The view of Wellington Harbour from Mount Victoria on a sunny day.

Your guide to cruise in Wellington

Wellington is the perfect cruise destination. As a compact and walkable city, it allows you to see and do a lot in one day. Here’s what you need to know when docking in Te Whanganui a Tara.

When your cruise ship arrives into you’ll have a spectacular view of New Zealand’s capital city. Wellington has a flat, compact downtown area, surrounded by green hills. You can fit a lot into one day, so make the most of your time by visiting unique sites, meeting some friendly locals, or doing some shopping.

Wellington welcomes ships of all sizes each season. From small expeditions to large ships carrying 4,000-plus people.

From port to city

Cruise ships dock at CentrePort, a short shuttle ride into the city. Passengers cannot walk off the busy port. Shuttles operate non-stop loops between port and the downtown stop during the day. The last shuttle is around an hour before sailing departure. Allow enough time to return to port on the shuttle as taxis are not permitted to pick up or drop off at port.

Shuttles pass by the region’s largest sports stadium and Wellington Railway Station before dropping passengers off on Lower Lambton Quay. This is Wellington’s main retail street. The cruise shuttle stop is opposite New Zealand’s Parliament Buildings and outside the historic Old Government Buildings.

A person gets a fake wound on their hand by a Wētā employee at the Wētā Cave.
A cropped image of the top four floors of a massive cruise ship with six people standing on the top deck.
The Wellington Cable Car parked at the top terminal, people walk in and out of the doors.
A cheese scone, sliced horizontally and buttered on a plate with a napkin and a butter knife at Swimsuit Coffee.

Popular cruise activities

Most ships are in Wellington for around eight hours. Many cruise passengers like to do a half-day tour in the morning, lunch at one of the many spots in town, and explore the city in the afternoon.

You could check out the Wellington Cable Car and Wellington Botanic Garden, then hit the shops. Or taste your way around the craft beer or cheese scone scene in the city. 

Taking a pre-booked tour

Shore excursions pre-booked with the cruise line will leave from and return you to the ship. If you have pre-booked an independent tour, the tour operator will provide pick-up details as part of your booking information. Many operators will pick you up from the accredited operator area at CentrePort.

Booking tours on the day

There is no booking facility at CentrePort. The Wellington isite Visitor Information Centre is at 111 Wakefield Street, where you can make independent tour bookings on the day, depending on availability. This is where city sightseeing operators may pick up and drop off. 

A staff member at Wellington's iSite, a tourism information centre, helps a tourist look at a map.

Information and ambassadors

Each season, Wellington City Ambassadors are ready to greet you at key locations around the city. Dressed in black and yellow, these local volunteers provide a friendly welcome to Wellington. They will have a handy map specifically for cruise visitors and can help you with information and directions. There is also an information container dockside. Here, you can pick up brochures and maps and find suggestions for making the most of your day.

Meeting friends or family

Friends and family cannot pick up or drop off from the port. You can meet them at the cruise shuttle stop or somewhere central, such as the Wellington Railway Station, the isite, or their favourite café.

Getting around

It’s easy to explore the downtown area on foot, and bike hire options are also available from Queens Wharf. If you want to catch a public bus to one of Wellington’s key attractions, you can pay your fare to the driver with New Zealand money. Credit cards are not accepted.

Plan your journey with Metlink

The basics

Banks do not offer currency exchange services so use one of the bureau de changes or an ATM near the cruise shuttle stop if you need cash. The main shopping areas have pharmacies, supermarkets, and postal services.

Your cruise day inspiration

A group of people in Cuba Mall, looking at the Bucket Fountain, an iconic kinetic sculpture.

Top 10 Wellington must-dos

There’s so much to see and do in the capital. To get you started, here are the top 10 things to do when you visit.

Family taking a photo with the Wellington sign.

Best things to do for free

There are plenty of things to do while you’re in Wellington that won’t cost a cent. Have fun for free while making the most of what the capital has to offer.

A pastry chef in a white coat and grey apron looks down while making cheese scones at Pravda Café & Grill. There are two racks of scones cooling on racks on the counter.

Best of the bunch? Wellington cheese scones as picked by locals

If you want to live like a Wellingtonian, your day should include a cheese scone. Here’s where the locals go to get their daily dose.

The interior of Twenty-Seven Names, a clothing store located on Ghuznee Street and Marion Street in Wellington, with three clothing racks full of blue, black, fuchsia, white and floral pattern women's blouses and dresses and one outfit displayed independe

Shop for local labels in Wellington

The capital is home to some of New Zealand’s best designers. Shop their wares at flagship stores dotted around the city centre. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to see the faces behind the brands in store.

Two smiling people sit across from one another and raise their glasses to cheers. A charcuterie board, a flight of beers, fries and four small sharing plates are on the table. There are large, metal fermentation tanks behind them.

Crafting your beer experience in Wellington

They’re boutique, fiercely independent, and proudly fly the craft beer flag for Wellington.  

Three people shopping at Iko Iko, a small, quirky gift shop located on Cuba Street in Te Aro Wellington.

Find the perfect gift

The beauty of design is celebrated in Wellington’s excellent selection of gift shops. Spoil yourself or someone else in your life with something special and uniquely Wellington.

Three types of coffee, in different vessels, sit on the counter in Black Coffee in Newtown. Framed pictures are blurred on the walls in the background.

Your essential guide to coffee in Wellington

The capital takes its coffee seriously. Whether you’re after a creamy flat white, a jet-fuelled long black, or something in between, Wellington has plenty of places to keep you caffeinated. These standout roasters and award-winning baristas are here to kick-start your morning.

Shelves inside Iris Store & Studio are adorned with its beauty products in white bottles.

Browse Wellington’s speciality stores

From handmade perfumes to specialist sleeping bags, these Wellington boutiques know what’s good in their niche. Find knowledgeable staff and a curated selection of products at a range of speciality stores.

Three people look at The Art of Banksy exhibition in a dark room.

The Art of Banksy

28 November 2024 – 20 January 2025Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre

Two people walk along Wellington's waterfront on a sunny winter day. The city centre is visible in the background.

Your guide to winter in Wellington

It’s cold? Well, the winter season in Wellington is hot. Rug up warm and head out the door to enjoy some huge music, sports, and food events.