Making the most of Wellington
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Every ship docks at Aotea Quay. A free shuttle operates there and is the only way into the city from Aotea Quay.
Wellington’s downtown is approximately 1.2 miles (about 2 kilometers) from the Aotea Quay cruise terminal: a short drive or a 20-25 minute walk beside the scenic waterfront.
Shuttles run frequently throughout the day on a continuous loop.
Bring along a printable map.
In Wellington, New Zealand's arts and culture capital, culture and heritage meet fine food with lively entertainment and arts in an unmatched combination.
With hills and a rugged coastline around it, the city has a stunning harbor. Wellington combines a vibrant inner-city experience with a slice of New Zealand scenery. Its compact size lets you sample boutique shopping, art galleries, trendy cafes and restaurants; a network of walking and biking trails is on the doorstep, and beautiful wineries and vineyards are only a few hours away.
Energy and vitality fill Wellington, which has an almost overwhelming selection of theatre, music, dance, fine arts, galleries and museums.
Wellington Museum features a large-scale harbor model, complete with model ships and other maritime memorabilia. International visitors pay $19 for adults and $13 for children older than 3, while infants enter free.
Opened in February 1998, the National Museum and Art Gallery (Te Papa) is a wonderful place to discover the country, its land, people and culture. Te Papa occupies an imposing building overlooking the harbour, just a 10-minute walk from Queens Wharf and a 30-minute walk from Aotea Quay. Its exciting blend of interactive displays and leading technology is sure to inform and entertain visitors. International visitors pay $35, while locals enter free.
Zealandia Ecosanctuary, the world's first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary, has an extraordinary 500-year vision: returning a Wellington valley’s forest and freshwater ecosystems as closely as possible to their pre-human state. This 225 hectare (500+ acre) ecosanctuary is a groundbreaking conservation project that has brought 18 native wildlife species back to the area, including some absent from mainland New Zealand for over 100 years.
The Wellington Botanic Garden has 150 years of history across 25 hectares of beautiful garden. The Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture has recognised it as a Garden of National Significance, and Historic Places Trust identifies it as an important Heritage Area.
Getting around
Public bus day-tripper fares have increased. NZ $11 per person per day covers most bus rides stopping near most inner-city and suburban places of interest.
For $11 NZ, a day-tripper pass covers local public transport, although not the cable car.
Most buses accept cash or a stored-value card (Snapper) only, rather than credit/debit card payment. The airport route is the exception.
For a spectacular view over the city and harbor, take the cable car from Lambton Quay, behind the downtown shops, up to Kelburn on the hilltop. The cars travel along a cable in the ground rather than through the air. You can travel down for $6 NZ one way. The free botanical gardens are also in Lambton Quay.
Hop-on/hop-off buses.
Nearby places
At the Weta Workshop Museum and Cave, the crew’s work spans many well-known and much-loved films and TV series, including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avatar, King Kong, District 9 and many more. Tour experiences, creative workshops and events share this creativity with the world, giving visitors up-close personal insight into the artistry and craftsmanship produced in the workshop each day.
Wellington Zoo has animals native to New Zealand alongside extoic animals from around the world. It is only a 25 minute trip from the port on local bus route 23 to Houghton Bay.
Food and shopping
A mile-long thoroughfare runs from Lambton Quay south to Courtenay Place, lined with shops, boutiques and department stores. In this cosmopolitan city, there is plenty to shop for, from crafts and clothing to hand knits and antiques.
Craft beer is a Wellington food and beverage staple, giving the city its Craft Beer Capital (CDC) reputation. Download the CBC Passport for discounts and the free map for participating breweries. Cheers!
Money
New Zealand uses the New Zealand dollar (NZD). Limited traders, especially in tourist destinations, do accept foreign currency, but most businesses accept only NZD when cruises are in port. The approximate conversion is US$1=NZD1.45.
Known locally as the hole in the wall, automatic teller machines (ATMs) are found in just about every town.
Staying connected
Wellington has very limited WiFi. If needed, use the local library’s free WIFI and public toilets.
In New Zealand, the emergency telephone number is 111.