Our cruise will end in Auckland, with the ship docking early in the morning, and our flight home leaving around eight in the evening. We may use the ship's transfer service to the airport in the morning. If we then check in our luggage and get our boarding passes, is there a train or metro or inexpensive bus service that can take us, without luggage, back into Auckland, so we may see the sights throughout the day?

The airbus express.

www.airbus.co.nz

Just be sure to allow plenty of time for your return. The airport is quite far out of town (maybe an hour on average) but if you are returning on rush hour I'm not sure. Ask the driver on the way in.

I'd try to find out how/where to stash your luggage in Auckland during the day. Then take the Airbus to the airport. There is space for luggage on that bus.

Perhaps you know you can do it, but I would not assume that you can check in and check your bags that far in advance of your flight.

In Sydney, Air New Zealand would not let me check in until three hours before a flight to Auckland.

There probably is a left-luggage place at the airport, though.

Maybe get a half-day rate at the Copthorne Harbor. Wheel the luggage over there then go sightseeing. Freshen up at the room before heading to the airport.

Most cruises that end in Auckland do expect you to debark early and most planes to the U.S. do leave at night. Therefore, your situation is common. When we did this cruise, the cruise line had a hospitality room at a downtown hotel where you could leave your bags and tour the town until departure time to the airport. That was a few years ago and maybe your cruise does not offer this. If not, I would suggest finding a place to leave your luggage downtown and taking the airbus later.

I THINK I rememeber a left luggage place at Sky City, where you can also catch the airbus.

Anything to get out of Auckland Airport which must be the worst designed Airport in the Pacific area. The lines on Monday were horrendous and who needs to go upstairs then downstairs and roundabout!