This was a breathtaking experience, offering stunning views of towering cliffs, waterfalls and wildlife. The serene beauty of the fjord combined with the peaceful cruise makes a must do for nature lovers. This is must do for anyone who is visiting New Zealand South Island

The boat was clean and the staff was friendly, so I’ll throw in an extra star. Other than that, this was the overcrowded, tour bus jam packed buffet lunch boat from hell. Of course, the website depicts happy cruisers on a small sleek catamaran with plenty of space to enjoy the scenery. This was not the case, and our cruise was an absolute bait and switch. Because of rain and cold, most passengers were inside, which did not help, but even aside from that this particular cruise should be avoided. It was impossible really to see or enjoy anything unless you were fortunate enough to snag a seat next to a window, which the tour bus people promptly claimed having cued up beginning a half hour before departure, which seemed absurd at the time but in retrospect was necessary. I could continue about what an all around miserable experience this was, but you get the picture. I should have followed my instincts and abandoned my tickets upon arrival and booked one of the many smaller boutique boats available without reservations at the port. As they followed along I envisioned them saying “man, am I glad I’m not on that boat”. Unfortunately, I was.

5 star, top shelf experience from a company who know how to do all the little things to make it a memorable experience. Keith our guide was fantastic. Picnic lunch was tasty as were the stop at Teanu bakery. Thoroughly recommend this tour!

I’ve traveled around the world and been on countless tours. This is by far the absolute worst experience. I came all the way to New Zealand to to see Milford Sound. I booked it and got a confirmation email. I waited at 6:30 am and they never picked me up. I called that morning and was informed they should be there any minute. No one showed up. I called back and said they actually never booked the car to get me! They said I missed the bus for the day. I couldn’t believe it. They then rescheduled to Sunday. Then Sunday, the roads are closed. Then Monday (my last day) was sold out so they couldn’t add me. If they had picked me up when they were supposed to, I would’ve been able to go. I don’t even know if I can go back to NZ again. This is such a terrible and sad experience.

I booked via Klook which states clearly that there will be hotel pickup and dropoff. I was glad that my hostel was listed. I was ready at Camp St before 6am but got a call at around 640 to rush over to Beach Street, so I did on a cold, rainy morning. To my horror, the bus was already leaving and didn't stop for me. Thankfully, the next bus driver did stop for me, and I got on the correct bus at Stanley. DON'T promise pickup and dropoff if it doesn't exist. If this does happen, in the future, call earlier and suggest a closer stop such as Athol or Stanley. Klook only refunds 60%.

The trip began with a possible delay due to avalanche hazard…. The road was closed near the tunnel. We began, hoping that the road would be opened at 10AM. Keith was a fantastic driver, imparting his vast knowledge while we drove, with a soothing delivery. We made several stops along the way for photos, and a pit stop for breakfast and hot drinks. The cruise in Milford sound was amazing! Spectacular scenery, with hundreds of new waterfalls due to the overnight snow. Totally worth the anxiety regarding a possibility of an avalanche! Staff was professional and friendly. Would definitely book this trip again!

We recently went on the Southern Discoveries cruise at Milford Sound, and it was an incredible experience. The scenery was absolutely stunning, and we were lucky to have a clear day (if not a bit windy), which made the views even more spectacular. We spotted seals, penguins, and even some albatross, which added to the magic of the day. However, the food options were a bit disappointing. Unless you booked the buffet in advance, the selection was extremely limited, which felt like a missed opportunity given the otherwise excellent experience. Despite the food situation, the cruise itself was fantastic and definitely worth it for the natural beauty and wildlife sightings. I’d highly recommend it for anyone visiting Milford Sound—just plan ahead for meals!

We traveled from Queenstown to Milford Sound. The bus was extremely comfortable and clean. Our driver Stan was friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining.

My recent cruise to Milford Sound was an unforgettable experience. The natural beauty of the area is breathtaking, and the staff, including our driver, were incredibly friendly and helpful. However as a girl from Ngāti kahungunu, one aspect that stood out to me was the pronunciation of Māori place names during the tour. It's important, especially when sharing these beautiful locations with visitors from around the world, to ensure that Māori names are pronounced correctly. This not only shows respect for the culture and language but also helps educate everyone on the significance of these places. I hope that in the future, more emphasis is placed on getting these pronunciations right, so that the richness of Māori culture is properly shared with all who visit!

Super fun excursion. The captain pointed out wildlife, we saw dolphins and fur seals. Told us about the geology and history of the Sound. And the views were beyond amazing. We had the buffet and there was something for every taste. I completely recommend this cruise you will not be disappointed.

Milford Sound is amazing and a must travel destination if you are in New Zealand! I had to make the hard choice of driving there myself with freedom or take a coach. I decided to take the coach because it was a wild long drive to and back from Queenstown. The boat ride and crew here also exceptional. The coach driver Keith however was very agressive and rude at times. He did not allow for enough time for the one coffee stop and decided to yell at guests for the line being too long due to multiple coaches stopping at the same spot in Te Anu. Since I was the last person who happened to be in line he took out his anger on me and made me applogize to the entire coach and publicly scorned me. The small coffee shop handled close to 200 customers ordering in 30mins from all the coaches. It is understandable that it would take a bit longer than he expected. By the time I got my coffee the bus was running 9mins behind his schedule. Which he easily made up on the road and was early when we arrived to Milford Sound. It was a once in a life time experience for me traveling to NZ, but felt sad from this experence. The other guests on the coach also felt the need to keep poking fun at me like they weren't in the same stupidly rushed coffee line. Otherwise, my experience in NZ has been great. I don’t think I’ll ever take a coach again from this experience though. I also observed the driver texting and driving which was unsettling. He was an experienced driver so it didn’t affect his driving, but still not safe especially with all the people he’s responsible for.

Milford sound is amazing but Souther Discovery checkin crew in terminal was very rude and aggresive. We will come back but never with Southern Discovery again.

Absolutely loved this experience and am so glad we opted to add on the kayaking. The included lunch on the cruise on the cruise was a lovely bonus too. Kayaking in Milford Sound was such a fun and memorable experience with a lovely and knowledgeable tour guide.

We were picked up in Queenstown on 7/28/24 by Southern Discoveries Coach. Our coach driver Stan was absolutely fantastic! He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly by providing great insight on the drive to Milford Sound. The drive was smooth and so enjoyable! Stan worked with us to try and fly back from Milford Sound at the end of our cruise but bad weather prevented that. He was really helpful and ensured that safety was the priority. The cruise was incredible! We also participated in the underwater observatory and that was amazing! The box lunch that we added to the cruise was absolutely worth it! Everyone on the cruise was helpful! If you want to see the pristine paradise that is Milford Sound, the only way to enjoy the entire day is to go with Southern Discoveries and ride in luxury on their motor coach! It also has USB connectivity to charge your devices as well!

Absolutely not Hala friendly, ordered 4 Hala chicken meals, found out they give Ham Quiche😒, contact the customer service, get sorry for reply and that's it. Driver Chelendra awesome man very funny and helpful. just don't ask him about his fishing experience🤣