While this really is just a water taxi service to and from hiking/beach destinations, it ended up…read morebeing much more. The boat being pulled to the water by tractor was entertainment enough - but our driver took us by an area where seal pups were playing, saw a penguin in the water and stopped for us to take photos, drove us by some cool cave openings. They were on time, professional, and what could have been a long boring ride after 4 hours of hiking was actually quite entertaining!

Don't really have a choice, do you? This is the only water taxi service in and out of Abel Tasman…read more If the boat is full, you'll need to wait for the next one.

Holy cow this ferry is huge. Largest one I've been on. But then it is a critical lifeline tying…read moretogether North Island and South Island. It has to accommodate all manner of vehicles. I saw massive trucks with trailers (lorries) coming off, including a gargantuan mail truck. (There was even a dedicated rest area on deck 7 for truck drivers.) While the distance is not great, the ferry goes slowly, even on the open ocean. I imagine this is to protect wildlife. Then, coming to Picton through the Sound is tricky, and must be done with care. The cruise is family- and disability-friendly. Getting on board at Wellington, we had to take two escalators. However, elevators were nearby. Walkways are wide. With a little help at the doorway, you could even get outside at deck 7. There are elevators on the ship. At Picton, disembarking involves a bit of a walk and stairs, so you can request a shuttle ride. Their are kid play spaces on decks 1 and 7. There's also a cinema on deck 1 that plays family-friendly movies, I believe. (You have to buy tickets.) This thing has 10 decks! Decks 3 and 5 were for regular vehicles. Humans were mostly on decks 7 and 8. The cabins were on deck 9. You can rent these even during daytime passages. Deck 10 up top was closed because it was too windy. (Bummer.) The small gift shop on deck 8 was never open. There were several restaurants. I had a breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast and hash browns. Later I had a roast beef toastie. Prices were reasonable, like you'd find on land. Plenty of drink options (including alcohol) and various snacks. What was annoying was the people who ran to the seats with the views, then promptly fell asleep for the whole ride or looked at their phones, talked, etc. - anything but look at the view. Unless you need to sit there because of sea sickness, please leave these seats for those of us who really want to enjoy the view. The hand dryers in the bathrooms were useless. Be prepared to use your clothing to dry your hands. It was pretty cold during the crossing, but there was no heat (except in one small bathroom which was nice and warm). At times my internet access was spotty or non-existent. I never could get their free wifi to work, so I just had to wait on mine. There are a variety of chairs. There are some premium rooms that have food and don't allow kids that are available at an extra cost. You can also rent these rooms.

Wellington Picton Ferry…read more Well oiled machine... Well, oiled, .... Only for astute Problem Solvers Our month long DIY Tour of New Zealand involved fascinating planning and flexible execution. There are three reasons to visit New Zealand: Nature, Nature, and Nature... There are several options to taking the ferry to the South Island, and we considered and rejected all but ferry. We are not Ferry Newbies, and we enjoy the mystery, delays, delights, and sailings of ferries;we have used Washington State Ferries several times, Alaska Marine Highway System, Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry Cape May-Lewes Ferry, BC Ferries (Vancouver to Victoria,) Golden Gate Ferry (San Francisco to Sausalito,) Northumberland Ferries Limited, (Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island.) To us there is both drama and romance in most ferries Our Picton crossing was schedule for a PM, but a large storm postponed crossing too early resulting in adding a motel and restaurant. Storm had settled in AM, but still lots of rain. Lots of problem solving involved. We boarded about 5:00AM. Is Bluebridge or Interislander better? It is very much a preference thing concerning the ferries and how their timetables fit in with the passenger. The Interislander has larger ferries and the option of upgrading onboard facilities to restricted lounges. The train to/from CHCH also meets the Interislander. The ferry from Wellington to Picton typically sails 6 times daily and up to 46 times weekly. 2 ferry operators provide ferries from Wellington to Picton, Bluebridge & Interislander. Wellington Picton Ferry timetables change seasonally, use our Deal Finder to get tickets, pricing, schedules and availability. The average sailing time of a ferry from Wellington to Picton is approximately 3h 33m The distance between Wellington and Picton is approximately 53.9 miles (86.8km), or 46.9 nautical miles. The city of Wellington is New Zealand's capital city and is located on the south west tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It is the North Island's major population centre and is also the world's most southerly capital city. We had a fantastic sailing. The boarding was well organized, following the storm, and the vessel clean and tidy. I will use again. No worries here. Overall, a Great Adventure, and we are joyous for this experience.