My wife and I were on a week long vacation to Auckland and we saw many good reviews for this tour…read more We boarded and took a 40 minute trip to Waiheke Island for some scientific readings and then it was off to see some dolphins and birds and whales. They told us if you find these cool Gannett birds, it should tell you where the dolphins are. They divebomb the fish as the dolphins rile them up. We saw at least 400 dolphins on this trip and then we saw a whale, and they kept us out for an extra hour to check out a dolphin in the harbor. Great crew, that was very fun and you can order beer on the trip. Plus!

We had the most fabulous time today! We saw manta rays, wholes, dolphins and even a shark! Zara…read moretaught us a few things about phytoplankton, tiny plants living near the surface of the ocean, that are responsible for producing the oxygen we breathe for 3 of 5 breaths ! If we do Ty take care of our oceans, we'll have a hard time breathing! My 5 yo and 8 yo said it was a great day that they will never forget.

As a group of six (6) we walked up and asked if there was any room on the jet boat for us. Luck was…read moreon our side as with no booking and a bit of a discount as we were from the cruise ship we were given front row seats on the last ride of the day. Sometimes the best laid plans are no plans. Our jet boat driver was a crack up and a pretty good photographer when it came to taking pics and movies with a gopro. We paid an extra $20 for the digital versions and these were uploaded to a dropbox so we could download them when we got back home. The thrill of 360s was good fun; watching and cheering the bungee jumpers from the bridge was crazy and seeing the harbour from water level was excellent for a change. You will get wet but your laughter will dry you off pretty quickly!

Eleven of us did a thrilling jet boat excursion in the South Island last Christmas and it's…read morereminded me to look into doing this amazing fun activity in my own town. Auckland Jet Boat Tours would be the place I'd book. I passed by their offices at Auckland Viaduct last week and witnessed a boat load of satisfied passengers, grins as proof, stepping off "Ruby Red Lips" the vessel having just been out on the glistening Waitemata Harbour for a ride of a lifetime. Great value if you book the Jet Boat Bungy combo.

When I got the opportunity to experience the relatively new Hauraki Blue Cruises lunch cruise out…read moreon the Hauraki Gulf how could I say no. It turned out so well, beautiful day , great food and good service. What more can one ask for? The vessel you would go out on for both this lunch cruise and they also run an overnight cruse is called the IPIPIRI, and used to be used for similar purposes in the Bay of Islands until being brought down here and now being run by the Inter City group under the name Hauraki Blue Cruises. The lunch cruise costs $99 per person and if you want to go out overnight it is $299 per person twin / double, $449 per person single and if you have a child they are $225 each. To begin you are welcomed on the boat , given an introduction and quick safety briefing then left to your leisure for half and hour or so while they finish preparations for lunch. During this time you can relax in the lounge / bar / dining area , on the upper deck or even have a nosey in and take a look at one of the cabins they use for the overnight cruises. ( The cabins are basic , but clean and tidy and when I looked was impressed by the amenities they have in the bathroom, better than some hotels I know of. To fill you in a little bit, on the over night cruise you have your dinner , breakfast, get to sleep in one of these smallish but luxurious cabins, take part in activities and of course enjoy a relaxing night out in the beautiful Hauraki Gulf ) Anyway back to lunch, which once is called you take a seat and choose from the menu one of four mains ,and three types of salad are set down on the table. Caesar salad , green garden salad and seafood salad. Drinks are not included in the price. I had the chicken dish and my other half the fish, and can honestly say no complaints there. Finished off with some ice cream and coffee ( as much as you want ). Then you can relax some more and take in the beauty of the gulf as they make the way back into the harbour and the end to what eventually is a two and a half hour cruise. I only gave it four stars as I feel I cannot fully judge until having been out on an overnight and so experience the whole of what the company offers. Regardless I would recommend to anyone to take this lunch cruise.

The wide sweep of Waitemata Harbour slices Auckland in two and is the city's most prominent natural…read morefeature. It was because of this easily navigable waterway that Auckland became New Zealand's capital in 1840. Wellington is now the capital but Auckland remains New Zealand's economic center. We explored this area almost daily by foot and found lots of shopping, dining, transportation and entertainment venues. There were lots of cruisers in the area with their luggage waiting to get on and off their ship.

For all the land lubbers out there, you're missing out. There are so many cool places to see on…read moreAuckland's doorstep, all you have to do is jump in a boat and explore the Waitemata Harbour from the water. For example, on the way up towards Hobsonville, just past the Chelsea Sugar works, there are a few quite idyllic beaches only accessible from the water. Heading out towards Waiheke you can find Brown's Island, Motuihe (my fave), Rakino, or drop anchor and drink yourself silly in Issy Bay, known to locals as "drunk's bay".

Explored Auckland , we walked in Viaduct harbor and marina. Great place to visit . There were…read moremuseum, cafe , shops, souvenir and restaurants to choose. Walking along we found the crossing bridge. Saw boats crossing and kids swimming while watching the city view. Really enjoyed it.

This place was cool and reminded me so much of home! I've lived in a harbor city for the past 14…read moreyears! That said, there are a ton of shops and restaurants consolidated here, plus a brewery. I noticed a lot of people running in this area too, so it seems to check a lot of boxes. Check out Viaduct Harbour if you're in the area. Lots to do and see...and eat.

I love the discovery tours because they taught me something. Okay so I managed to snatch a sweet…read moredeal that had a tour of the Auckland Harbor, a stopover at Tongariro and a return trip from Auckland to Devenport. After living in Auckland for 8 years one would think I would know where Devenport was. I remember calling nt boyfriend saying oh baby we are going to Devenport. He started laughing and told me that his house was only a few minutes drive from Devenport. I didn't know that one could drive there. I was so embrassed as we had just started dating, now I look back and laugh at myself. The day was a bit windy but we had so much fun on the ferry. Walking on Tongariro and taking pictures was the highlight. This is a trip that those that want to explore Auckland should make.

While Fullers have a near monopoly on most of the major high-demand ferry routes, 360 Discovery…read moreruns services to all the destinations that Fullers doesn't cover. That means a bunch of tourist-oriented routes (Tiritiri Matangi Island, Rotoroa Island, Motiuhe Island, Coromandel), and a couple of commuter routes too (Beachhaven, Hobsonville). Some of these are truly wonderful destinations, so it's great to have a second ferry operator providing access to them. Tiritiri Matangi is probably the best known, and makes for a great day trip or overnighter - it's a bird sanctuary island with great nature walks, panoramic vistas and beaches. The 360 vessels are generally smaller than the Fullers boats so you need to book for some destinations, but they're fast and comfortable and the service is a bit more personal so that's nice.

It is the ferry normally runs in all port of Auckland. We travelled to Waiheke Island through them…read more It was very comfortable ferry. Has food , coffee counter. Restroom available and the crew was really friendly. There were upper and covered decks. Nice to be above to see the view. The sail was kinda rough because it was windy and it rained. Tickets can be purchased through website or on the spot. Just go to the Auckland Ferry terminal. The brick booth house .

We bought round trip tickets in advance of our trip. Loading was only a short walk from our hotel…read more We were headed to Rangitoto. The shuttle took off exactly on time. We sat on the upper floor and it was very neat and clean. Seating was tables and we had nice views out the window. The ride was smooth. Staff was friendly. The shuttle arrived right on time to pick us up as well. The return trip was on a bigger boat. Again everything was clean inside with some comfy couches to lounge on after a day of hiking.

Not much to see in the Auckland harbor. Military boats, cargo boats, the cruise ships. Not very…read morepicturesque. And on our ride the driver hit a post twice trying to bring the boat back in!

Whenever I think about the red boats I can't help but break out into song, songs such as "I am on a…read moreboat" come into mind. My experience with red boats was a good night out with workmates for those awkward yet interesting work christmas parties. Getting on the boat was a tad bit of a mission, but I kindly advise that if you are going to wear heels on a boat be prepared for a rather interesting experience. Oh yes and short dresses a big no no, I had to rely on the help of a wonderful companion to help me get on the top level of the boat without giving people on the lower level a free show. I wasn't there for that sort of entertainment. Anyway, the cruise was beautiful and although the drink portions were disappointing, I'm talking half a plastic cup of gin & tonic, I managed to overlook. The food is not the best as it looks like something you would have on a road trip with friends, you know a turkey from Pak n Save and a few rolls. I understand that and don't hold anything against the red boats for the food or drink as it was more of an experience. The red boat allows one to see the beautiful Auckland Harbour and the juke box on the boat resulted in "Maka drop that shit" commentary when I plugged my iPod into the dock. I would definitely hire the red boat for functions such as hens nights, bachelor parties and work functions. Just mind your step on your way out as a couple of drinks onboard can mean a whole different story once one has disembarked.