At the cruise ship terminal it was $35 pp to the town of Dunedin. We went to "on the spot" for…read morecash from the atm. We found a $5 shuttle into town. Vic, our driver wore a clever red shirt that caught our attention, white van. Driving onto Dunedin she gave us a tour. Bex is doing an hour and a quarter tour taking us to all of the sites outside of town for $35 per person. She has good recommendations on TripAdvisor. Returning we can take the shuttle or B or 14 bus from the back from Dunedin from Farmers. The bus runs every hour.

Port Chalmers is a town with population of 1,460, located inside Otago Harbour in the Southern…read moreisland of Zealand. Because of its deep waters, it has a major shipping port, Port Otago, that has two main cranes to onload/offload ocean containers. It also has the Port Chalmers Cruise Terminal, from which passengers disembarked from a cruise ship, to visit the nearby town of Dunedin. Our cruise boat came into port in the early morning. Tourists are escorted into a giant warehouse where they are separated into areas based on their destination. Of course, there is a staging area for cruise sponsored excursions, that is the first thing you notice (buses lined up ready to depart). Further in, you see queues for shuttles to take you into the center of Dunedin (it costs $10 USD for a round-trip journey which is about 25 minutes/25 kilometers) And then finally, there is an open area where you can exit to enter the town of Port Chalmers, or wait for a self-initiated excursion. Throughout the warehouse, there are guides in purple jackets being helpful to folks to make sure they go where they are supposed to. Going to Dunedin is worth the effort...estimated cost for a Uber was NZ$41.44...we took the shuttle whose tickets needed to be purchased ahead of time. Port Chalmers is trying to promote itself so people stop by instead of skipping it altogether. We did stop by after our trip to Dunedin, and it was a very easy walk to the town center and nearby retail shops. Note that they check the name on your cruise card to a picture ID when entering, so passport or driver's license is needed when you exit the ship. Also, New Zealand is very strict about not allowing any unsealed food from the ship from entering, and threatens large fines if caught.

After sailing the Tasman Sea for two days and cruising Milford Sound, our first land excursion in…read moreNew Zealand started with a round-trip scenic train ride from Port Chalmers to Pukerangi (Middlemarch) through the Taieri Gorge. We boarded the train at the port, just a few steps from our docked cruise ship at Port Chalmers, and rode past the town of Dunedin and several other smaller towns. We were prepared to see flocks of sheep, as we've always been told that there are more sheep than humans living in New Zealand, but as we rode past the town and neighborhoods, we barely saw any sheep; instead, we saw cattle! The train tour took us through the rugged South Island terrain where we saw deep canyons carved by the Taieri River, negotiated very narrow tunnels (original tunneling done by explosives and shovels) where it seemed as though there was only a 6" clearance on both sides for the train cars to pass through, and dramatic viaducts. The tour guide commented about the "blasting holes" along a stretch of the mountain sides as the laborers made way for the railway and below, along the river, were gold prospectors had staked their claims and mines. He also mentioned the wild-growing New Zealand tea trees known as "Mānuka and Kānuka" shrub-trees, native kauri (one of the world's largest and most ancient) trees, New Zealand Christmas trees or "Pōhutukawa", and many more native evergreens in the forests. The tour guide also commented about the Monterey pine trees forming the planted and harvestable forest. When we reached Pukerangi (Middlemarch) station, we deboarded the train. We stretched our legs walking around a small open market with local vendors selling edibles, handmade wool accessories, and quilted items. At the same time, the locomotive did a reverse slide to pull the train back into Dunedin. The clean, brisk, and fresh air at Pukerangi was exhilarating, and we almost didn't want to leave this remote station and "off-the-grid" location. We only saw ONE house near the station, surrounded by open plains, rolling hills, and views of New Zealand's Southern Alps. It may have taken us 2 - 2.25 hours to reach Pukerangi, but we barely noticed the time as the landscapes and forests enthralled us. During the train ride, we were served a box lunch and a bottle of water. The train stewardess commented that they also have a pantry car, or snack car, where one could purchase more snacks or beverages if needed. We returned to the beautiful and historic Dunedin Train Station around 2:30 pm, which, according to the train timetable, was accurate. The round trip took us around 5 to 5.5 hours. After which, we spent some time browsing around the town of Dunedin and having a wonderful lunch of Bluff oysters and fish and chips.

"Feel the rattle and rumble of your vintage railcar as you wind through the mountains of Taieri…read moreRiver Gorge." That's the soundbite that pulls you in, to take this 4.5 hour total journey to go inland by rail to see the impressive Taieri Gorge on the South Island of New Zealand. It's designed to fit into the schedule of day visitors coming in from a cruise ship docked in nearby Port Chalmers. In fact, the cruise boats offer it as a ship-sponsored excursion for an exclusive train dedicated to only cruisers. It also has the convenience of being picked up/dropped off right very close to the cruise boat (whereas you have to find your own way if buying directly from provider). And of course, there is a guarantee that the ship will not leave without any passengers that are delayed on a ship-sponsored trip. But one will pay a steep upcharge for this: my brother calculated it to be possibly a 300% markup and it seemed that it cost more as you go up the cruise line chain (i.e. a similar trip cost $100 more on Celebrity than on Royal Caribbean). We did go direct with the vendor and arrived to the train station about 15 minutes before scheduled departure. Tickets are mobile and have assigned seats. The train cars have seating meant to be used for long distances (though there were no overhead compartments for baggage, so any bags brought need to be stowed between your legs). The seats are configured with four facing each other across a table (so eating and/or playing cards would be easy). The tracks are dedicated for this trip for tourists so the return trip is exactly the same, except in reverse (i.e. if you were facing forward going there, you will be facing backwards going back). Also because the best views of the gorge are on the right side of the train going there, the conductor recommended that we switch seats on the return trip to let everyone get their chance for the views. Speaking of the conductor, he was on the intercom giving facts and observations throughout our journey but it was hard to hear (most people were having animated conversations with each other). The cars themselves have large windows for easy observation and in some places we were quite high up with some fantastic views. The train and the rail are maintained exclusively for this trip, and thus depend on visitors to keep going. It was a full train, so it seems like it continues to do well. Because we were on the non-cruise trip, most of the people on the train seemed to be non-cruise visitors. We got to learn a lot about New Zealand from our neighbors, who were visiting from other parts of the country. Like a lot of excursions, the enjoyment of the trip is enhanced by interaction with your fellow travelers, so a bit of luck involved. They do serve food and (alcoholic) beverages on the train, but requires you to go to another car to purchase and bring back. They had cans of local beer (we tried both Emerson's Super Quench and Emerson's Hazed and Confused). We split a hot ham and cheese sandwich along with various chips and even a charcutier tray. There is a long period of time inside the gorge where there is no cell service, thus if you need to pay using a credit card during that time, you would leave your name and seat number so you can pay later once re-entering cell service. At the half-way point, we were given a 20 minute break where we could get off and stretch our legs a bit. There were vendors situated in the area, and many of the passengers took the opportunity to interact and purchase, if they so chose. This was the one train for the day, so the vendors were waiting around just for that moment. The return trip definitely seemed longer than the trip there (even though it was the same time-wise), and have to admit I missed some scenic views because I wasn't paying particular attention. This is a definite must if you are a train-lover. The entertainment is about the train as much about the scenery. But if you consider trains just as another mode of transportation and nothing more, 4.5 hours is a really long time to be sitting in a cramped space for some really nice but relatively short views. I happen to be the former, so I really enjoyed the trip.

My family stopped over for a night here when travelling by road from Christchurch to Queenstown…read more Affordable, clean, satisfactory. Interesting to see that the rooms are well equipped for the winter weather (although we were there in summer). Staff were friendly and polite. They shared with us information on the nearby attractions and were even willing to offer us some milk. Would recommend this to anyone looking for affordable accommodation in Dunedin.

This was a beast of a place to stay (good). A mate and I just needed somewhere to stay for the…read morenight before we went on our way. The room was clean, tidy, it had a Sky Box with more channels than you could need, comfortable and good condition beds, bathroom and shower was clean and we'll kept. There was even a small kitchen and stove to cook your own meals. Free 100mbps of wifi which can be upgraded for a fee. The location of the place itself is really nice, just a walk across the road and you're effectively on St. Kilda beach. Perfect for a walk along the coast. Definitely would go there again and recommend to all!

After sailing from Hobart, Tasmania, to New Zealand's South Island to enjoy the extraordinary…read morebeauty of Milford Sound and the island's majestic Fiordland National Park, we continued sailing for another day to beautiful Port Chalmers, located on this country's southeastern coast. Our cruise ship docked at 8 am, and by 9 am, we, along with most of our fellow passengers, excitedly boarded a train to spend our day exploring the scenic and historic Taieri Gorge, browsing, shopping, and having lunch in its delightful town of Dunedin. We understood that the round-trip (port to Pukerangi to train station) scenic train ride would take 5.5 hours, and the train timetable was accurate because we arrived at the train station exactly at 2:30 pm. On the way out to the Taieri Gorge, we passed the railway station, and our guide reminded us that we could be let off there or continue back to the port where our cruise ship was docked after the scenic tour ended. Some people stayed on the train while we decided to wander around the railway station and town. From the boarding platform, we started to admire the stunning architectural features and were almost overwhelmed by its ornate interior. Three female docents, dressed in early 20th-century attire, greeted everyone who entered from the boarding platform. They offered some historical information about the landmark's architect, George Troup, AKA "Gingerbread George"; the building's revived Flemish Renaissance "gingerbread house" architectural features; and its main mosaic flooring, which is made up of 750,000 pieces of Royal Doulton porcelain. In contrast, its striking black-and-white exterior is made from local black basalt rock blocks from Kokonga, lighter or white limestone facings from Oamaru, pink granite supporting pillars on its front side, and terracotta shingles from Marseille roof over the boarding platform. The docents also led us to their museum, museum shop, and art gallery on the second floor. Immediately outside the station is Anzac Square, where a formal "knot garden" was created. We admired the knot garden and sat for a few minutes to soak in the grandeur of this landmark before crossing the street to walk up Lower Stuart Street, where we scarfed down made-to-order, delicious, hot fish and chips and fresh and sweet Bluff oysters. We met with fellow passengers at the designated cruise ship bus stop and returned on board well before the ship's 5:30 pm departure.

We visited this iconic train station while in Dudedin for the day. It's beautiful both outside and…read moreinside. They're were plenty of people taking pictures everywhere so it's hard to get the perfect shot, but apparently this is one of the most famous buildings in all of NZ, so it's kind of a must for tourists. They have bathrooms inside and you can walk around inside for free. There is also a cafe that has pretty good reviews but we went elsewhere for lunch and didn't have time to stop. It's a quick stop, and within the asking distance from plenty of other things to see in dudedin. Don't miss it!

On my road trip through New Zealand I primarily stayed in various small motels until one of my…read morenights ended at the Victoria Hotel. The location of this hotel is great! Easily within walking distance of a variety of restaurants and stores. During my stay here there was on going construction at the hotel and the buildings around the hotel. Waking up to the clamoring of hammers isn't ideal after a long trip. In it's current condition I probably wouldn't stay here again but maybe after construction is over I'd give it another go.

We decided to stay near the center of town so the Victoria…read morelooked like a good choice. We were assigned and first floor room in the new section. It was a great room. It looked new with a good king bed. The TV worked fine and had CNN so we got caught up with home news. There were a lot of restaurants near by so we didn't use the hotel restaurant. We did make coffee in the room and used the toaster. The folks at the desk were very helpful with local info. We stayed in March 2017.

Finally! After staying at many hotels during our trip in NZ, we found decent bed and pillows here…read moreto have a comfortable sleep through the night! Very grateful! The location was perfect! Walkable to Octagon, Otago Museum, train station and university. Our room was spacious and well furnished. The breakfast provided was simple but ok. The only frustration was the WiFi which was soooo bad that it was not acceptable! No excuse!

The Scenic Hotel is located in a convenient spot on Princes St., not a long walk from shops…read more(including the Meridian Mall), restaurants, and a few sights. The rooms are nice, clean, and spacious, and there are very good views from the upper-floor balconies. The staff members were friendly and helpful.

Clean modern and looks like it's been recently updated. The…read moreowners are super friendly and they offer free wifi. Great location for business travel.

The location of the Best Western is convenient. It's just outside of the central part of the city…read moreand avoids the inevitable traffic. It's at the gateway to the Otago Peninsula. And it's not far from St. Clair Beach and the Esplanade. The motel room was well-maintained. If you're traveling during the colder months, be aware that the built-in heater is not strong enough to warm the room. Be prepared to sleep with the bed's heating pads on. This is common in many New Zealand accomodations, and shouldn't be seen as criticism.