What‘s Included

What To Expect

Reviews

• Comfortable crossing

  122joanneo,

  Oct 13, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Great trip. Check in and boarding was easy. There is a bit of a walk to board with some steps but assistance is available if needed. We purchased premium lounge access which was great. Comfortable chairs, great food and alcohol. Even though it was a wet and windy day the crossing felt extremely smooth. Would definitely do this trip again.

• Family trip

  Iri5hatheart,

  Oct 6, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Found all staff very helpful , cheerful and really friendly - Very clean dining room,Great crossing tonight on the Kaiarahi . Thank you Interislander staff on tonight 07/10/2025.

• Smooth sailing and great service.

  X8464XKmatth,

  Jul 12, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Marco in the private lounge was incredibly polite and helpful. Lunch was great. Missed the fresh baked scones as they were so popular!

• Smooth sailing

  Fiona S,

  Apr 6, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  Booked the ferry to link the great journeys from picton to Wellington. I booked the premium lounge which included all food and drink and very comfortable surroundings for the entire crossing. The food was delicious! Beautiful views from the outside decks, of picton, cooks strait as you leave and Wellington on arrival. Didn’t see any dolphins or whales but apparently they are often spotted. Was a smooth sailing across Marlborough sounds. Foot passengers boarded first and were off the boat last due to connecting up the gangway. The port is a little further out of the city than the blue bridge ferry service (not sure what they’re like but the boats don’t look as nice!). You have an option of taking a free shuttle bus to the train station or getting your own transport into the city. Centre. Don’t take a cab into the city from the port…it’s a rip off! They all wanted $40, so I booked an uber for $13!

• New Zealand Great Discovery 2025 with Titan Tours

  PerArdua83,

  Mar 31, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Interislander has been connecting New Zealand across the Cook Strait for over 60 years, the original Cook Strait Ferry - one of the most spectacular ferry journeys in the world. The 52 nautical miles ( 96.3-km) sailing are daily between the North and South Islands (Wellington and Picton), carrying passengers (1,000 max capacity) and freight. From Picton we travelled through Queen Charlotte Sound - Tory Channel - Cook Strait into Wellington. You are able to stay connected both on-board Kaitaki (meaning: 'Challenger') and at the ferry terminal via free Wi-Fi (500MB per passenger) - noting that the Wi-Fi signal strength can be affected by the local weather whilst at sea, user volume and distance from land-based cell towers. There are some breathtaking views, along with some locally sourced cuisine, cinemas, free kids activities and a premium lounge (NZ$86.00), a perfect fit for the whole family whilst you cross the Cook Straight 3-hours & 30-minutes sea journey.

• Family Reunion

  tonikeir,

  Mar 19, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The check in lady Megan was so kind my husband had booked us in the wrong way Wellington to Picton and it was full but premium wasn't and we were early, plus a flight to catch the next day So all the staff were beyond helpful thankyou

• Great experience: beautiful views, comfortable seats and good food!!

  debrad28,

  Feb 26, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We took the Interislander ferry from Picton on the south island to Wellington on the north island with our rental car. You need to arrive at least an hour before your departure time, and check-in. We actually arrived 1 hour, 45 minutes early and we had 10 cars in front of us, so I would suggest that you plan to arrive early. Check-in was quick and easy--the check-in lady was super nice. She then told us which line in which we should park our car. There are toilet facilities in the parking lot which are available to use. We began loading about 45 minutes before our scheduled departure. Loading was handled very efficiently and pretty quick considering the amount of vehicles which were on the cruise. Once there, you are told to lock your car, take everything with you that you might want during the cruise, and go up to the various lounges. We paid extra for the premium lounge on the 5th floor, and we were glad that we did so. The premium lounge is a smaller venue and reserved for adults only, and includes your food and beverages, including alcoholic beverages. We had morning breakfast snacks (two types of mini-croissants, two types of mini-quiches, fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, coffee, tea and juices as well as water or soda) as we were getting ready to leave, and during the first half hour of the cruise. We were then served lunch about an hour and a half into the cruise. Lunch consisted of chicken on skewers, pork bao buns, Moroccan chicken drumsticks, and two types of salads. All of the food was good quality and served at the correct temperature. Once the ship was underway, you could order from the bar--beer and wine (not sure if cocktails were available). The steward in the premium lounge did a great job getting the food out and coming around to tell everyone when lunch was ready. He also came around and picked up plates and glasses as people finished with them. He was courteous, friendly and efficient! The premium lounge was very quiet--several people took naps, while others were working on their laptops, and others read a book or watched the beautiful scenery go by. We went up to the upper deck until we left Prince Charlotte Sound, behind and had some beautiful views during that time. After that, we continued to have a great view from the windows in the premium lounge. Although it was extremely windy, we really did not feel much movement inside the ferry--only a little rocking motion every once in a while. You cannot access your vehicle during the cruise, unless you have an animal that you left in your vehicle. Those people had the option to be escorted to their vehicles once during the cruise to check on their pets. The cruise took just under 3 hours, 30 minutes and was a most enjoyable way to get from the south island to the north island--much more enjoyable than being crammed into a small airplane seat, and you can take all of your stuff with you and just leave it in your vehicle. We would wholeheartedly recommend the Interislander Ferry if you are going between the two main islands of New Zealand.

• Scenic ferry trip through Cook Strait

  tinakelly,

  Feb 18, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  Stunning crossing , luckily calm and sunny day so views fantastic. Nice ferry, great views on open deck 10 and 7

• A great trip

  jmeh08,

  Feb 18, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had a great ride from Picton to Wellington. Checkin was very easy and well organised. The ship was clean and comfortable. The restaurant food was delicious. All in all a great afternoon on the ferry

• Excellent Island Crossing

  Ian M,

  Jan 19, 2025

  - Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Good experience all round from boarding to cruise to disembarkation. The Premium Lounge was well worthwhile with comfortable seating and inclusive good food, wine and other drinks.