My husband and I will be cruising NZ in Feb. We have port calls at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and disembark in Aukland. From the reading I have done, I think we can see these places on our own without doing a shore excursion, but would like a little help from those of you who live there and who have been there. What do you recommend seeing in each of these places? In Dunedin and Christchurch how do we get from the port into the town? Our flight leaves Aukland at 6:30 pm. Where can we stash our luggage until we need to go to the airport? What is the best way to get to the airport? Thanks for the help.

In Christchurch, I'd take a bus to the gondola - incredible views. You can see the southern alps, the city, and volcanic lakes. Wander around the city, I would guess the flowers will be gorgeous. <BR>In Auckland, I'd go to the top of Mt Eden - a volcano in the middle of the city that has 360 views.

Hi Cara~ I am sure that you will have a great cruise. But, you are missing many of the greatest places in New Zealand. They are not in port towns. You need to plan to come back when you can explore more on your own. Enjoy the cruise! Kelly

To Kelly. I realize that we will be missing a great deal. I have been doing a lot of reading and research. Wish we had about 6 months or so for this trip, but that will never happen. So plan to enjoy as much as I can. Thanks for your input.<BR>

Cara,<BR>While you are in Christchurch I would suggest you use Canterbury Trails - they are a small company who tailor their tours to your needs and interests.<BR>We did a tour to Akaroa and the Banks Penninsula with them last year and it was excellent, and very good value.