Bay of Islands Cruises
Written by Viator, December 2010
RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Must-Do Experience,
Sailing,
Water Sports
Getting your feet wet in this North Island haven is a signature New Zealand experience, and if you love the water you’ll be spoiled for choice.
There’s high-speed jet-boating, sailing, sea kayaking, swimming with dolphins, scuba diving, surfing, fishing - you name it!
Of course, the most popular and best way to sightsee in the Bay of Islands is aboard a cruise. The most famous cruise is the Cream Trip, which follows the route traced by coal, dairy and mail delivery boats in the 1920s, when getting around was only done by boat.
Today the cruise runs between Paihia and Russell, sailing through the famous “Hole in the Rock” at Cape Brett along the way. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins as they chase your boat’s frothy wake, and if conditions are right you can hire snorkel gear to swim with a pod of dolphins.
Or time your cruise for lunchtime and combine wildlife watching, sailing and fine local produce. Sail aboard a maxi yacht, with the opportunity to help hoist the mainsail with the crew if you feel the urge, or ride beneath the sails of a tall ship for a taste of times gone by.
Passing remote bays and beaches, the cruises anchor at pristine islands like Urupukapuka, crisscrossed with walking tracks and fringed with secluded beaches, for a typical Kiwi barbecue, swimming and snorkeling.
For the ultimate Bay of Islands experience, spend the night aboard a luxury catamaran on an overnight cruise. You’ll get to watch the sun set and rise over the water, enjoy a buffet dinner and breakfast, and sleep with panoramic sea views.
Note that some cruises are seasonal, operating only between October/November and April.
Latest Replies
Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Bay of Islands Tall Ship Sailing on R. Tucker Thompson including BBQ Lunch
What an excellent day! We helped put up and take down the sails, took our turn at the wheel and even climbed out on the bow spit! We climbed the hill when the ship anchored and were able to see across the Bay of Islands. On the way back we saw dolphins. The crew were brilliant in explaining what we were doing and why and with the other visitors being fun and friendly we had a wonderful day.
Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Bay of Islands Tall Ship Sailing on R. Tucker Thompson including BBQ Lunch
Five Star +
Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Bay of Islands Cape Brett 'Hole in the Rock' Cruise
We had a great cruise. The pilot was excellent in explaining the history of each island as we headed to the "Hole in the Rock". He had a great sense of humor and he was speaking distinctly over the intercom. The weather was sunny and warm and we had a number of great photo ops. The sea was a bit too rough to navigate through the hole but we were able to get very close to it for photos. A great value compared to what we would have had to pay if we had booked a similar cruise through our cruise liner.
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