Milford Sound Cruises

Milford Sound cruises vary in duration, typically lasting between 1.5 to 2 hours. The exact length depends on factors such as your chosen vessel, weather, wildlife encounters, and overall conditions. During these scenic cruises, you'll navigate the entire length of the stunning fiord. Departing from the Visitor Terminal, the cruise takes you to the Tasman Sea, offering breathtaking views of mountains, waterfalls, and captivating landscapes before returning to the terminal. Explore our fleet to see the average cruising time of each vessel.

The main differences between our Milford Sound cruise options are the size and layout of each vessel, their food offerings, departure times, and cruise length. Explore our fleet or take this 2-minute quiz to see which vessel floats your boat!

The Milford Sound cruise sets off from the Visitor Terminal and travels up one side of the fiord out to the Tasman Sea, before returning to the Terminal along the other side. This is to make sure you don’t miss out on any spectacular waterfalls, mountain views, and wildlife.

The Milford Sound cruise sets off from the Milford Terminal, located at the centre of Milford Sound’s small centre. The address is Milford Sound Visitor Terminal, Milford Sound 9679, and the phone number is +64 3 249 6000. If you’re getting a coach and cruise with RealNZ, we’ll have arranged a coach pickup or meeting location with you prior to travel.

You get to Milford Sound via the single Milford Road that runs from Te Anau straight through to Milford Sound, going through the Fiordland National Park. You can travel to Milford Sound by driving yourself, or you can opt to sit back, relax and catch our comfortable and spacious coaches. Our professional drivers will take you there, pausing at all the important stop-off points so you can take in all the incredible viewpoints. Read more on how to get to Milford Sound.

Going on a Milford Sound cruise gives you the unique opportunity to encounter native wildlife living in this remote paradise. There might be playful Keas, Fiordland crested penguins, chatty dolphins, graceful albatross, and relaxed NZ fur seals. However, it's essential to appreciate that these creatures are wild, often unpredictable, and some are facing decline. While knowledgeable nature guides will search for wildlife, the animals’ spontaneity means sightings are not guaranteed. A journey into Milford Sound offers a chance to connect with the natural world, and each sighting becomes a testament to the untamed beauty of this incredible environment.

The Milford Sound cruise is extremely child-friendly, offering an unforgettable experience for your little ones. While exploring the vessel, it's important to be cautious due to potential hazards like steps and railings. Ensuring your children's safety is paramount. Kids will love the cruise, especially as it brings them up close to magnificent waterfalls and offers opportunities to spot fascinating wildlife.

To make the most of the journey, pack essentials for a comfortable day trip, including waterproof layers, a sun hat, and ample food and water. Additionally, bring along games to keep them entertained during travel.

Our Milford Sound cruise has a 24-hour cancellation policy for bookings made directly with RealNZ. Full refunds will be given in the event of a cancellation, and amendments can be made to your booking when RealNZ receives notification at least 24 hours prior (NZ time) to your departure time. This does not account for Milford Sound Overnight Cruises, which asks for 14 days' notice prior to departure.

The Milford Sound coach makes multiple stops along the way to Milford Sound so you can take in the incredible views and also pause for amenities like restrooms and snacks. From Queenstown, you’ll stop in Te Anau for a restroom break, snacks, and coffee, before heading into the Fiordland National Park. Here, you’ll stop at Mirror Lakes to take in the incredible reflection of the mountains in the still waters. You’ll also stop further along the road in the Eglington Valley to absorb the immensity of the Fiordland mountains. Later, you might stop at another restroom before travelling on to Monkey Creek, the best spot to see the mischievous Keas in action. A short stop might be made at the entrance to the Homer Tunnel while you’re waiting to enter before making your way into the centre of Milford Sound.

There is limited luggage space on the coach to Milford Sound. If needed, we can store larger luggage in the undercarriage of the coach while you’re on the cruise and only if you’ll be returning on the same coach. However, there’s no space in the coach seating area for large bags.

In Queenstown, the coach will pick you up from our RealNZ Visitor Centre at 88 Beach Street, Queenstown, 9300. Our coaches can make pick-ups from select accommodations, contact us at +64 3 249 6000 if you’d like to enquire or make a pickup request. Check your booking confirmation email to see if you have already arranged a pickup.

We are also able to pick up guests from Te Anau, from the RealNZ Visitor Centre, 85 Lakefront Drive, Te Anau 9640. Accommodation pickups in Te Anau are not available.

Car seats are not mandatory on our coaches and we do not have them available for hire. If you want to bring a car seat for your child on the coach, you are more than welcome but you must provide your own.

The coach to Milford Sound takes between 4-5 hours from Queenstown and between 2-3 from Te Anau. These times includes stops in Te Anau, and along the Milford Road for photos, scenery, and wildlife. The journey back is slightly faster, as we make fewer stops. Sit back, relax and watch the magnificent views roll by on our coach.

Both paid and free parking are available in Milford Sound. The main car park in Milford Sound is the closest to the Visitor Terminal and is clearly signposted as you enter the small village centre. It is only a 5 - 10-minute walk along a beautiful path with views of the fiord and costs an hourly rate of $10. The free parking is slightly further away from the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal, about a 25-minute stroll along a scenic forested pathway and is located at Deepwater Basin Road. You should allow 45 minutes to 1 hour to park your vehicle and transfer to the Milford Sound Visitor Terminal, where you should check-in for your cruise 20 minutes prior to departure.

When we are informed in advance about guests with hindered mobility, we make every effort to mitigate the impact by assigning rooms in proximity to the main areas. However, it’s important to note that our vessels are not optimally equipped for potential needs. While we extend a warm welcome to individuals with impaired mobility, our vessels all have at least one sea sill that the guests will need to navigate. None have fully accessible bathrooms on board. However, there are accessible bathrooms at the Milford terminal. Below are the vessel descriptions based on accessibility:

The Sovereign: Our most accessible, though guests still need to be able to navigate a sea-sill, and it can’t accommodate electric wheelchairs due to turnaround space.

Milford Haven: Guests need to navigate a sea-sill and will be confined to the café level; there is an outdoor viewing deck on the same level, which can be accessed via a sea-sill but turning in a wheelchair can be tight.

Milford Mariner: Not recommended for wheelchair users due to steep, narrow stairs to the main viewing deck and high sea-sills.

The Sinbad: Semi-accessible bathroom on board but accessed over high sea-sills, no access to the top deck.

We can cater to dietary requirements on the cruises. Please let us know what requirements you have when you make your booking, and we can make sure there are options for you.

Milford Sound can be a cold and wet place, but that doesn’t mean you need to be! Pack for most weather outcomes, like a rain jacket, a warm layer, sunscreen, and a sunhat, and you’ll be comfortable for whatever the weather brings.

Aside from road closure due to snow, the Milford Sound cruise is likely to go ahead in most weather. Very strong wind is usually the only weather to cause cancellations, but Milford Sound is typically sheltered from wind and rough tides. In Milford Sound, we welcome heavy rain, as it brings out the hundreds of waterfalls.