Home > Bay of Islands > Bay of Islands Cape Brett 'Hole in the Rock' Cruise
USD $77.00
Bay of Islands Cape Brett 'Hole in the Rock' Cruise
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
This is the most popular cruise in the Bay for a good reason! The modern high speed catamaran escorts you in comfort around the Bay, past sandy beaches, rocky outcrops and the many varied island landscapes as you make your way out to the Cape Brett Lighthouse.
You will then pass through the famous Cape Brett "Hole in the Rock" at Motukokako Island.
The crew share with you local history and ecology and you will often see a variety of marine wildlife including Whales, Seals, Dolphins, Penguins, and other sea and bird life.
You'll visit one of the bay's most beautiful islands where you can swim and snorkel or relax on the beach and take in the magic of the island.
Please note, during the winter months (May to October 19), the afternoon departure is approximately 3 hours in duration, returning one hour earlier to Russell and Paihia and does not include a stopover on Urupukapuka Island.
The captain gave really fun commentary and we saw some amazing dolphins on the way to Cape Brett. Good length of tour too.
Review by: mjrou, April 2018
A relaxing cruise and great photo opportunity if you get a spot by the railing! Does get very windy so hold on to your hat. So fun going through the hole in the rock. Had the unexpected surprise of stopping to watch dolphins before returning to dock. A great family outing.
Review by: David W, March 2018
This was an enjoyable and well informed cruise. The hole in the rock transit is something to remember.
Review by: Anne G, March 2018
This tour was fantastic and the ships crew and Captain first class. The trip through the hole in the rock was superb. We even saw seals and dolphins.
Review by: pat.womersley, March 2018
The scenery of the Bay of Islands was spectacular, but we found the cruise rather disappointing. The boat was packed so it was difficult to move around. There was no chance to go ashore or to swim, as mentioned in the tour information and it was barely 3 hours. We wasted time manoeuvring to pick up passengers at Russell due to the swell and a long time attempting to see dolphins, but only their fins were just visible. We were also unable to go through the much advertised hole due to the dimensions of the boat used and the weather conditions.
Review by: Stewart T, March 2018
A very rough sea could not detract from the enjoyment of this cruise which was very professionally managed and provided a very educational narrative
Review by: Eric D, March 2018
it was a great trip but were not able to go through the hole in the rock due to abnormal swells
Review by: brunnertx, March 2018
The Bay of Islands is a beautiful area and an excursion like this one was worth doing to see the area. The boat we took to the Hole in the Rock was large with many passengers. The weather was gray and the water was rough. We were not able to go through the hole due to the weather conditions. A smaller boat may have been able to go through the hole despite the weather conditions. Otherwise the captain was very informative and the boat clean and comfortable.
Review by: lorna.kate, March 2018
The cruise was well organised, and although we were unable to go through the hole because of the high swell, we did see dolphins and had a running commentary of all the islands we did see. Thoroughly enjoyable and would highly recommend.
Review by: Jason B, January 2018
Had a comfortable and relaxing cruise the day we went. A lot of boats/cruise ships out in the bay that day and we were the first to see and find the dolphins! Great staff as they were extremely respectful and friendly to all on board.
Review by: wwcindy, January 2018
We were skeptical when we saw a large crowd boarding a ferry type catamaran. However, the captain was FANTASTIC! He narrated with humor. He was sensitive to all 200 aboard and the visibility from everywhere was great! We saw 100s of Dolphins, explanations of all the islands was interesting, maps of sites were distributed, and we went through the HOLE IN THE ROCK!!!! It was VERY EXCITING!!! A trip to delight all ages! I recommend this excursion to EVERYONE who visits the Bay of Islands. We saw it all and had time to walk around Russell and Pahia. The Dolphin Seeker line gave us free ferry tickets to get back and forth that day!!! Loved it! Thank you!
Review by: Rebecca, January 2018
The boat ride out to the Hole in the Rock was fun. The captain and crew was very friendly and informative. When we reached certain islands or opening, the captain gave us a lot of information about the area as we approached. As we were making our way out to the Hole in the Rock, we saw many dolphins in the water. Every time the dolphins jumped out of the hole, all cameras were out and busy taking photos. It was tough and you had to be quick, but I got a few. Weather was great on this day. Boat ride was very enjoyable even at time when the boat speeded so we can to the Hole in the Rock even in the rough fast waters. When we finally reached our destination, I took many angles of this picturesque Hole. The captain informed that the water where the Hole was too fast moving so will not be able to go through the hole on that day. On the way back we will make a stop at Russell. We had an opportunity to walk around the waterfront , take some pictures and then walk around the town taking in some of the sites like the Church, shops, etc. and then we decided to go back to Paihia on the next ferry from Russell. Back in Paihia, we decided to take a walk around the town. Next, we saw a sign regarding an Art and Craft market that was happening there on this date. We took in the market, looked around to see the local market. There are many, many vendors selling all kinds of wares. Spent a lot time shopping for things to bring home for souvenirs. This was a lot of fun and enjoyable and the day was well spent. We had a good time shopping._br/_ Highly recommend this excursion as there were a lot of things to do.
Review by: Erol J, January 2018
The amazing cruise around the bay and through the hole in the rock was the highlight of our two week visit to NZ. The commentary was informative and succinct. We would recommend this particular boat cruise with enthusiasm. On our early December cruise we made use of sunscreen, a secure hat and a waterproof coat for the wind because we liked sitting outside. Great fun.
Review by: david.salmon, December 2017
Sadly the sea would not allow us to go through the hole but we still thoroughly enjoyed the trip . Well organised tour with informative and interesting commentary.
Review by: jeromern, December 2017
Amazing though we were not able to enter the hole in the rock due to the swell.
Review by: Kam Wing I, November 2017
The trip was really good, we saw dophins and also sailed through the Hole. The set sail time was 9 am and the cruise ship arrived and clearded at 8:20 am and then we tendered ashore for 20 min., taking the shuttle bus to the pier. We were in rush and were the last two to get on board before it sailed.
Review by: Robert N, November 2017
Wonderful tour - we had a female ship captain who was fantastic with all sorts of knowledge about the local area and even a group of dolphins that swam alongside the boat. Would recommend to anyone but you may want to consider some sort of seasickness medicine if you are highly prone to that.
Review by: carolejohnson63, November 2017
Great boat trip we saw dolphins on the way out and the skipper of the boat even managed to sail through the hole in the rock evne though the sea was quite choppy, an excellent trip.
Review by: theperds, October 2017
This was an excellent trip. We picked a day which was overcast and damp with heavy seas. Still great, well worth it.
Review by: ldwill, October 2017
A morning spent on the water in this beautiful place is a must if you are visiting the Bay of Islands. Well done to all staff. Had a great time
Review by: Ian P, September 2017
Wonderful tour. Captain was very knowledgeable and love company's policy of no dolphin sites a ticket is given to try again. Would well recommend to anyone
Review by: Debra H, August 2017
We were very lucky with the weather, as this is mid winter and there has been a lot of rain. The day of our trip was just perfect. The sea was so calm the captain was happy to take the boat through the hole in the rock. It is a big boat and not that large a hole! We were also lucky enough to come across a pod of bottle nosed dolphins with a calf within ten minutes of leaving Russell . The staff on the boat were helpful and the commentary interesting and very informative. I had made a mistake with the date of our booking but the office staff were extremely obliging and changed it with no hassle when I rang them to explain I was a week out with my dates!
Review by: Lyn M, May 2017
Great tour!
Review by: Bruce H, May 2017
Very good cruise, went through the hole but the dolphins were somewhere else! Recommend stopping off at Russell on the return journey.
Review by: Karen K, May 2017
The Bay of Islands trip was wonderful , there were 3 generations of our family on the boat cruise and there was definitely something _br/_ for all age groups . The weather was magic , going through The Hole in the Rock was a great experience for us all , being able to get _br/_ off the boat at one stage and grandsons rolling down the green grassy hills was a lot of fun . _br/_ We opted to be dropped off at town of Russell on way back and then get a later ferry back - no extra charge , had a wonderful late lunch _br/_ then wandered through the town - so pretty . Coffee and treats that we could buy on boat was pretty good too .
Review by: David B, April 2017
Our family had an amazing time and would definitely recommend the tour. The all female crew were brilliant, extremely attentive and the Captain had so much knowledge to pass on about the islands but in particular knew all the dolphins by name. Great to see so many dolphins up close.
Review by: Linda H, March 2017
Wonderful day with lots of dolphin sightings on the way out. Cruised into several caves, but it was too rough to go through the Hole. The island stop off allowed us to go swimming in the incredibly clear water. Highly recommend doing this trip.
Review by: Gillian D, March 2017
Wonderful cruise, staff were helpful in arranging water taxi to collect us in order to return in time to cruise sip.
Review by: Anthony W, February 2017
The experience was not as good as I hoped due to the captain not being able to take us to the Hole because of sea conditions. The remainder of the cruise was very good but space around the outside was limited for seeing the dolphins - you had to be quick, though I did get many glimpses of the magnificent creatures. Sadly, none of the other possible species made themselves known. The island stopover was briefer than anticipated as we had to wait for another boat to vacate the dock, so there was really just enough time to reach one viewing point and return.
Review by: Leslie S, February 2017
Highly recommend
Review by: Kevin G, February 2017
We really had a great time on this tour. The only thing I would change about it is having less people on the boat. Even though there were seats inside, you really want to be sitting on the top outside deck to catch all of the amazing views. On our way out to the Hole in the Rock, we went along Tapeka Point, Parekura Bay and then Deep Water Cove. Once we went thru the Hole, the captain got word from another ship about dolphin sightings. So we started heading that way and actually saw a pod of common dolphins. The captain and crew were very informative, helpful and just plain happy to assist with anything._br/_ After seeing the dolphins, we went to Waewaetorea, Motukiekie, and stopped in Otehei Bay. Since we diverted to see dolphins, that limited our time in Otehei Bay. There were various walking tracks and if you went to the top, you had unbelievable 360 degree views. There were also free roaming sheep along some of the tracks. Once we were back in Russell Wharf, which was only a ferry ride away from Paihia where we needed to be for our cruise ship, we walked around to some of the shops, restaurants, etc. There is a free ferry ticket included in the tour so this allows you to spend some time in Russell._br/_ We had lunch at a local favorite, the Crusty Crab, and had the fish and chips...the fish was amazing! Then we stopped off for some beers at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel. I would highly recommend this tour b/c you see some amazing sights.
Review by: Brenda G, January 2017
Excellent tour from start to finish. Commentry and the guide were superb and we saw plenty of dolphins and went throug the Hole in the Rock. The stop off at Otehi Bay ideal.
Review by: Craig E, January 2017
We enjoyed a comfortable catamaran trip out to the Hole in the Rock which was awesome to go through. On our way to the rock and on our way back to Paihia we were fortunate to see quite a few dolphins, which was amazing. We also got to stop off at Urupukapuka Island where we decided to take the short climb to the top of the hill for beautiful views of the Bay of Islands. Was a great overall experience!!
Review by: Lesley C, January 2017
We arrived in Waitangi on a cruise ship and then caught a shuttle bus to the small town of Paihia, where we boarded the boat for a tour of the bay. It was a lovely day and the view across the bay to all the islands was stunning. We first of all stopped at another seaside village called Russell Kororareka before sailing out to the Hole in the Rock on the island of Motukokako. The female skipper and crew were very informative and very professional. She very skillfully sailed through the Hole as the boat narrowly passed through, particularly with the swell of the ocean. Excellent trip, well worth doing, highly recommend this tour._br/_ On the way back we stopped off at Otehei Bay on the island of Urupukapuka and walked up to a high point with amazing views in all directions across the Bay of Islands. We arrived back in Paihia at 1pm and after a brief walk round the town we caught the bus and tender back to the ship. It was a very enjoyable day and well worth doing the boat trip.
Review by: Andrew L, January 2017
The crew were great. They looked after us really well and the captain gave an excellent commentary on all the sights we saw. Two highlights were actually traveling through the Hole in the Rock after the captain made sure it was safe to do so, and stopping off on one of the islands in the bay that had a short but strenuous walk to the top of a hill with 360 degree views around the bay. There were a lot of tourists on our trip so there were limited spaces on deck to get the best views, but otherwise it was great.
Review by: Greg, October 2016
Even though the weather was not great, this was an excellent afternoon on a very comfortable boat and many great photografic opportunities of both wildlife and landscapes.
Review by: Brittany D, June 2016
We had bad weather on the cruise and the captain didn't think we could make it to the Hole in the Rock but tried for about 20 minutes anyways before giving up. Wish that time had been spent on the island stopover or just given back to us at Paihia. Overall, it was just driving around for 4 hours so a bit long.
Review by: Christine P, June 2016
Great fun. Didn and #39;t get to hole in the rock due to weather but still worth it.
Review by: Kathleen S, June 2016
Beautiful and very informative tour. Would highly recommend the tour especially if you only have a short time to visit the area.
Review by: sallyspelman, May 2016
When we boarded the vessel to take us to the hole in the rock we were warned by our female skipper that it would be rough out there and it was doubtful whether we would be able to go through the hole. We were also told we could get off if we were worried about seasickness. On reflection I should have got off but I really wanted to see the hole. Sadly I was poorly on board and missed quite alot, however, our skipper was excellent in handling the boat in such difficult seas. I think it would have to be a mill pond before I would attempt the trip again. Thankfully my husband was fine and managed to get some nice photos. Be guided by the skipper and if she says it is going to be rough and you suffer from seasickness then you should most definitely get off the boat
Review by: Walter, May 2016
The cruise was excellent and we enjoyed it very much. Waves were high so boat could not go through hole in rock. Stop at little island on way back was beautiful
Review by: jacquikay, May 2016
Great tour - staff on the boat were great. A little confusing where to actually go to get on the boat, get the ticket etc, but worked out ok in the end
Review by: Lorna C, April 2016
It was absolutely wonderful even though we couldn't go through the hole because of the currents. We were lucky enough to have a wonderful sunny day. The captain was terrific - warm and informative and she found dolphins for us which was an absolute highlight!! I had 3 friends from overseas and they thought the whole experience was magical - one from the USA had wanted to come to the Bay of Islands for many years and she was totally bowled over. Thanks for a lovely experience.
Review by: Stephen L, April 2016
We had a perfect morning for this cruise, with blue skies and little breeze, so the Bay was calm, except for a few swells out near the rock, which is pretty much in the Pacific Ocean! We saw dolphins and spent maybe 20 minutes near them, so everyone could get pictures. Because the tide was high and there were some strong, predictable currents, our captain decided it was best not to go through the hole in the rock, which was only wise. however, we got great picks. On the way back we had a stop-over and walk on another island, which was just beautiful and we stayed at Russell for lunch, and took the complimentary ferry trip back to Paihia later in the day. Great trip!
Review by: pteach, April 2016
The cruise was very good, but the weather was not. We were given the option to cancel, but I don't think the warning was strong enough.
Review by: Nettie, April 2016
Wonderful ,informative, beautiful and a relaxing day trip. Saw some much the Bay of Islands
Review by: Robert P, March 2016
What a memorable time we had and we actually sailed through the Hole in the Rock. This was our first time in New Zealand and the Bay of Islands is just amazing. So many memories. The young man who sailed us through was great. He had a great sense of humor and extremely informative and good looking as well! What more can I say. Well done and thank you.
Review by: Vicki H, March 2016
Loved it - I was a bit disappointed that helicopters are able to land on the hole in the rock - spoils the experience and what about the cultural implications? Nevertheless, the trip was wonderful and the whole area is absolutely amazing. Our skipper was hilarious and also extremely informative. Had a lovely day - thank you so much :
Review by: Clare M, March 2016
This trip was very good and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone._br/_ I would highly recommend this trip.
Review by: Theresa P, March 2016
It would have been a great excursions if the weather would have been nicer. Rough waters
RSS Feed