New Zealand yacht charter
New Zealand is a southern-summer charter of green islands, wine and walking, from the northern bays to the fjords of the south-west. January and February are the warmest months. It suits outdoor-minded couples and families.
New Zealand is a yacht destination for the southern summer. Its waters run from the subtropical bays of the north, through the vineyard islands off Auckland, to the deep sounds at the top of the South Island and the fjords of the far south-west. It is cooler than the tropics and greener than the Mediterranean, and each day mixes the sea with walking, wine and food ashore.
Why go, and whom it suits
Families
The Bay of Islands and the Hauraki Gulf suit families: sheltered water, short hops, beaches, walks, and towns close by. The water is cooler than in the tropics, so bring or ask for wetsuits for children.
Couples and honeymoons
Waiheke's wineries, the Marlborough Sounds' quiet coves and the fjords of the south. It suits couples who like the outdoors.
Friends and celebrations
Wine-tasting on Waiheke and in Marlborough, fishing, diving and hiking.
Less suited to anyone who wants warm water and long swims. The water is cooler than in the tropics, even in summer.
The areas
New Zealand is the cool, green end of our South Pacific and Australasia.
The Bay of Islands
in the north: islands and calm bays around Russell and Paihia, bottlenose dolphins in a marine mammal sanctuary, and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840.
The Hauraki Gulf
at Auckland's door: Waiheke's vineyards, Rangitoto, and Aotea (Great Barrier Island), the Gulf's largest island, further out.
The Marlborough Sounds
at the top of the South Island: Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds, native bush to the water, Greenshell mussels from Havelock, and Marlborough's wine country nearby.
Fiordland
in the far south-west: Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds. It is remote, wet and spectacular, best on an expedition-style yacht with time to wait for the weather. We check what the yacht needs to cruise there.
When to go
January and February are the warmest and the busiest.
The months either side of summer are quieter and cooler.
Fiordland is often wet. The rain is what fills its waterfalls, and the captain plans around it.
What it costs
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate. Her page shows it "from", which is her lowest season. Each yacht's rate is in its own currency, often US dollars outside Europe. Our guide sets out what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
- GST, New Zealand's goods and services tax, is 15%. Ask us how it applies to the yacht you are considering.
- Rules. We check that the yacht you are considering may charter in New Zealand waters.
- Permits for Fiordland or a marine reserve, where they apply, are set out in the quote.
- APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is paid with the balance. It is money held by the captain for fuel, food, drinks, permits and similar costs, spent on your instructions and accounted for at the end; anything unspent is returned. Budget up to 40% of the charter fee; long or remote passages can need more.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
The Bay of Islands
This is a round trip from Opua, whose marina takes superyachts. The yacht and the weather decide the real order.
Board in the afternoon, and dinner in Russell, the old whaling town.
A swim from the anchorage, and a walk ashore.
An island reserve with a walking track and quiet beaches.
Out to the cape. The bay is a marine mammal sanctuary: if dolphins come within 300 m, the yacht stops until they are further away, and nobody goes in the water within 300 m of them.
Bays, snorkelling and a beach lunch.
The Treaty Grounds in the morning, and an evening at anchor.
A last walk and disembarkation.
The yachts that cruise here
The yachts we show in New Zealand are motor yachts that cruise the Pacific and Australasia for a season, and they also appear on our Australia page. We arrange crewed yachts here and look across the market for each enquiry, among yachts based in New Zealand and those passing through. The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
How do we get there?
Fly to Auckland. For the Bay of Islands, a short domestic flight north, or the drive. For the Marlborough Sounds, fly on to Marlborough Airport at Blenheim.
Is the water warm enough to swim?
In summer many people swim, though the water is cooler than in the tropics. Many yachts carry wetsuits.
Can we combine the North and South Islands?
Yes, on a longer voyage, or with a flight between two cruising areas. The coast between them is open ocean.
Is Fiordland worth it?
For those who love wild places, very much. It needs time and flexibility for the weather, and it suits an expedition-style yacht.
Is New Zealand good for children?
Yes. The northern bays are sheltered, there is plenty to do ashore, and the towns are close.
Do we need a visa?
Check the rules for your passport with Immigration New Zealand before you travel. Visitors who do not need a visa may need an NZeTA, an electronic travel authority applied for online.
Can we taste wine along the way?
On Waiheke Island, and in Marlborough near the Sounds. Tell us before the charter, and we plan the visits.
What about the weather?
It changes quickly, and a cool, wet day can happen even in summer. The captain chooses sheltered bays and plans around it.
If you are also weighing Australia
Australia has warm water, the Reef and the Kimberley. New Zealand has green islands, wine, walking and the fjords. Both have the same austral summer, and some voyages do both. See Australia.
New Zealand | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
Best months | The southern summer; January and February are the warmest | The Whitsundays most comfortably from about April to October; the Kimberley in the dry season, roughly April to September |
The water | Cooler than the tropics, even in summer | Warm on the Reef; a stinger suit for swimming |
Known for | Green islands, wine, walking, the fjords | The Reef, the Kimberley's wilderness, Sydney Harbour |
GST | 15% |
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the trip is for: a family summer, a honeymoon, a week of wine and walking with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
New Zealand.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.