Scenic Cruises
Take a steamship, a sightseeing ship, a sailing ship or, in other words, cruise on water towards nostalgia and romanticism.
New Zealand is surrounded by ocean; deep bays extend many kilometres into the land; on the South Island, there are several large lakes formed from glaciers. In the past, Maoris cruised on their war canoes and in late nineteenth century, the white settlers needed a reliable means of transport. Railways were only under construction at that time and roads were unreliable until the middle of the twentieth century. That was why water transport in the form of ships propelled by steam flourished. Original steamships or their replicas, with their unique steam propelling units, can still be found on both islands. However, they do not transport goods any more but they serve to tourists. It is a beautiful experience to watch the engine room – to see the "stoker feeding fire in the underdeck and people enjoying themselves on the upperdeck…" An ideal combination is an afternoon cruise by a ship to a remote farm, a dinner in the colonial style and a return trip across a lake that fell silent in the twilight. Or what about combining a cruise with a horse ride at one of the nearby farms? The sightseeing cruises along bays and lakes or cruises along coasts and around islands take place in a more modern style. They can help you to get to know another undiscovered dimension of New Zealand. In the popular, well accessible and therefore abundantly visited areas, shipping companies cruise according to timetables. In the more remote (and often more beautiful) localities, the ship and yacht owners offer a more personal approach and more intensive experience; in this case, it is necessary to book the ship in advance. A minimum number of passengers or the rental of the entire ship regardless of the number of passengers (the ships are mostly small, with their capacity ranging from several to ca 12 passengers) is usually required. An ideal combination is a cruise with fishing – you will get an invaluable culinary experience when you catch, for example, a blue cod and you will be able to enjoy eating it right after that.
Let your imagination loose and set aside at least a several hours or even several days for one of the cruises mentioned above. After mutual consultation, we will gladly include them in your itinerary.
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