Cruise activities in Pacific
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Banana Boat
Monkey around in Mercury Bay on the bright-yellow (naturally), motorised Banana Boat – or split to Cathedral Cove.
reviewed
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Cave Cruzer
A rigid-hull inflatable offering a one-hour (adult/child $50/30) or two-hour (adult/child $75/40) tour.
reviewed
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Glass Bottom Boat
Two-hour bottom-gazing tours.
reviewed
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Whitianga Adventures
Offers a two-hour Sea Cave Adventure in an inflatable.
reviewed
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Lady Murray
The Lady Murray can take you cruising along the lake and the Murray River, pointing out historic spots and bird life. 1½-hour barbecue cruises ($20) at noon, scenic cruises ($12) at 2pm, and dinner cruises during summer.
reviewed
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Paradise Queen
Paradise Queen can take you cruising along the lake and the Murray River, pointing out historic spots and bird life. 1½-hour barbecue cruises ($20) at noon, scenic cruises ($12) at 2pm, and dinner cruises during summer.
reviewed
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Crocodile Night Adventure
At Springvale Homestead, this evening cruise seeks out crocs and other nocturnal wildlife on the Katherine River. Includes barbecue dinner and drinks.
reviewed
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Lake Burley Griffin Cruises
Runs several informative tours on the lake each day.
reviewed
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A
Huka Falls River Cruise
For a photo-friendly ride, this boat offers a relaxed jaunt (80 minutes) from Aratiatia Dam to Huka Falls.
reviewed
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Cruise Raglan
Two-hour sunset cruises around Raglan Harbour on the Wahine Moe, with a sausage sizzle and a few drinks.
reviewed
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Kawhia Harbour Cruises
There are some gorgeous beaches and kooky rock formations to check out around isolated Kawhia Harbour: bring your swimming gear! Minimum six adults.
reviewed
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Riverhead Ferry
Offers harbour and gulf cruises including a 90-minute jaunt up the inner harbour to Riverhead, returning after two hours' pub time.
reviewed
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B
Southern Cross Yacht Club
Provides lunch and dinner sightseeing cruises aboard the MV Southern Cross, departing noon and 7pm daily (adult/child $65/26), as well as a one-hour tour departing 3pm daily ($15/9).
reviewed
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Greenshell Mussel Cruise
Three-hour cruise on a catamaran to mussel in on Kenepuru’s aquaculture. Includes a tasting of steamed mussels and a glass of wine. Bookings essential.
reviewed
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C
Lakeland Queen
The Lakeland Queen paddlesteamer offers one-hour breakfast cruises (adult/child $45/22.50) and longer cruises (lunch $54/27.50; Saturday-night summer dinner $70/35) on Lake Rotorua.
reviewed
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D
Sydney Showboats
Settle in for a three-hour, three-course dinner cruise on this paddlewheeler, complete with cabaret singers, showgirls flashing their knickers, and a personal magician for your table. Very, very camp.
reviewed
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E
Captain Cook Cruises
As well as ritzy lunch and dinner cruises, this crew offers the aquatic version of a hop-on/hop-off bus tour, stopping at Watsons Bay, Shark Island, Taronga Zoo, Fort Denison, Circular Quay, Luna Park and Darling Harbour.
reviewed
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F
Matilda Cruises
Not waltzing but sailing, Matilda offers nine different cruise options on plush catamarans, including daily whale-watching trips between mid-May and October (from $79). Also available are breakfast (from $55), coffee ($49), lunch (from $75), cocktail (from $39) and dinner (from $85) cruises, and a hop-on/hop-off harbour circuit (from $39).
reviewed
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Paddle Steamer Cruises
A paddle steamer cruise here is almost obligatory. Buy tickets from the port entrance or along the Esplanade, and ask for the brochure on the boats’ histories. Check out the timetable for lunch and dinner, twilight and sunset cruises. At least six paddle steamers offer cruises.
reviewed
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G
Sydney Ferries Heritage Cruises
Excellent 90-minute cruises taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the harbour (Cockatoo Island to Shark Island and everything in between) at a reasonable price. Ferries depart at 1.30pm Monday to Saturday; you’ll need to arrive early as tickets are allocated on a first-in, first-seated basis.
reviewed
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H
Fullers
As well as ferry services, Fullers has daily 1½-hour harbour cruises which include a stop on Rangitoto, a complimentary cuppa and a free return ticket to Devonport.
reviewed
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I
Magistic Cruises
The fancy Magistic floaters take you on a range of cruises, ranging from the one-hour sightseeing cruise ($25 to $33) offering all the harbour icons to two-hour lunch (per person $60 to $96) and dinner ($65 to $158) cruises with a seafood buffet. Cruises also depart from Wharf 6 at Circular Quay.
reviewed
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J
360 Discovery
Apart from their regular ferries, 360 has an Auckland Harbour cruise which stops at Devonport's Torpedo Bay, Rangitoto, Motuihe and Orakei Wharf (for Kelly Tarlton’s). You can either stay onboard for the full 1½ hours or hop on and off as many times as you like over the course of three days.
reviewed
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Kingfisher Cruises
Magnificent Barmah Lakes offers something totally different. Head out to the visitors area where Kingfisher Cruises glides you along in a flat-bottom boat through Australia’s largest river red-gum forest and Barmah’s World Heritage–listed wetlands. Your captain points out bird and mammal species along the way. Ring for departure times and bookings.
reviewed
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K
Pelorus Mail Boat
Popular full-day boat cruise through the far reaches of Pelorus Sound on a genuine NZ Post delivery run. Bookings essential; BYO lunch. Picton and Blenheim pick-up and drop-off available.
reviewed