TSS Earnslaw Lake Wakatipu Steamship Cruise from Queenstown

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Cruise on Queenstown’s iconic vintage steamship, TSS Earnslaw. Relax on board and admire the stunning alpine scenery whilst you cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Explore the decks, view the engine room, watch the stokers in action or purchase delicious snacks/drinks from the Promenade Café.

Please be sure to arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time to check in.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Food and drinks

Hotel pickup and drop-off

What To Expect

Lake Wakatipu

Cruise over to Walter Peak High Country Farm and return.

Admission Not Applicable

Options

TSS Earnslaw Cruise

Reviews

4.45

277 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

188

Self drive expetience South Island
32glendah,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Ship was fantastic experience. But be aware if you book tripsdvisor amount is US $ so when converted into NZ$ pay extra $30. Buy tickets at wharf.
It was interesting to see...
Christa S,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00
It was interesting to see the machine room. But the ship was fully booked, no chanche to hear and of the explanations. Long stay at Walter Peaks farm.
Great trip - Bad music man
SampsonLKnight,
Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
Good and Bad. We had a great trip across to the station however regarding the person playing guitar and singing. The music came from every speaker on the top inside deck (probably the lower deck also). It was relentless and not great. For our group it spoiled the trip. A majority of the people on board were tourists who didn’t speak English and wouldn’t even know the songs. This is the 3rd trip we have had in the last 4 years but this trip was dissapointing.
Lady of the Lake
Gary G,
Nov 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
It was a beautiful lake cruise to see the mountains and scenery around the area. A highlight was to see the waterfall along the way and see the workings of the TSS Earnslaw steamship that has been cruising the lake since 1912.
A piece of history with beautiful views
Michelle R,
Nov 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had a beautiful day for our cruise and it was truly a great outing. The ship itself is amazing and provided entertainment watching how it works. We found the people that worked on the ship to be very friendly. It was nice that we only did the cruise because the majority of the people got off at the farm and we only had probably about 30 people on the whole boat on our return trip. Made it great to get pictures.
Full steam ahead
X3296LSpaulh,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great local knowledge and beautiful old ship, you get to view the stokers and steam engine running. Great experience and scenery.
Wonderful evening on the lake
Troy D,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a great evening cruising the lake on the wonderful old ship. Being able to watch the engineers stoke the boilers and see the steam engines in action was great. The meal at Walter Peak Station was second to none. All in all we had a wonderful evening and would say this cruise is a must do for anyone travelling to Queenstown.
Get your tickets here
Frankie A,
Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Amazing experience. Start to finish. Able to get on board and overall happy I used Viator Last minute booking. Glad I had Viator to help book this.
Awesome relaxing cruise
sparkynz74,
Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Really enjoyed the trip over to Walter Peak Farm. Music was pleasant and not too loud. Staff were pleasant and keen to talk about the workings of the engine. Unfortunately the guitarist had to turn up the music with rowdy group returning - that hurt my ears so I was forced to go and stand at the front of the ship.
Beautiful scenery
Nicola S,
Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Lovely smooth cruise along Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown Stunning scenery with the snow capped mountains. The captain was very informative about the ship and various locations on the lake.