wine, find a half-day wine tour in the nearby Marlborough region. Lots of good wineries there. You may not have enough time, but the Mail Boat tours in Picton are fantastic (https://www.beachcombercruises.co.nz/scenic-cruises/mailboat-cruises/Mail-Boat-Cruise/). Wellington - you mention something already, but Wellington is another one of those "just walk around" places. Botanic Garden, Mount Victoria Lookout, Cable Car, Parliament, Te Papa Museum, Cuba Street, food and drink. Bubbleman7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleman7 Posted February 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 Zacharius, Your suggestion for Sydney sounds perfect. Not much into wine country. The Mail boat tour in Picton sounds like a fun one to see the sounds. I will have to see how much time I will have there. too far out for Port times yet. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 In Sydney we used to the hop-on, hop-off bus to augment walking around. I believe they have a couple of different routes. FloatyBoaty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleman7 Posted February 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 ChessE4, Thanks for the tip on Sydney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looksee Posted February 21, 2023 Report Share Posted February 21, 2023 Took me a long time to go myself but if you are interested in Lord of the Ring or movies in general, Weta Workshop is interesting. Check their website for tickets and times. Taxis and ubers are easy to get in wellington once you're in the city - you might not need to do a shore excursion to have a great day. Bubbleman7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleman7 Posted February 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2023 Thanks Looksee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou4178 Posted December 1, 2023 Report Share Posted December 1, 2023 My husband and I are doing this itinerary in April 2024 so joining to get recommendations. This is our first and probably only time we will be at these places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleman7 Posted December 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2023 Hi Marylou, Me too first time to the other side of the world and may not get back. It is getting close for me 59 days beofre the cruise and 56 till I leave. I have locked down the tours. The only doing one from the Ship in Christchurch, It is an 8 hour off road tour in the mountains and a Jet boat down the Waimakariri Gorge. Since I'm not a wine drinker in Picton I found a Viator cruise of the Marlborough Sounds. Though a comany called Shore Excursions I am doing a Hawks Bay Sinic tour, Lord of the Rings 8 hour tour in Wellington & in Dunedin a Larnach Castle, Peninsula and City tour. Just doing the walkabout in Sydney as I am staying in The Rocks.(right by the harbout Bridge and the Opera House), before and after the cruise. I do have another Viator tour booked in Sydney. It is a Blue Mountans Tour to see the Three Sisters and a Wildlife Sancutary that is an all day tour. I will be back by mid Feb and will report if any of these were good, bad or amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley Posted December 2, 2023 Report Share Posted December 2, 2023 If it's offered in Dunedin, the Royal Albatross Sanctuary or Penguin Sanctuaries are great places to tour if you're into wildlife watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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