Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises

From Queenstown to Manapouri by car or coach takes around 2 hrs 45 mins and from Te Anau around 30 minutes.  For more information refer to our Driving Times webpage.

Yes, we have plenty of free parking at Manapouri. Daytime car parking is provided adjacent to the Visitor Centre. Overnight car parking is available on View St, a short 2 minute walk from our Manapouri Visitor Centre.

Yes, bedding and towels are provided to all guests.  

A double room is a private room for two people, with one bed to share. A twin room is a private room for two people, with two single beds.

All Twin-Share and Double Cabins require two paying guests per cabin. Cabins cannot be booked by fewer guests unless booked as a Single Occupancy Cabin.

Our twin sleeping compartments provide the best privacy for travelling with your family and children. A twin room is a private room for two people with two single beds.

Yes, but specific conditions apply:

Children aged 2–15 years may share a cabin with an adult. Children must be accompanied by an adult and a twin-Share Cabin adult fare must be added per child.

Infants aged 0–23 months may only travel in:

• A Twin-Share Cabin with two paying adult guests, or
• A Single Occupancy Cabin

One adult and one infant cannot be booked together in a Twin-Share or Double Cabin, as these cabins require two paying guests. Infants do not count as paying guests.

No. Guests are not permitted to bring their own alcohol on board the boat.

We offer a wide selection of beverages available for purchase on board, including wine, beer, and non-alcoholic options, so you’ll still have plenty to enjoy during your cruise.

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 and install it yourself.

If you add a picnic lunch to your booking, you’ll receive it after check-in in Manapouri on the first day of your trip.

The picnic lunch is for Day 1 only. On Day 2, breakfast is provided in the morning, but lunch is not included.

Yes, dietary requirements can be catered for. Please provide detailed information regarding your dietary requirements when making a booking. 

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, all our vessel’s doorways feature a sea sill, there are no ramps within the boat, and a flight of stairs separates rooms from the main saloon. 

We recommend each passenger brings no more than a carry-on sized bag due to space restrictions in the cabins. For a list of what to bring please see the 'more info' section or your booking confirmation.

The main difference between Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound is their locations in Fiordland. Milford Sound, in the northern region, is captivating with its dramatic beauty. Doubtful Sound, on the other hand, is further south, in the heart of Fiordland, and is vaster and wilder, approximately ten times larger than Milford Sound. 

Not sure which fiord is for you? Read our sull guide to Milford Sound vs Doubtful Sound here. 

Fiordland’s weather is what gives the region its unique character. Rainfall is what makes Fiordland a land of lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls and fiords. Visitors should always be prepared to enjoy some rainfall during their stay. It is recommended to bring sensible clothing for cool and wet weather to fully appreciate your stay.

The temperatures you can expect in the different seasons are as follows: 

• Summer (December-February) 19-23 Celsius / 66 - 73 Fahrenheit 
• Autumn (March-May) 8-18 Celsius / 46 - 64 Fahrenheit
• Winter (June-August) 5-9 Celsius / 41 - 48 Fahrenheit
• Spring (September-November) 10-19 Celsius / 50 - 66 Fahrenheit

Many say you have not seen Fiordland unless you have seen it in the rain.  When it rains in Fiordland the landscape is dramatic - rock faces stream with waterfalls, mist hangs around the tops of the mountains and rivers and streams rage.  From a dry comfortable vantage point on the bus or boat, this landscape is spectacular for sightseeing.

While we cannot guarantee you will see wildlife, sightings of fur seals are reasonably common in both Doubtful and Milford Sounds.  A pod of bottlenose dolphins resides in Doubtful Sound so you have a good chance of seeing these fascinating mammals, and in Milford Sound dolphins are occasional visitors.  In both sounds the rare Fiordland crested penguin can at times be observed.

The Manapouri Underground Power Station visit is CLOSED indefinitely due to maintenance by operators Meridian Energy. We are not permitted to access the Power Station for tours during this time. The Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise tour will still operate without the visit underground to the Powerstation.

All prices and transactions on the RealNZ website are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).  This is specified on the Terms & Conditions page.

Our staff are trained to deal with incidents and in case of an emergency you should listen to their instructions. We have a portable defibrillator on each of our overnight cruise boats (Milford Mariner, Milford Wanderer and Fiordland Navigator).

In addition to this we also have portable defibrillators at the following locations:

• Milford Sound Visitor Terminal
• RealNZ Visitor Centre, Manapouri
• Cavern House (Te Anau Glowworm Caves)
• Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant, Walter Peak
• TSS Earnslaw Vintage Steamship
• Stewart Island Ferry (Bluff - Oban - Bluff)