North Island Cruise Information

Cruising in the North Island's beautiful oceans, harbours and rivers provides a unique opportunity to experience stunning scenery, along with native flora, birdlife and wildlife. We’ve put together some of the North Island’s favourite harbour and river cruises.

Bay of Islands Maritime Park
New Zealand’s most famous maritime playground encompasses 144 islands and has a huge range of scenic cruises and wildlife tours, not to mention world-class fishing and diving. Make a passage through the famous Hole in the Rock, view the spectacular Black Rocks, meander in and out of the many picturesque bays on the mail run, or go swimming with the pods of dolphins that frequent the Bay.
Check out:
Fullers Bay of Islands

Kaipara Harbour
Just an hour’s drive or so from downtown Auckland, the vast Kaipara Harbour is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and boasts the world’s longest harbour coastline. Located on the west coast, you’ll see bush-lined rivers, deserted white sand beaches, nesting birdlife, a shag colony and historic river settlements as you cruise this vast harbour. Cruises depart from Helensville.
Check out:
Kaipara Cruises

Kawau Island
There are regular cruises out to this bush-clad island in Auckland’s scenic Hauraki Gulf, with its peaceful bays, bushwalks, old copper mine and historic Mansion House. Kawau’s popular Royal Mail Run visits the Mansion House and the island’s secluded coves as the mail is delivered to the locals. Other cruise options let you spend more time exploring on the island. 
Check out:
Reuben's Water Taxis
Freeephone 0800 111 616

Tiritiri Matangi Island
This open sanctuary in Auckland's stunning Hauraki Gulf is home to some of New Zealand's most endangered native birds and rare wildlife. Walking tracks and look-out points offer spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf, and you can take a guided eco tour to learn more about the island's wildlife. 360 Discovery offer regular cruises from  Pier 4, Quay Street, Downtown Auckland. 
Check out:
360 Discovery
Freephone 0800 360 DISCOVERY

Whanganui River
The beautiful Whanganui River is famous for its wild scenery and historic Maori sites, and recently it has also been the location for the movie River Queen (nb: Jane please link to the River Queen feature), set to release in January. It’s also the only place in New Zealand you can cruise aboard an authentic paddle-steamer. The PS Waimarie (formerly Aotea) was built back in 1899, when the Whanganui River was a tourist mecca with a 12-strong fleet of riverboats. Today, she’s hard at work again ferrying visitors 13km upstream to the tiny settlement of Upokongaro. Summer cruises run daily at 2pm until 30 April, departing from the Whanganui Riverboat Centre at Taupo Quay in Wanganui.
Check out:
Whanganui Riverboat Centre 

Cook Strait
Linking the North and South Islands between Wellington and Picton, the cruise across the 92km Cook Strait has been described as one of the world’s most scenic ferry journeys. As you enter the Queen Charlotte Sound en route to Picton, you’ll be treated to magnificent views across Marlborough’s drowned river valleys. If you’re making an inter-island crossing these summer holidays, don’t forget to book well in advance, as this is the peak season.
Check out:
Interislander
Freephone 0800 802 802

Useful sites
Destination NZ