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Ship Cove Cruise

South Island

Beachcomber Cruises

from
NZ$120
per adult
Book Now
Couple walking along the jetty at Ship Cove on the Queen Charlotte Track

Experiences

Cruises Cruises Family-friendly Tours Family-friendly Tours Half-Day Tours Half-Day Tours

South Island

Start: Picton
Travel Time: 4 hours

Discover History and Nature on a Ship Cove Cruise

Set out from Picton across the breathtaking Queen Charlotte Sound, where your skipper shares stories of the area’s wildlife, people, and past. Keep an eye out for seabirds, dolphins, and playful fish along the way. The journey is as memorable as the destination, with sparkling waters and lush native bush surrounding you.

Arriving at Ship Cove, step into history at Captain Cook’s favourite anchorage, where he landed five times between 1770 and 1777. Stroll the beach, dip your toes in the creek where his crew once brewed beer, or visit the Captain Cook Monument. After time to explore, enjoy the return cruise through Endeavour Inlet, passing picturesque Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort.

Search icon Beachcomber Cruises boat cruising through Queen Charlotte Sound en route to Motuara Island from Picton.
Search icon Mail Boat Cruise passing through Queen Charlotte Sound with a dolphin leaping in the foreground.
Search icon Hector’s dolphin leaping playfully near a cruise boat in Queen Charlotte Sound.
Search icon Drone shot of Ship Cove jetty stretching into the blue-green waters of Queen Charlotte Sound
Search icon Pair of New Zealand fur seals resting on sunlit rocks near Motuara Island.
Search icon Department of Conservation trail sign with directions and distances from Ship Cove on the Queen Charlotte Track.
Search icon Travellers admiring a tall Pouwhenua (Maori carving) on Queen Charlotte Track at Ship Cove
Search icon Couple viewing Captain Cook monument surrounded by native bush at Ship Cove
Search icon Visitors standing near a carved wooden post by the wharf at Ship Cove
Search icon Two children enjoying a swim at Ship Cove Waterfall on the Queen Charlotte Track
  • Operates: Year Round
  • Check in time at Picton: 8:30am
  • Depart Picton: 9am
  • Arrive Picton: 12:30-1pm

To help reduce our environmental impact, Beachcomber Cruises no longer uses single-use cups on any of our vessels. Reusable souvenir keep cups are available for purchase at the office before departure. We also provide complimentary tea and coffee for you to enjoy during the tour.

  • Adult: 15 years +
  • Children: 5-14 years
  • Infant: 4 years & under
  • 48 hours or more before travel: Full refund**
  • Less than 48 hours: No refund

Note: **Refund excludes credit card, payment or booking fees if applicable, which are non-refundable.

Please see more information on refunds and cancellations in Go New Zealand's terms and conditions.*

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