An overnight cruise amidst spectacular Milford Sound, is a once in a lifetime experience. While on board the Milford Mariner you will cruise the full length of this spectacular fiord to the Tasman Sea before anchoring for the night in sheltered Harrison Cove.
Departing from the Milford Sound Wharf, the Milford Mariner cruises the length of the Milford Sound to the Tasman sea, New Zealand. The vessel explores in a leisurely way many points of interest, with plenty of time available to view waterfalls, rain forest, mountains and wildlife with the experienced nature guide on board.
The Milford Mariner offers you a very special dinner, bed and breakfast experience. With a nature guide at hand you can explore in the tender craft and kayaks or simply relax on deck. After the days activities, enjoy a delicious evening buffet in the spacious saloon before retiring to your private cabin. The Milford Mariner caters for visitors who enjoy comfort combined with activity. The vessel has been purpose built to accommodate passengers in private cabins with en suite bathrooms. It has a spacious dining saloon, observation lounge and large open deck areas for viewing the scenery of Milford Sound.
After reaching the open sea, subject to weather and favorable conditions the sails are hoisted for a period. The vessel returns to and anchors overnight in sheltered Harrison Cove. Activities include kayaking and exploring the shoreline on the tender craft. The overnight cruise includes a delicious three course buffet evening meal and hearty cooked breakfast. Beverages are sold at the licensed, on board bar. The next morning following breakfast there is further cruising before returning to the Milford Sound Wharf.
Fabulos way to experience the Milford Sound! Good accommodations and food but the best is spending the night on the water and waking up to the beautiful scenery!
Review by: Melinda G, April 2017
Amazing overnight stay!!_br/_ Location was incredible! _br/_ Staff - very friendly and accommodating - made you feel at home as soon as we boarded!_br/_ Rooms very comfortable. _br/_ Definitely a must do for first timers. _br/_ Would certainly do again!!
Review by: Christine C, April 2017
Enjoyed every moment! The staff were professional and friendly, the food was excellent. We were fortunate to have perfect weather. I was worried about leaving our car with all of the luggage in it...no problem. I was concerned about cabin space. We had a private bathroom...no problem (slept)!
Review by: Catarina A, March 2017
Wonderful experience! We got to see the whole sound and got lots of info on the nature and history.
Review by: Mark F, January 2017
Excellent Trip. Tour of the fford in both the evening and morning inc commentary, kayaking, nature cruises, great food, slideshow, very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended.
Review by: Jared1986, January 2017
Undoubtedly the best way to see Milford Sounds, particularly if you have limited time. The cruise departed at 4:30pm, just when the last of the day tours where finishing, leaving us the entire of the sounds with just one other overnight vessel. We saw sunset and sunrise on the sound, were well-fed and looked after by the Captain and his team and were well-informed by the on-board tour guide. After kayaking, seal-spotting and having some great weather, the trip was well worth the journey and expense.
Review by: Piotr N, January 2017
It's pretty good, the cabin is clean and the food onboard is really great. However cruise itself is very short : it's like 1.5h in the evening and similiar in the morning and you basically go the same route which is a little disappointing.
Review by: gam4, November 2016
We did the overnight Milford Sound tour which was truly amazing. In the evening we had 5 inches of rain which really enhanced the scenes before us, the number of waterfalls that were flowing grew expodentially and taking the trip out on the boats tender was an added bonus. In the morning clear bright blue skies but the number of waterfalls was reduced by two thirds but still very spectacular. The on board nature guide showed us rare penguins, seals, birds etc and the Captain took the boat up close to see them in their natural habitats. We would highly recommend this tour in the South Island.
Review by: Maree K, June 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Ernest D, June 2016
A very good trip which was throughly enjoyed!
Review by: Geoff H, May 2016
A brilliant experience not to be missed if you are in the South Island. We enjoyed every moment in spite of the weather. The crew, all so friendly and opportunity to chat with the captain up on the bridge. Great company , food, nice cabin and learnt a lot about the whole area.
Review by: Patricia S, March 2016
Had the best time will be back again.Your stall were excellent a special thank you to Stu for making this trip our best adventure in new zealand
Review by: jillian g, March 2016
We loved this trip_br/_ Great staff, beautiful location, I would go again.
Review by: Samantha I, March 2016
fantastic experience from start to finish. fun, friendly and professional staff. the food was fantastic and plentiful, easily catering to my gluten free requirements. cabins comfortable. stu was a stand out. had great fun on the tender and enjoyed his slideshow. i would recommend it to anyone.
Review by: John N, February 2016
Excellent cruise really enjoyed it. Would have preferred higher cabin as I could not see through the window. We were very lucky as the weather was perfect, could not tell you was on a boat._br/_ Food was great, well above our expectations._br/_ Would recommend this to anyone.
Review by: Nicolette J, November 2015
We had a fabulous time on this cruise, the weather was perfect and the staff very helpful. The food was lovely although the seafood went very quickly. Activities included kayaking or a boat ride and swimming. We had seals come up on the landing of the boat at the stern. Being there in the evening and early morning when all was quiet was amazing, so peaceful.
Review by: Tyler M, November 2015
If you are going to make the trip to Milford Sound--and you should-- this is the absolute best way to take the beauty in. The overnight trip was one the of highlights of our 2 week New Zealand trip. The cabins were clean and comfortable. We found the food to be very good. The staff was absolutely fantastic-- everyone was extremely kind, very friendly and easy to engage and learn about everything the sound had to offer. We left feeling this was money extremely well spent.
Review by: Phillip O, October 2015
We had the best of both worlds. On the afternoon cruise to the overnight mooring location pouring rain caused all the dry waterfalls to appear and the permanent waterfalls to really pump, it was awesome. The rain cleared overnight and the morning cruise was clear and sunny and absolutely magnificent. The cruise staff were fantastic and food sumptuous. Good beds.
Review by: Willows, October 2015
Great trip, very informative thanks to guide Stu. Must be one of teh most beautiful places on earth.
Review by: rsprotty, July 2015
Loved it_br/_
Staff were terrific service outstanding _br/_
Free to get as involved as you like_br/_
Food great_br/_
Views to die for_br/_
Best sleep I had in ages
Review by: Lbettinson, May 2015
The most fantastic trip. Great evening, great meal and views to die for!
Review by: Barbara L G, May 2015
This tour was the highlite of our 15 day trip to the south island. Great boat great crew extremely beautiful scenery. Don't miss the opportunity to see it.
Review by: Pamela C, April 2015
Superb tour. Naturalist was excellent. Guide for our small boat was too. Everyone was very personable._br/_
Food and accomodations were wonderful. And our weather covered all the bases except gale. Loved it.
Review by: Ron D, March 2015
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Cheryl K, March 2015
Had a wonderful time on Mariner. The Captain was informative and pleasant. Nothing was a trouble for the crew they were caring, knowledgeable and efficient. We managed to arrive in beautiful weather and awoke to find it had rained during the night. the next morning the Sound was amass with waterfalls mountains and wildlife, truly beautiful.
Review by: michael s, March 2015
Stunning views immediately coming out of the harbor. Nice waterfall right onto the ocean, with the boat_br/_
going right in close. Kayaking, tender boat ride, swimming off the boat all included. Food was good._br/_
Room was large enough for one night. Too bad breakfast had to be at 7AM so we could be off the boat by 9_br/_
so another two hour cruise could be accomodated. I would strongly recommend this cruise. Very nice.
Review by: Doreen S, March 2015
Real Journey certainly have the tour organised to perfection great crew great food great accomadation and great views fantastic fantastic fantastic want to do it again - I was very nervous in the small boat to go inshore and the lady from crew gave me a trial run before heading off so considerate best trip we have ever been on
Review by: Kyra R, March 2015
Staff were friendly and helpful. The scenery was stunning! An overnighter is a great way to experience the sound.
Review by: Anthony P, February 2015
Way over priced for what it was
Review by: Margaret V R, February 2015
Wonderful. we really liked having the extra time the overnight option gave us to appreciate our surroundings.
Review by: Andrew John F, January 2015
very good trip highly recommended
Review by: Rahl D, December 2014
great food great boat great staff! amazing scenery!
Review by: Leslie K, November 2014
We greatly enjoyed our overnight experience. Cabin was small but cozy, with everything we needed. Appreciated the afternoon tea and muffins after getting room keys. The kayaking experience was wonderful, seeing the penguin nesting area and having the seals join our return to the boat. The next morning seemed a bit rushed w/ only a half hour for breakfast. Wish we could have ventured out into the Tasman just a little to see the coast north and south. Appreciated the skipper turning around to see the group of bottle-nose dolphins which swam along side the boat for awhile. Crew was very friendly and helpful. We appreciated the commentary describing Sound features and also greatly enjoyed the evening slide show. We were back on shore before 0930, which seemed rushing it a bit. We'd do this trip again,_br/_
Les and Judy Kemp_br/_
New Haven, Missouri
Review by: penguin, November 2014
An absolutely great trip cannot fault this trip in any way, The boat was great, the crew was friendly and very helpful, the food was delicious, the scenery was perfect. Would thouroughly reccomend it to everyone.
Review by: Peter D, June 2014
Brilliant way to see Milford Sound when all the daytrippers have gone. Great ship, comfortable cabin, plenty of good food, breakfast and dinner. Commentary very knowledgable, access to Captain's bridge for a chat. Milford Sound is spectacular, highly recommended.
Review by: Joan M, April 2014
The overnight trip was excellent from a knowledgeable staff to great food it was a great trip.
Review by: Raghid N, March 2014
For the price we paid, we expected a better boat and food. We had to return to port the first night due to weather warning, but the next morning we made it to the entrance of the fjord and had the chance to see fresh snow on top of the mountains. Spectacular views that we love to experience in better weather conditions, but next time we might opt for day cruises rather than overnight.
Review by: Mrs Janet M J, February 2014
Milford Sound is not huge and could all be seen on a day cruise but for an overnight cruise is different and out of ordinary but not cheap. Staff very good and knowledgable. Accommodation small but adequate and well equipped. Food plentiful and fairly high quality.
Review by: Karen W, February 2014
While many elements of the cruise were great eg itinerary, food, staff, location; we were really disappointed in the accommodation and recommend you check where your room will be prior to booking as while rooms are priced the same they vary greatly in quality. Really there should be different pricing. My husband and I travelled with my mother. Our cabin was "below deck" and when we went in smelt of vomit. I asked to be moved but the boat was full. Staff re-cleaned the room and fixed the smell but while my husband was fine as I am a bit claustrophobic I ended up not actually sleeping in the cabin. My mother had what at first glance seemed to be a lovely cabin, on the main deck with a door to outside for which incidentally she paid virtually the same as we paid for two. However she wondered why she had ear-plugs laid out on her bed. On going to bed she soon found out! There was some kind of generator immediately adjacent to her room which made a very loud noise all night long and hence the earplugs!!!_br/_
We felt pretty aggrieved about having spent so much money to cruise and for 2 out of 3 of us to get no sleep. I am sure if the on-board staff could have helped they would as they were very pleasant and went out of their way to be helpful but the boat was full. It is a pity the management is not a bit more transparent and realistic about the varying quality of accommodation on board.
Review by: Dekel D B, January 2014
Great tour, friendly staff, price on Viator is good value, good dinner / breakfast, stunning views. Best way to see Milford Sound.
Review by: Ross H, January 2014
This was a long overdue trip for me and I really enjoyed it - excellent.
Review by: Ian M, January 2014
We found the overnight cruise to be everything we hoped it would be. The crew were very friendly and relaxed making the experience unforgettable. The sun shone putting the fiord into a glistening cascade of waterfalls especially when the boat moved in very close to the cliff face - rainbows rose in semicircles from the sea at each waterfall. The shear scale of the geography is hard to imagine.
Review by: Helen W, January 2014
Amazing trip. The rooms were very nice and beds incredibly comfy. Food in the evning was great too. sitting with other passengers over dinner was great for making new friendships! The highlight of our trip to New Zealand
Review by: Ann C S, December 2013
On this very comfortable boat you get a good introduction to this amazing Fjordland area with its dramatic imountains and waterfalls. The naturalist on board gives an excellent commentary. The food was remarkably good. The crew were all polite and helpful. This is an experience not to be missed.
Review by: Helen C, December 2013
Wonderful experience of this with great food and fabulous views all around. We had good weather s well, but apreciate that can't be guaranteed
Review by: Brittany T, October 2013
The overnight cruise was wonderful and a great way to wrap up our New Zealand trip! The crew was fun and very well educated about Milford Sound. The food was outstanding (an unexpected bonus), and the cabins were very comfortable and relatively spacious for a cruise ship. Milford sound is definitely a must-do, and was absolutely breathtaking even though it rained most of the trip. The on-board activities were fun - we opted to go on the tender craft instead of kayaking since it was raining. The tender craft turned out to be a blast though - we even got to see a wild penguin! Overall it was a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend it!
Review by: david b, June 2013
A great trip. Beautiful scenery. Professional staff. Good food. Only complaint is that is starts out too late in the day to enjoy the kayaking.
Review by: Thomas B, May 2012
Found the Staff pleasant and helpful. Really enjoyed the overnight trip. The only way to do it and stay relaxed. The weather was great but would still have been good if it rained.
Review by: Lainief, May 2012
Amazing is the best way to describe the overnight Milford Sound cruise. The weather was great and the scenery spectacular. The food was great and the accommodation comfortable. I would highly recommend doing the trip.
Review by: Ian M, May 2012
The overnight cruise on Milford Sound was one of the highlights of our self drive tour of the NZ south island. The ship, the crew, the food and the Sound itself were fantastic. I would recommend this cruise as the best way to see and fully appreciate Milford Sound.
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