P and O’s Aurora – one of many passenger cruise ships visiting Wellington for the day

The Best of a Wellington Cruise Ship Day Tour

Finding the perfect Wellington cruise ship day tour that ticks all the boxes will require some research. As a cruise ship passenger arriving in Wellington perhaps for the first time,  you will have plenty of choice but limited time. For this very reason it really pays to do some advance planning to make the most of your few hours ashore. One of the best ways to maximise your Wellington cruise stop is to book one of the many full or half day tours available. Booking an organised tour will take out all the potential headache of planning what to do and where to eat.

Jerry Bridge’s Wellington Day Tour

This Wellington day tour is run by world traveller and entrepreneur, Jerry Bridge. It takes in various city attractions such as the award-winning Te Papa museum the cable car and Mount Victoria lookout. Peter Jackson’s Weta Cave and Workshop is also on the agenda as well a fabulous coffee or lunch stop at the beach-side Maranui Surf Club Cafe. Maranui is a Wellington institution and a firm favourite to most locals. What makes this tour so unique is that it’s flexible and highly personal.

Hop On Hop Off Bus

Wellington’s Hop On Hop Off bus is another excellent way for cruise ship day trippers to experience Wellington’s highlights. In fact, this way of getting around the city offers 17 attractions in total. It also covers coast, cityscape and diverse suburbs such a Miramar. There are are food-themed walking tours such as Zest Tours that take you to Wellington’s producers, growers and local crafts-people.

Other Wellington Highlights

If you book your tour well in advance and know what it includes you can enjoy the rest of your day in Wellington checking out anything which hasn’t already been covered. How about a visit to Old St Paul’s Cathedral with its elegant furnishings, stained glass and native wood carvings? Or perhaps a free Parliament Buildings tour around the iconic Beehive government building. This tour which can be easily slotted into your day as it takes just one hour. A leisurely stroll along the picturesque waterfront is a must-do activity if you have the time.

Alternatively, take a slow meander down quirky Cuba Street and soak up a really interesting area of the city. Cuba street with all its cafes, shops and restaurants is pretty much an essential part of any Wellington visit. Take the time to pause for a bite to eat or drink an excellent coffee here, there’s plenty of choice. Try Fidel’s with its cosy and eclectic interior or take a seat outside at the Plum Cafe so you can watch the street performers and musicians.

You can’t possibly see it all in a day but we think that by planning your hours ashore you will return to your cruise ship feeling satisfied with a day well spent. You will no doubt vow to return one day and experience more of what this wonderful city has to offer.

Maranui Cafe – an institution of Wellington right on the seafront