Answers to common questions about Cruise Excursions shore tours. If you cannot find what you need, email us at info@cruiseexcursions.co.nz.
It is very rare that a ship is unable to make a port of call. Should this happen, we will offer a full refund.
Most of our tours are “small group” tours, usually no more than 10 or 15 people. We offer some tours that are very popular and these operate on full size coaches of up to 40 people. Our minimum number needed to operate a tour is usually 10.
When you make a booking you will be sent detailed instructions on how to meet your tour guide. These will be written on your voucher. In some ports our guides will be close to the ship, often at the base of the gangway, holding a Shore Trips name board with either the tour letter code or your own name displayed. In some ports, independent tour guides and vehicles have to wait in designated locations to meet passengers not on the official cruise line tours. In such cases you will have clear instructions on how to meet them. If you have any difficulty, then you will either have a local contact number provided or can call the Cruise Excursions information line.
If a ship arrives on a different date to that scheduled, we will be aware of this change and will reschedule the tour to take place on the day the ship arrives when possible. There may be some instances where this is not possible, in which case we will offer an alternative tour or a refund.
If the ship arrives late, then the tour will be scheduled to begin as soon as possible, but allowing at least 30 minutes for passengers to disembark and join the tour. In such cases, please make every effort to leave the ship as soon as possible to avoid keeping others on your tour waiting. If the ship arrives earlier than expected and is also departing earlier, we will ask you to leave the ship as soon as possible so that any changes to the tour departure time can be advised to you.
This may be possible if we have spare seats on our tour vehicles. If you wish to do this then please contact our local tour guide as soon as possible and we can then make suitable arrangements. If there is a large group wishing to join one of our tours then we may be able to arrange an additional vehicle and guide at short notice, but this cannot be guaranteed. If you wish to bring additional persons on a tour then please make sure you have suitable local currency to pay any additional charges.
This is one of the most frequently asked questions. In 20 years of operating this has never occurred on any of our tours. All tours are planned so that we have plenty of time to be back at the ship with a suitable allowance for any delays. While we are unable to guarantee this will never happen, our experience and careful planning make it highly unlikely. It would however be wise to make sure that your holiday travel insurance covers such situations, as if the next port of call is in another country, then the cost of flights etc. would be considerable.
Our guides and drivers are First Aid qualified so will be able to assist should you feel unwell or have an accident. If your illness is serious, we will make contact with a local medical practitioner and/or take you to the nearest medical centre or hospital. You should advise us of any pre-existing medical condition or allergy so that we can be suitably prepared.
We can assist with persons using wheelchairs, but these must be of a lightweight collapsible type that can be easily loaded into our vehicles. You must be able to get into and out of our vehicles without the need for a special hoist or ramps, as these are not normally provided. We can arrange for specialist vehicles which can cater for mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs, but these will need to be pre-booked and will entail additional charges. Guide dogs are carried with pleasure without any additional charge.
Yes, we offer special rates for children and infants on most tours; details are given on the tour information page. Child ages are usually from 3 to 13 years of age but do vary with each tour and company. Please check the booking terms and conditions that apply to each.
Partial refunds are not given for activities which are included in the tour program but you have declined to do. If an activity is not suitable, we may be able to arrange an alternative if available at no extra charge. We will do everything we can to make sure you have the best possible time.
Please see our cancellation policy listed separately on this website.
We do have some staff with other languages and they are subject to availability on the day of travel. There may be an extra associated cost if the driver or guide need to utilise language skills. Please contact us for further information.
Yes we can. We are happy to give you a quote for a private group of 10 or more people. Please contact us for details.
No, this is not permitted and if caught doing so then you run the risk of a large fine. This is the information that the ship must announce each day when you arrive in port: New Zealand biosecurity regulations prohibit the removal of ships stores from the vessel. Items that cannot be taken off the vessel include: fresh fruit and vegetables, meat of any kind, prepared meals (including sandwiches), dairy products, any other food items, flowers, seeds, or plants. Only commercially bottled drinking water is permitted to leave the vessel without permission of the MPI quarantine inspector. Passengers and crew may be asked to present their hand luggage, including backpacks, for inspection to the MPI inspectors stationed at the gangway.
These times are advertised but are subject to change depending on your cruise ship docking times. Check with us if you are worried about the times advertised on your tour.
Contact us at info@cruiseexcursions.co.nz and we will be happy to help.
