SHORE EXCURSIONS · BY REGION
The best days ashore.
The 15 most popular new zealand shore excursions for cruise passengers. The trips worth your hours ashore, what each one runs, who operates it and how to be back before all-aboard.
Full-day Rotorua shore excursion from Tauranga: Whakarewarewa geothermal wonders, Pohutu Geyser, Māori village show, kiwifruit stop and more.
Most Popular“Nice tour with historic and cultural with the living village along with scenic travel through valley. Interesting stop at kiwi farm along with stop at Redwood forest and a river with rafting etc. Stephen our guide was very knowledgeable.”
Get Rotorua’s geothermal sights, a Māori village snack stop, plus Redwoods treetop rope bridges and a glow worm cave on a cruise-friendly day.
“Very informative, awesome place to visit… highly recommended . Brian is a very good tour guide …the tour is reasonably price”
Hobbiton Movie Set shore excursion from Tauranga: scenic ride, guided tour of the Shire, inside Hobbit homes, and a free ale.
“It was a fantastic tour. It was so much more than we ever expected. Would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Lord of the rings simply the best.”
Easy grade 2 white-water rafting on the Mohaka River near Napier, with culture stories, a homemade lunch, and cruise-friendly timing.
“Great people to deal with. Professional and friendly, on time and got us back to port with plenty of time to spare. Highly recommend Deon and his team!”
Picton shore excursion to Marlborough: small-group pickup, 4-5 winery tastings, vineyard stroll and chocolate, easy ship timing.
“Jade Tours provided an outstanding day! We were a small group and John was our guide. The wineries were all great and lunch was outstanding.”
4.5-hour Tauranga shore excursion with McLaren Falls, kiwifruit and manuka honey tasting, Minden Lookout views, Gate Pa, plus muffin, coffee, and hokey pokey ice cream.
“We had a fantastic tour with Marina. She was very knowledgeable about the area and she took us to every place advertised in the tour description plus so much more. She allowed time for my husband to walk in the water so he could Read more”
Half-day Tauranga tour with Mt Maunganui views and port history, capped by a kiwi orchard tasting and local tea for $65.78.
“Chose this tour in preference to a ship tour. Very friendly and informative. and much cheaper. Small group meant easier to see everything.”
A 4-hour small-group Dunedin cruise excursion from Port Chalmers: Signal Hill views, Baldwin Street, Otago highlights, and free time downtown.
“Whirl wind tour of highlights. Lots of stops all quite short but no real need to be longer. Our tour guide Allan is a good driver was non stop chatter but very informative. Bus was clean.”
A well-paced Wellington shore excursion with port pickup, big-city sights, and mountain and harbor views plus an optional cable car ride.
“What I will remember is the option of going down in the cable car was better than going up when we saw the line down the bottom. We were so disappointed we missed out on going up to Victoria Lookout that would have been a highlight. Read more”
Ride an e-bike along Wellington Harbour and coast, then use turbo power up Maupuia for 360° views with a coffee stop.
“Highly Recommend! We enjoyed this windy tour with our guides Tara and Dillon. The electric-assist bikes made the tour effortless. Tara and Dillon provided just the right amount of history and perspective. This is a great way to see the Wellington waterfront.”
Half-day Napier and Hawke’s Bay shore tour with Art Deco stories, Bluff Hill views, two premium winery tastings, plus extra stops.
“Kirsty was an outstanding host. Her in depth knowledge of the local area meant that we got to see a number of sights that might not have been covered on another tour. We learned a lot of Napier history with a local. Highly recommend.”
Napier’s Art Deco highlights in a short, shore-friendly scenic tour with photo stops, ocean views, and live commentary from local guides.
“Excellent small group tour Knowledgeable local guide and driver. Good length of tour with option of free time at the end. Very handy pickup right from the ship.”
Christchurch city highlights plus Willowbank Wildlife Reserve kiwi viewing on a cruise shore excursion with live guide commentary.
“Driver, Joseph, was exceptional! Provided so much information. Loved the stop at the animal sanctuary.”
Small-group Dunedin and Otago Peninsula shore tour with views, Olveston House, and Larnach gardens, plus easy Port Chalmers pickup.
“very nice and informative interesting nice place and very picturesque and beautiful scenery .Our tour guide was very nice friendly and informative”
Port-to-vine tastings in Tauranga: craft beer, wine at Skyline’s gondola, plus dessert and cocktails. Small group, pickup included.
“On this tour you get see a lot that is not included in the description making it a great value. We saw a lot of Tauranga and the surrounding country side with stops for beer, seltzer and wine tastings. The wine tasting is at the top of a ski lift with Read more”
Every coast a ship calls at, and the best of every port day.
