Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown
4.5
Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown
By Queenstown Lake Cruise - Southern Discoveries
About
from per adult
$36.12
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 100 per group
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
German, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, English, French, Spanish
- Sightseeing cruise Lake Wakatipu
- Live commentary on board
- Restroom on board
What's not included- Food and Drinks - available for purchase
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure details
- Southern Discoveries - Queenstown Visitor Centre, St Omer Wharf 110 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand Departure Point: Southern Discoveries Queenstown Visitor Centre Address: St Omer Wharf, 110 Beach Street, Queenstown
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3960SCENIC- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please advise of your country of origin at the time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Interpretation handouts are available in the following languages: Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, German, Spanish, French and Russian.
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- What you can expect during your visit
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Contactless payment for gratuities and add-ons
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Face masks provided for travelers
Community- Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
- How much is Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown?
- Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown price starts from $37.22. Discover and book Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown on Tripadvisor
- What is the Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown cancellation policy?
- Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown?
- Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown is hosted by Queenstown Lake Cruise - Southern Discoveries. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Queenstown Lake Cruise - Southern Discoveries on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown on Tripadvisor
- How much time do I need for Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown?
- On average, this experience will take approximately 1h 30m. Discover and book Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3960SCENIC
Reserve your spot
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- You'll start atSouthern Discoveries - Queenstown Visitor CentreSt Omer Wharf 110 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New ZealandDeparture Point: Southern Discoveries Queenstown Visitor Centre Address: St Omer Wharf, 110 Beach Street, QueenstownSee address & details
- 1Southern Discoveries - Queenstown Visitor CentreStop: 10 minutesYour experience starts here - Check in with friendly staff 15 minutes before your scheduled cruise departure and get ready for your journey.Read morePass byLake WakatipuThe Remarkables Ski AreaLake WakatipuSouthern Discoveries - Mt Nicholas Farm ExperienceGlenorchyCoronet Peak Ski Resort
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
Queenstown Lake Cruise - Southern Discoveries
512
Queenstown, New Zealand
#18 of 51 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Queenstown
- Tyson C00We used them for Milford Sound day tripNot sure if this is the right title, but we used Southern Discoveries for a day trip to Milford Sound. Benjamin was the driver and he was perfect. Gave good commentary on the way out, and floored it on the way home. lol Overall this was the best day trip ever, and you sometimes have an option of a cheap flight home. They pick you up right in town and stop at a few places along the way. Plenty of options to take pictures
- Tucson85715005 star service with Sofi at Southern DiscoveriesSofi was simply amazing and so helpful. We enjoyed the lake cruise with a wine cheese board. It was the perfect day in Queenstown. Sofi also booked a KJet 1 hour ride that my husband really enjoyed. Make sure to book with Southern Discoveries when you travel to Queenstown. We had a wonderful holiday thanks Sofi for all your help you were so friendly and very informative to all that Queenstown has to offer.
- 488gaynorw00Lake Wakatipu Catamaran tripHighly recommend if in Queenstown. Fabulous trip to see more of Lake Wakatipu Beautiful scenery and relaxing trip Skipper was very knowledgeable and provided lots of history and facts. Staff nice and friendly. We had cheese and wine which was a nice touch to the trip although pretty minimal in terms of quantity. There is a cafe on board which had good choice and reasonably priced!
- robaD1410XB00Dinner CruiseTook part in the Dinner Cruise last night. So far it’s one of our top experiences while here in New Zealand. Excellent staff, very well organized and dinner served like clockwork. Excellent quality of food. All in all It was a beautiful evening and high quality experience…I definitely recommend it!
- AdrienneOsborn00Illuminating nature commentarySpectacular, with fascinating nature commentary by the captain. Wonderful staff. Very cold on the 9:30 cruise in February - was glad to have my down jacket! (I could have gone inside, but didn’t want to!)
- Jodie Q00Beautiful way to spend our last evening in QueenstownWe did the Spirit of Queenstown Dinner Cruise. It was great. Lovely way to cruise the river and have a really nice dinner. Rose was wonderful, very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend this cruise.
- lisamissinghoney00Enjoyable and relaxingA very pleasurable and relaxing morning cruising through the waters of Lake Wakatipu. A lovely, gentle way to see some beautiful countryside and learn more about the region and history.
- veromuneca00AmazingAmazing experience Highly recommend,My husband and I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Queenstown, Definitely coming back
- 568jessh00Highly recommend the Milford sounds day tour and cruiseWow! What a day. Our guide was fantastic, enthusiastic and informative - he also knew when to stop talking and leave us to nap or enjoy the views. We made loads of stops to take photos and use the restroom. One of the best bus journeys I’ve been on and would recommend doing the tour rather than self driving. Yes it is a long day (12 hours) but it’s full of fascinating information on the drive there and the Fiordlands are simply stunning. Photos do not do it justice. Worth the long day and early start. Would recommend to everyone regardless of the weather conditions!
- AKMarsters00Beautiful surroundings - smooth sailing…Beautiful cruise across Lake Wakatipu, scenery surrounding just exquisite. Skipper was very informative and welcoming to anyone who wanted to chat and sit with him while navigating the catamaran. Some of the staff could be more welcoming but overall good experience.
- Lsa16800Memorable trip to Milford SoundMost interesting place to visit and not to be missed. Traveling with Southern Discoveries. Our guide, Shril, please forgive me if I spelt your name wrongly. He is very professional and knowledgeable and experienced. He left no stones unturned and very educational. My recommendation to have him as your travel coach driver and guide for a memorable moment and an experiential trip to Milford Sound.
- Elisa7122600Enjoyable & relaxing cruise.I recommend Spirit of Queenstown Scenic Cruise. It was not as crowded compared to other cruise service. The boat was very clean, stable, windows big & no scratches for better visibility. It's well maintained. You can also go out the front, back & top of the boat for better view. The staff were very polite and offer to take the tourists pictures too. You should consider this. It's worth it😊
- Gemma B00Lovely Cruise!It was lovely out on the lake as a family. The day was cloudy and had been rainy and yet it was still such a beautiful view! Service, food & drinks were fantastic, couldn't have asked for better - thank you!
- Peter F00Relaxing afternoon cruise on the lakePerfect length of time (1 and a half hours), good non invasive commentary and lovely wine and cheese board
- AAD21201400Queenstown Lake AdventureFriendly staff onboard with excellent customer service skills. Lovely cruise of the lake and we were well informed by the skipper's as we cruise around the lake with lots of heritage information. Good selections of beverage and food available onboard.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
146 reviews
Excellent
109
Very good
22
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
6
Richard S
Canberra, Australia2 contributions
Travelling with 3 kids we expected the usual scenic tour. Following the "open door" sign, Jamie our skipper kicked it up a level with the kids joining him on the bridge and able to "steer" the boat. This turned a pleasant experience into a really memorable one for the entire family.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
susantha p
1 contribution
Jan 2023
We had booked the Southern Discoveries "Spirit of Queenstown Scenic Cruise" (for 4 people on 7 January 2023) and by an e-mail dated 6 December 2022 we were advised that scheduled time for the cruise was changed. We were fine with this rescheduled time and therefore decided to go ahead with the cruise.
However, on the day of the cruise and without any further communication from Southern Discoveries, upon boarding it appeared to us that we had been put on the "Dinner Cruise" instead of the Scenic Cruise that we had booked. As a result, we missed the following, which we understand was supposed to be part of the Scenic Cruise package:
"Skipper's commentary on Lake Wakatipu's history and highlights"; and
"Visit Bob's Cove and its remarkable turquoise water and native bush".
We were not interested in the Dinner Cruise and before boarding had not been informed in any way that we were going to be put on a different type of cruise than we had originally booked. Whilst we understand that there may have been a need for Southern Discoveries to change the booking i.e. if there wasn't enough demand for the Scenic Cruise on the day, if we had been advised of this change ahead of time, we would have likely made the decision to cancel our booking as we were not interested in going on the Dinner Cruise.
Furthermore, all the window seats/tables on the boat were allocated to passengers originally on the Dinner Cruise, whilst we and a handful of others who seemed to be in a similar situation, were put in the middle seats/tables.
We were one of the only groups not dining on the cruise and honestly, it felt like we were sitting in the middle of a restaurant not eating, whilst everyone else was dining around us - which was a very embarrassing situation.
The cruise that we were put on was not what we paid for. And as mentioned above, we missed out on key parts of the Scenic Cruise that we were looking forward to (and for which we had specifically booked the cruise). There was no communication from Southern Discoveries before, during or after the cruise to notify us of the change in the cruise booking.
Southern Discoveries should have clearly informed us of the change in the cruise type well before boarding, so we would have the option to cancel it or alternatively to make arrangements for our own dinner accordingly. Whilst the scenery of the lake and Queenstown (which we could only enjoy from up on the deck given our allocated seating) was lovely, unfortunately we were not able to enjoy the experience as we would have liked.
We were very disappointed with our experience on this Southern Discoveries cruise, and would like management to be aware of this issue so other visitors to Queenstown don't have to experience the same thing.
However, on the day of the cruise and without any further communication from Southern Discoveries, upon boarding it appeared to us that we had been put on the "Dinner Cruise" instead of the Scenic Cruise that we had booked. As a result, we missed the following, which we understand was supposed to be part of the Scenic Cruise package:
"Skipper's commentary on Lake Wakatipu's history and highlights"; and
"Visit Bob's Cove and its remarkable turquoise water and native bush".
We were not interested in the Dinner Cruise and before boarding had not been informed in any way that we were going to be put on a different type of cruise than we had originally booked. Whilst we understand that there may have been a need for Southern Discoveries to change the booking i.e. if there wasn't enough demand for the Scenic Cruise on the day, if we had been advised of this change ahead of time, we would have likely made the decision to cancel our booking as we were not interested in going on the Dinner Cruise.
Furthermore, all the window seats/tables on the boat were allocated to passengers originally on the Dinner Cruise, whilst we and a handful of others who seemed to be in a similar situation, were put in the middle seats/tables.
We were one of the only groups not dining on the cruise and honestly, it felt like we were sitting in the middle of a restaurant not eating, whilst everyone else was dining around us - which was a very embarrassing situation.
The cruise that we were put on was not what we paid for. And as mentioned above, we missed out on key parts of the Scenic Cruise that we were looking forward to (and for which we had specifically booked the cruise). There was no communication from Southern Discoveries before, during or after the cruise to notify us of the change in the cruise booking.
Southern Discoveries should have clearly informed us of the change in the cruise type well before boarding, so we would have the option to cancel it or alternatively to make arrangements for our own dinner accordingly. Whilst the scenery of the lake and Queenstown (which we could only enjoy from up on the deck given our allocated seating) was lovely, unfortunately we were not able to enjoy the experience as we would have liked.
We were very disappointed with our experience on this Southern Discoveries cruise, and would like management to be aware of this issue so other visitors to Queenstown don't have to experience the same thing.
Written January 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora
Thank you for your feedback on your cruise with us. The Dinner Cruise is a combined cruise, and I'm sorry if this made you feel uncomfortable while on board. The benefit of this cruise is that it is longer, 2 hours, so you would have seen more while out on the lake with us.
Regarding Bob's Cove; while we do try our best to venture into Bob's Cove, sometimes weather/ wind can make this impossible. We are sorry this was the case on your trip with us, but do reserve the right to curtail the cruise for safety.
Thank you for the valuable feedback that we will use to learn from.
Many thanks and safe travels
Kerry
Written February 7, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Irish_Kiwi77
Wellington, New Zealand1,253 contributions
This is a hour and a half cruise (there are two or three a day) and it is a great way to see Lake Wakatipu. There is commentary during the voyage providing some history of the area and pointing out landmarks. The catamaran has a bar, so you can have a drink and snack while enjoying the scenery. There is seating inside and outside upstairs, you can also go outside at the front of the boat but there are no seats there. I was lucky with the weather the day I went and have to say the views were stunning.
Written November 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your four star review, we're stoked to hear you had a great to hear you had an awesome time
Thanks,
Written November 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Archer W
Sydney, Australia2 contributions
Feb 2020
I am making this review to send a message to management about how to make a needed improvement to their booking / boarding procedure, to improve the experience of guests booking online or by phone, or at least a message to those guests to look out for this.
We booked online which was easy and we got 10% discount. We arrived at the wharf early and joined the queue along with others, waiting about 20 minutes until the vessel was ready for boarding. At that time staff told us we had to have a boarding pass and if we didnt have one (like us) we had to go back to the office and get one. We had a booking confirmation on my mobile phone.
So instead of being at the front of the queue where we would have had our choice of seating, we had to go back to the office, where they were expecting us and handed over the boarding pass without even checking our booking or phone confirmation, then we were at the back of the queue, and couldnt get a seat upstairs.
Cmon guys this is ridiculous! Suggestions:
1. Boarding staff check our booking confirmation on my phone, and allow boarding.
2 Advise guests at the time of booking thay they neeed to go to the office to get a boarding pass
3 Have the lonely office girl walk along the queue just before boarding and hand over the boarding passes
The cruise was great, but the boarding procedure was pathetic
We booked online which was easy and we got 10% discount. We arrived at the wharf early and joined the queue along with others, waiting about 20 minutes until the vessel was ready for boarding. At that time staff told us we had to have a boarding pass and if we didnt have one (like us) we had to go back to the office and get one. We had a booking confirmation on my mobile phone.
So instead of being at the front of the queue where we would have had our choice of seating, we had to go back to the office, where they were expecting us and handed over the boarding pass without even checking our booking or phone confirmation, then we were at the back of the queue, and couldnt get a seat upstairs.
Cmon guys this is ridiculous! Suggestions:
1. Boarding staff check our booking confirmation on my phone, and allow boarding.
2 Advise guests at the time of booking thay they neeed to go to the office to get a boarding pass
3 Have the lonely office girl walk along the queue just before boarding and hand over the boarding passes
The cruise was great, but the boarding procedure was pathetic
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D0604
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Couples
We had a great scenic cruise of Lake Wakatipu with spectacular commentary from the captain. The Catamaran was well maintained and equipped with wide windows without obstructions. If you choose to stay outside, a large outside deck is available. We really enjoyed the cruise and highly recommend it!
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rodger
Orewa, New Zealand3 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
We own an AirBnb in Queenstown and decided to try out the Big Red boat The Southern Explorer on Lake Wakatipu to see if we could recommend it to our guests. I can say we were pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed it. The trip is quite a different experience than the TSS Earnslaw steam boat and even though it is on the same lake it takes in quite a different view of it. The boat itself is lovely and clean and very comfortable with huge panoramic windows. We glided across the lake even though the water was incredibly rough and I think this trip would really appeal to all age groups including older guests or anyone who gets sea sick. Can highly recommend the local cheese board a real treat along with great service really made the trip. Can I recommend this to our future Guests ! Absolutely
Written October 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia ora Rodger,
Wow thank you so much for this awesome review. We're so stoked you enjoyed your Spirit of Queenstown Scenic Cruise with a Gibbston Valley Cheese board. We really appreciate you passing on your feedback and recommending us to your AirBnB guests.
Ngā Mihi,
Ciara
Written October 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DGS05
Wellington, New Zealand100 contributions
Aug 2020
This is the most stunning and value-for-money lake trip ever! In an hour and a half you get to the far end of the lake with all it's amazing scenery and photo opportunities. The captain (Dave) is a major part of this fantastic experience. His knowledge and pleasant 'open' manner made the trip more enjoyable for everyone. I cannot recommend Dave, his crew and the experience more highly. The boat and it's facilities were very clean. If you are in Queenstown make sure you do this trip. 10 out of 10!!
Written August 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claude R
2 contributions
Poor service from the get go. Tickets required to be printed when email makes no mention of it. Then the 18 year old backpacker managing boarding refuses a family entry until we all go and get a ticket. Service was slow on board and generally poorly organised.
Written July 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia or Claude
Thank you for your feedback on your recent experience with us, I am sorry to hear that you felt the service you received was less than ideal.
Our team advised you when you tried to board our vessel that you needed to check in at our base operations, located right alongside the vessel (it was not to do with printed tickets). This is so that we can check your name against a manifest which is required to be accurate for the safe operations of our vessel - we need to know who is on board in case of an emergency. My understanding is that the team advised you of this , and also followed up with you while on board to check in to see you were OK.
I do apologise if this made your processing feel any less smooth, however it is a requirement for operations of a vessel and I am proud to see the team managed your booking in that manner. They will also be delighted, I'm sure, to be referred to as 18 years old!
If you have any further queries or comments on the safe operations of our vessels please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Kind regards
Kerry Myers
kerry.myers@southerndiscoveries.co.nz
Written July 10, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
AmyNZ
4 contributions
Jun 2021
Started off amazingly. Had pretty good weather and the views were stunning. Unfortunately when we crossed the lake to pick up people from the farm station things got a bit rocky. We all had to come down to the inside bit because the waves were so big and the boat was getting pushed around. The staff were a little panicked as the waves got bigger, and eventually had to take away people's food and drink in case they went flying. People had to get on the floor and crawl to the back of the boat where it was more stable. The skipper was excellent and we all got back safely, and were offered a drink on the house after we got back to the smooth part. I don't think they normally go across to the station on this cruise so it shouldn't be a problem for future customers.
Written June 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JackandJill
Australia3 contributions
Jan 2020
My husband and I had a great time on our cruise with Southern Discoveries. We chose the wine and cheese option, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon taking in the sights around Lake Wakatipu. The scenery was stunning, the staff super friendly and knowledgable on the local area, and the catamaran was clean and new looking with huge panoramic windows. Definitely recommend!
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz Timperley
1 contribution
Do you take vaccine free people or those with a negative covid test or do you discriminate? thanks for your help,
cheers liz
Is there parking availability near this wharf from where we will board the cruise? Pl confirm.
Mr T
Auckland, New Zealand22 contributions
We managed to park fairly close by on Man St at a Wilson car park, a short 5 minute walk away. However, parking was not cheap, $ 24.00 for 4 hours!
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Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown provided by Queenstown Lake Cruise - Southern Discoveries
Product Overview: Lake Wakatipu Scenic Catamaran Cruise from Queenstown
Prices From | $0 |
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Number of Reviews | 145 |
Number of Photos | 202 |
Duration | 90 minutes |




























































