Marlborough Sounds Delivery Cruise

Experience the isolated and beautiful Marlborough Sounds on a 3-hour delivery cruise. Discover hidden corners, meet locals, and spot wildlife while learning about the area’s history and natural world.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Queen Charlotte Sound - This 3.5 hour cruise is a great opportunity to see the Marlborough Sounds through the eyes of those who live and work here.
    Discover places far from the nearest road, and maybe meet some of the locals who call this isolated and beautiful place home. Relax onboard our comfortable vessel as we deliver passengers and supplies…
What's Included
  • All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST) covered
  • Enjoy live commentary on board
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks (available for purchase on some cruises)
Additional Information

Embark on a captivating journey that offers a look into everyday life in the distinctive and secluded Marlborough Sounds, delivering supplies and individuals to distant docks and areas of Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui.
Our 3-hour voyage is an excellent chance to witness the Marlborough Sounds as the locals do, who inhabit and work in this region….

Location
1 London Quay
London Quay
Departure Point: Cougar Line office, Picton Town Wharf Address: 1 London Quay, Picton 7250 Directions: Look for the 3 purple flags Dates: See Availability Return point: Cougar Line office, Picton Town Wharf
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(42 Ratings)
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1 star
Matautravelle
Jan 13, 2025
Recommend - The weather was spectacular which is always a bonus. We thoroughly enjoyed out jaunt around the sounds stopping at several little bays to pick up and drop off people and supplies. The Skipper's commentary was great, so much information and history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janet_v
Dec 11, 2024
An excellent way to relax and enjoy remote parts of the Marlborough sounds - The scenery on this trips was amazing. The crew onboard were very friendly and we also enjoyed the commentary from the skipper.
Review provided by Viator
Kim_k
Feb 18, 2025
A Kiwi's First time to the South Island. Marlborough Sounds - Amazing opportunity to see the sounds from a different perspective. The different gives and inlets where people have built houses. Stunning water ways. No dolphins, but the crew were very informative and funny. Would definitely recommen this to everyone, not just visiting overseas people.
Review provided by Viator
Kevin_f
Mar 17, 2024
Nice ride - Best view of the area is rom the water. This ride shows you the expanse of the water and scenery of the land. Read inside to hear the captain’s commentary. This route is more a shuttle to the area resorts and trailheads, so might be a bit long for most sightseers.
Review provided by Viator
Gordon_m
Mar 17, 2024
Nice day cruising the sounds - Smooth sailing start to finish . Seen many different vacation spots and chatted with the various people as they came and went seen one dolphin . A good day.
Review provided by Viator
Diane_l
Feb 21, 2025
Disappointed in what was advertised - Good boat ride but not what I expected. They basically just take you on a boat ride and drop or pick up people from different areas. I thought we'd see how deliveries were made in remote areas that don't have stores or roads.
Review provided by Viator
Chrissiefd8813hy
Feb 12, 2025
A ferry not a cruise - The office is difficult to find, it's nearer to the seafront than London Quay shops. At boarding time it's tricky finding the right boat. We were directed onto Cougar Line Tohora. We had a warm sunny day but suggest you don't sit outside, the boat goes quite fast so even on a nice day it's far too windy outside. The seats are comfortable and there is self service tea and coffee. This boat is essentially a ferry just taking people to and from a few resorts on the Sound. The commentary is brief. We saw the tail of a seal some distance from the boat.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Coastal441701
Jan 6, 2025
Not recommending anyone, if someone just want to see the area - "Not recommending anyone, if someone just want to see the area since this is a delivery-only location. No announcements or guidance are there
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Violeth163
Apr 2, 2024
Water taxi, not sightseeing cruise - This turned out to be a 3.5 hour water taxi ride. There was no time to get out anywhere. We did not meet any residents. The seats were not the most comfortable if you were going to be sitting there for any length of time. Most seats are inside, and the sides are high. As a short person, I could barely see out. The captain was kind enough to lend me his seat cushion so I could sit a little higher. There were two benches at the back, but most of that space was covered with suitcases, boxes, bags, etc. And four people had already snagged the remaining space by the time I got on. The only commentary came at the first brief stop. After that, the captain and the one crew member really had to focus on getting us quickly and safely from dock to dock. There was no time for commentary. The weather wasn't great, and a storm was predicted to come in, so we had lots of stops and lots of people getting on who had not made reservations. I have lots of pictures of docks but not much else. It should just be advertised as a water taxi, not as a sightseeing cruise. This was the most disappointing activity on during my trip. All the staff were very nice and did their jobs well, but this was not what was advertised or expected.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vishwas_p
Mar 30, 2024
Scam company. Do not listen to customer - It's a fraud. Local operator and viator is terrible. No mention of check in time on the ticket and was advised later by a operator that chrck in time is 30 mins before. Did not allowed us to ride. DO NOT BOOK WITH VIATOR. SCAM...
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
March 2025
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