Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises

This was a true pleasure. We took a bus from Queenstown, a boat on Manapouri lake, then another bus to the edge of Doubtful Sound, followed by an overnight cruise in the sound. The sites were magnificent! It rained pretty hard the first day, but the result was an incredible number of waterfalls that disappeared the following day (which was beautiful sunshine). All of the staff (bus, boat, visitors center, etc.) were all very helpful, and made the experience very worthwhile.

UserTraveler, Colorado via TripAdvisor

One of the easiest 5/5 to give. The boat trip over the lake was beautiful. The coach journey the other end was enjoyable and the driver with his commentary excellent. The navigator ship was amazing - spacious, everything we needed. The staff were all really friendly and knowledgeable. The food was incredible- so much choice, so delicious and potentially the best soup I have ever tasted. Doubtful itself is beautiful, dolphins came to say hi. We have been truly spoilt and have the biggest smiles on our faces. Thank you real journeys. Probably the highlight of my time in NZ to date.

darreno933 via TripAdvisor

I really couldn’t recommend this more highly. The small ferry trip across the lake was scenic enough, as was the coach ride up and over the pass. But the overnight trip on the Sound was so much better. The nature guide (Carol) was excellent and seemed to be on deck giving commentary at all hours of the day or night! Her after dinner talk was worth attending. The scenery is simply awe-inspiring. The kayaking was great fun and one of our kids even took the invitation to jump in for a swim off the back of the boat (apparently it was VERY cold!). Food was excellent and plentiful. Staff were excellent. We stayed in the cheapest accom (4 berth share) and it was very comfortable - even had a little porthole at water level. The sunrise in the morning was stunning and we were lucky enough to have clear skies. We saw plenty of seals at the fjord entrance and even encountered a pod of dolphins on our way back to the dock. Apparently far less busy on the water than Milford, and it certainly felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.

Louicacba, Melbourne, Australia via TripAdvisor

The organizing, the service, the care and the extra touches of the overnight boat trip on Doubtful Sound were brilliant. Can't say enough about what a wonderful experience the trip offered us - we learned a great deal, and saw an amazingly wild, ancient part of the world, safely cared for by the entire team, including Alan, who drove us over the pass to Doubtful, the ship's captain and crew lead expertly by Marky, who informed us, taught us and fed us so generously. Seeing fur seals and Fiordland crested penguins, the magnificent rain forest mountains, cliffs, valleys, fjords, plants and deep waters left us awestruck. Right up there with the Great Barrier Reef, Petra, and all the wilderness experiences. Highly recommended - go to Doubtful Sound with Real Journeys!

Stewsview, Toronto, Canada via TripAdvisor

This was our second trip here and being repeated because we had enjoyed it so much 8 years ago. This time weather and season was totally different but ‘Real Journeys’ are totally committed to everyone having a stunning trip. Doubtful Sound can only be reached with a tour company as it involves crossing Lake Manapouri by boat, crossing the Wilmott Pass by coach before boarding the boat. Carol and the team on board worked tirelessly to give us ‘an experience of a lifetime’ - all worked hard and were enthusiastic and engaging with visitors. Food was terrific and plentiful, trip by tender, kayaking and swimming on offer plus Carol’s amazing nature knowledge on hand and an after dinner talk. Cabins were well equipped and comfortable.
For 5 mins in the morning a ‘Sounds of silence’ was held - no talking, photos, phones and engine silent. It’s a powerful time listening to birdsong, watching ripples and clouds and just breathing! Hugely enjoyable and highly recommended.

GrimsbyMariner15, Grimsby, UK via TripAdvisor

Stunning, breathtaking, a New Zealand trip highlight are not sufficient to describe our time on the overnight cruise on the Navigator. Real Journeys is incredibly organized and has an efficient transportation system to get us from Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound via ferry, bus over Wilmot pass and to the Navigator waiting for us at Deep Cove. I was initially disappointed to hear a rainy weather report but we had the most incredible experience rain or shine. The steep fjord walls come alive with abundant waterfalls that only appear when it rains and the fjords are rather mystical and mysterious when mist shrouded. Even though there was a pretty stiff wind our skipper gave us the Tasman Sea experience complete with fur seal viewing at Nees islets. After anchoring up in the calm Precipice Cove we were given opportunities for water activities in the rain. Turns out kayaking around the cove near the waterfall drenched shoreline was tremendous fun. After working up an appetite we were fed the most delicious 3 course dinner with numerous appetizer, entree and dessert options. Even a person who is vegetarian or gluten free had tasty options. Our family enjoyed a quad-share bunk style room to ourselves with shared bathroom facilities. This is the least expensive option. The Navigator is spacious and there is plenty of room to walk around the decks at different levels. The beds were very comfortable and all bedding and towels are provided. A wonderful hot breakfast with lots of options as well as fruit, cereals, yogurt, pastries and juices is provided in the morning. There is complimentary hot drinks (tea, coffee, hot chocolate) throughout the cruise. Also very worthwhile was the insightful commentary of the history and nature provided by our coach drivers and our onboard nature guide. The staff onboard were friendly and helpful doing whatever they could to give us the best experience. I really appreciated the "Sound of Silence " in Hall arm. I would recommend this trip for all ages, rain or shine. We did experience Doubtful Sound sun-drenched and blue sky the 2nd day.

Lynne A, Anchorage, USA via TripAdvisor

This was one of the highlights of our trip to New Zealand. We spent two days on the Navigator and loved it. The vessel was comfortable, the meals were excellent, and the crew was fun and enthusiastic. The onboard nature guide provided great information about the fiords and marine life. Our first day was sunny. Everyone was on deck while our guide pointed out whales and seals and penguins. That night we were all on deck again as a billion stars lit the sky. The next morning we woke to a completely different scene. Heavy cloud cover created a moody atmosphere that was beautiful in its own way. At one point we came close to shore. Our guide asked us to put away our cameras and cell phones and remain perfectly still. The captain then cut the engines. A distant waterfall and occasional bird song were all we could hear. It was a unique and wonderful experience that we’ll always remember.

Airmate1, Pittsburgh, USA via TripAdvisor

We booked the overnight cruise - what a wonderful experience - lovely boat, great staff and good food. Such a serene peaceful cruise to the mouth of the Sound - kayaking also part of the experience and saw seals, penguins and dolphins! The scenery, the sky and the silence were breathtaking - all very different from the Milford Sound cruise which is much busier, shorter cruise but lovely drive over. Worth doing both if you can.

gillkeithclements, Shrewsbury, UK via TripAdvisor