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Doubtful Sound Wilderness Day Cruise from Manapouri
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Reviewed 7 April 2024

We did the overnight Doubtful Sound cruise with RealNZ. We were nervous due to some sketchy weather and were worried we spent a decent chunk of change for nothing. We couldn't have been more wrong!

First, huge hat-tip to the crew. The young ladies (Molly, Ashley, Hannah, and Grace) were attentive, super friendly, knowledgeable, and service oriented. It was fun to see how genuinely excited they were to experience the Sound's teeming waterfalls. The captain (Riordan, I believe) had an open bridge policy and we chatted with him for a while. Super nice guy and an incredibly experienced sailor. The cook (never caught his name) made delightful meals from scratch, as well as all kinds of snacks and other treats.

The sights are amazing. Do the overnight tour for more time in the Sound to ensure you see as much as you can. Jump in the kayaks even if it is raining. Eat as much as you can.

This tour was professional and worth every penny. NZ has a lot of highlights, and this is certainly one of the best.

Date of experience: March 2024
Thank Jeff C
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RealNZ_Aotearoa, Guest Relations Manager at RealNZ, responded to this reviewResponded 7 May 2024

Thank you for sharing your incredible experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that your Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise exceeded your expectations. We're delighted that the crew, including Molly, Ashley, Hannah, Grace, and Riordan, made your experience memorable with their friendly nature and knowledge of the area. It's fantastic to hear that you enjoyed engaging with them and learning about the Sound. We'll be sure to pass along your compliments to our onboard chef as well for preparing delightful meals and treats from scratch. Thank you for highlighting the professionalism of our tour and affirming that it was worth every penny.

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Reviewed 6 April 2024

Enjoyed the ferry trip across Te Anau Lake to get to the Cave & back. From the staff at the reception to the tour guides on the ferry & at the cave were friendly & had good sense of humour. The young German female tour guide at the cave helped us feel at ease going into the dark cave with heavy rushing water below us. Was short but still incredible seeing these glow worms in their element. The evening tour was a good way to end the day too

Date of experience: February 2024
Thank Getaway55732879238
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RealNZ_Aotearoa, Guest Relations Manager at RealNZ, responded to this reviewResponded 7 May 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Te Anau Glowworm Caves tour. We're glad to hear that your tour guide at the cave helped you feel at ease, especially as you ventured into the cave. We will be sure to pass on your kind words to the team.

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Reviewed 4 April 2024

Tour was cancelled by the operator due to bad weather . RealNZ advised me of the cancellation and a refund was made to trip advisor . As yet I haven’t received a refund

Date of experience: March 2024
Thank David L
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RealNZ_Aotearoa, Guest Relations Manager at RealNZ, responded to this reviewResponded 7 May 2024

We're sorry to hear about the cancellation of your tour due to bad weather and the delay in receiving your refund. If you haven't received your refund yet, I recommend reaching out to TripAdvisor's customer support for assistance. Thank you for your understanding, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.




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Reviewed 30 March 2024

This was a fantastic highlight of our south island tour. After a very enjoyable boat ride across the lake, we boarded one of 2 coaches taking us over the pass to the mooring of the Fjordland Navigator. A great crew on board, enthusiastic and very informative about the background and flora/forna of the sound. We saw dolphins and shearwaters at close quarters. The food was excellent, our cabin was comfortable and the whole experience was unforgettable. The highlight was probably the sound of silence, where the engines and generator were stopped, so you could hear nothing but the birds and the breeze! Awesome.

Date of experience: March 2024
Thank martinlL633EU
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RealNZ_Aotearoa, Guest Relations Manager at RealNZ, responded to this reviewResponded 7 May 2024

Thank you for sharing your fantastic experience with us! It's wonderful to hear that your trip to Doubtful Sound was a highlight of your South Island tour. We're delighted to hear that the crew were enthusiastic and provided informative commentary about the area, we will be sure to pass on your kind words to them. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more unforgettable adventures in the future!

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Reviewed 29 March 2024

The boat ride across the lake was fun and informative and the glow worm caves were beautiful complete with rushing water and a small waterfall.I think it should be stated that you cant take photos in the caves at the time of ticket purchase. i understand the reason for this but was a bit disappointed all the same.
Guides were friendly and professional

Date of experience: March 2024
Thank valda S
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RealNZ_Aotearoa, Guest Relations Manager at RealNZ, responded to this reviewResponded 7 May 2024

We're delighted to hear that you found the Te Anau Glowworm Caves experience to be fun and informative. We understand your disappointment regarding the photography policy in the caves, however this is stated on our webpage and confirmation email to all guests prior to their visit. It's great to hear that the guides were friendly and professional, and we'll be sure to pass along your compliments to them. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more adventures in the future!

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