Cruises Dunedin

Dunedin is New Zealand’s seventh oldest city and one of the country’s most beautiful when it comes to architecture. Thanks to its bluestone Victorian buildings and hilly suburbs, the locals call it ‘Edinburgh of the South’ and it does have a strong resemblance to Scotland.

Cruising to Dunedin, you will anchor at Port Chalmers – a port town serving the city of Dunedin and the surrounding Otago Region. Port Chalmers is just a 15-minute drive away from Dunedin, it is much smaller but is also worth a visit, with its heritage attractions and numerous galleries.

The Best Time to Cruise to Dunedin

Dunedin and the region are best explored on a sunny, dry day, so try to book your Dunedin cruise holiday for the months of January to May.

The best all around month is April, there are a couple of reasons for that:

• – The weather is generally very good
• – It is not peak tourist season yet, so no crowds and the prices are lower
• – The Wild Dunedin Festival is on, celebrate local eco system conservation together with the locals

Things to Do in Dunedin

Here is a list of our favourite things to do in Dunedin:

• – Visit the most photographed building in New Zealand that is the Dunedin Railway Station. This striking bluestone construction is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside, and features a small museum and an art gallery upstairs. If you have time, do go on one of the scenic rail journeys departing from here.
• – Enjoy a performance at the Fortune Theatre, the world’s southernmost professional theatre that is housed in a Gothic Wesleyan church.
• – Book an hour’s guided tour ahead and wander around the stunning Olveston, a 1906 mansion that will give you an insight into the city’s past.
• – Explore the history of human settlement on the South Island at the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. The museum is interactive, so you can easily connect to some of the Maori and Victorian-era history.
• – Browse around the University Book Shop to find some great Maori, Pacific and New Zealand titles among others.
• – Buy a unique souvenir at the Stuart Street Potters Co-operative.
• – The Otago Farmers Market boasts some of the best local and mostly organic produce, grab some lunch or just check out what the region has to offer.

Top Cruise Lines

There is a great range of cruise lines that include Dunedin in their itineraries. A lot of them will depart from a home port near you.

Here are some of the most popular ones:

• P&O Australia cruises to Dunedin
• Princess cruises to Dunedin
• Silversea cruises to Dunedin
• Carnival Australia cruises to Dunedin
• Viking Ocean cruises to Dunedin