Bay Of Islands Cruise Port Guide — Ships, Excursions & Tips

Currency

New Zealand dollar (NZD); credit cards accepted in Russell and Paihia; limited ATMs -- carry some cash.

Language

English and Maori (Te Reo)

Time in Port

Ships typically anchor at Opua or Russell and tender ashore; allow 15-20 minutes for the tender.

Pier Location

Tender to Russell Wharf or Opua -- Russell is a charming historic village with restaurants and the 1836 Pompallier Mission; Paihia (across the bay) has the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and most tour operators.

Best For

New Zealand history, dolphin watching, sailing, and Maori cultural experience

About Bay Of Islands

The Bay of Islands is a sub-tropical archipelago of 144 islands at the top of New Zealand's North Island -- the place where Maori first welcomed European settlers, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, and where game fishing and dolphin cruising have been drawing visitors for generations. Ships anchor off the small town of Opua or the historic village of Russell, and tenders ferry passengers ashore into a landscape of pohutukawa-fringed bays, Maori pa sites, and the most significant colonial history in New Zealand. Whether you join a dolphin-watching cruise, sail to the Hole in the Rock, or explore the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi, the Bay of Islands is one of the most culturally and scenically rich ports in the Pacific.

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Insider Tip

Russell is the charming village that most ships tender directly to, but the Waitangi Treaty Grounds are on the Paihia side of the bay -- take the small passenger ferry (5 minutes, NZ$12 return) from Russell Wharf to Paihia, rather than paying for a full taxi transfer.

Highlights

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Waitangi Treaty Grounds
New Zealand's most important historic site -- the 1840 Treaty House, the world's largest Maori meeting house (Te Whare Runanga), and a carved waka hourua (war canoe) are all on a headland above the Bay of Islands, 10 minutes by ferry from Russell.

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Dolphin Cruise & Hole in the Rock
A full-day sailing cruise through the Bay of Islands seeks out common and bottlenose dolphins (swimming with them is seasonally permitted) before passing through the wave-carved Hole in the Rock at Piercy Island.

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Russell -- New Zealand's First Capital
New Zealand's first European settlement: the 1836 Pompallier Mission (a rammed-earth Catholic printing house), Christ Church (NZ's oldest surviving church), and the Russell Museum tell the story of a lawless whaling-era frontier town.

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Sailing and Kayaking the Islands
Half-day sailing charters and guided kayak tours thread through the most sheltered coves of the 144-island archipelago -- the beaches at Urupukapuka Island (accessible by water taxi) are among the most beautiful in Northland.

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Big-Game Fishing
The Bay of Islands is one of the world's great game-fishing grounds -- marlin, mako shark, and yellowfin tuna are targeted on sportfishing charters from Paihia and Russell wharf year-round.

Local Food & Drink

Fresh green-lipped mussels -- grown in the clean bays of Northland and sold steamed in white wine and garlic at the waterfront restaurants in Russell and Paihia.
Paua (abalone) fritters -- a uniquely New Zealand taste: the indigenous abalone blended with egg and flour, pan-fried, and sold at seafood takeaways in Paihia.
Hangi (earth-oven feast) -- slow-cooked lamb, chicken, pork, and vegetables from a traditional Maori hangi; included in the cultural performance evening at Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
NZ Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris -- Northland's warm climate grows surprisingly good Viognier and Pinot Gris at cellar doors like Omata Estate near Russell.

Shore Excursion Ideas

1 Hole in the Rock and dolphin encounter full-day cruise -- sail through the Bay of Islands, seek dolphins, and pass through the natural rock arch.

2 Waitangi Treaty Grounds guided tour + cultural performance -- 2-hour guided experience of the treaty house, meeting house, and traditional kapa haka.

3 Kayak the island coves -- guided half-day paddle around Urupukapuka Island and the Oke Bay cave system.

4 Cape Reinga and 90 Mile Beach 4WD tour -- New Zealand's northernmost tip where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific, with a sandboard run down the Te Paki dunes (from Paihia, 3 hours each way).

5 Big-game fishing charter -- half-day or full-day marlin and tuna fishing from Russell or Paihia wharf.

Sailings to Bay Of Islands

Upcoming Royal Caribbean & Celebrity cruises that visit Bay Of Islands

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