7 January 2019
Visited Stewart Island with teenage son. Travelled there by ferry. Service was punctual and very professionally run. Something that is essential given the often challenging sea conditions in this area. A most enjoyable experience and one I would recommend.
4 November 2018
We took the ferry to Stewart Island. It takes an hour on a fast ferry. The waters in Fouveaux Strait are rough even on calm days. I do get seasick but sat by a window looking out to the horizon and was fine. Great service by the team at both ports and on the ferry.
17 September 2018
Great way to travel from Bluff to Stewart Island. Our trip was lovely cruising at 20 knots in a lite sea.
Thanks for a great experience.
2 August 2018
A great way to get to Stewart Island. Very professional operators and hospitable crew. Bar on board, plus tea and coffee and great scenery but can be a little rough at times.
23 June 2018
The sea conditions on the trip to the island was very rough with large swells running but the skipper made sure we got the smoothest ride possible. The ferry itself was comfortable with plenty of room when seated. Overall impressive!
19 June 2018
Lovely travel on the cat. A little rough for the other of our party that came over the next day but with wonderful staff on board and assistance, all was good. Even the non seafarers..would highly recommend
3 June 2017
From an easy friendly phone call booking the night before to when we returned back to Bluff it was a great experience. Everyone working was engaging & super friendly/helpful. Skipper & crew-who he introduced to us with their names was awesome. Free tea/coffee & they even help you take it back to your seat. Lovely clean boat, the sailing was fab. A wonderful experience, thank you ❤
Visited June 2017
19 May 2017
Excellent service from the Stewart Island ferry company. We broke down en route to the ferry, and they were amazingly helpful on the phone reassuring us that provided we arrived before the ferry left we would get on it.
Lovely staff, spacious well maintained ferry. Thanks so much for a lovely experience.
Visited April 2017
27 April 2017
The catamaran was clean, modern and provided a mixture of mostly individual seating with a few tabled booths (snacks can be purchased with free complimentary tea or coffee available from small bar) as well as outdoor seating- first on best seated!
School holiday periods usually have a special deal where a child travels free with a paying adult, which was great for our group. At $135/adult return trip we thought this was pretty good value and it was a unique way of seeing the mainland as well as other islands including Stewart Island from a different vantage point... and it sure beats swimming!!
Visited April 2017
13 March 2017
A good trip to Stewart island and back. A little rough but added to the ride. Recommend to all visitors to the Deep South.
Visited March 2017
16 March 2017
Our trip over and back was so calm... staff were friendly and very helpful ... nice way to meet travellers visiting the island.
Visited March 2017
15 March 2017
Been told all kinds of tales about this trip but we couldn't have asked for better. Smooth fast trip with places of interest pointed out. Friendly staff very helpful. Booked wrong date and they were very kind and rebooked for right day at no extra cost. Thanks ferry people you were great.
Visited March 2017
15 March 2017
Our captain narrated the interesting bits of the crossing and we even detoured a bit to watch an oyster ship being up its trawler full of oysters. Somewhat choppy water but the ferry was right on time.
Visited March 2017
18 January 2017
On a good day you can get great photos of the sea birds soaring over the straight sit back and relax with a wine or tea and coffee.
The staff are friendly and helpful. Only one hour from Bluff this is a great way to arrive at the Island.
Visited January 2017
18 January 2016
We had a very smooth crossing to Stewart Island, and a slightly more bumpy ride back to Bluff. The ferry is comfortable, and we saw plenty of wildlife - albatrosses and shearwaters - from the windows.
5 January 2017
We were picked up as organised from our accomodation in Invercargill and delivered to the Bluff port. The ferry crossing going to Stewart Island was pretty calm and uneventful. Free tea and coffee offered onboard and the captain gave commentary on points of interest. Coming back to Bluff the crossing was quite rough but the boat and captain could obviously handle the conditions so I was not concerned at all. Departure lounges at both ports were good and had brochures on local attractions.
Visited December 2016
29 December 2016
Foveaux Strait is rough so no trip is guaranteed to be comfortable. What I got was a safe ferry operator who was sensible to cancel some sailings in bad weather. So what? We stayed an extra night and spent a little bit extra? The next day was still a rough crossing but we got back safely. The boats (different boat each way) were clean and the crew were top quality and did what they could to help all the many sick people (including my children). Thanks.
Visited December 2016
23 December 2016
As with many things on Stewart island the ferry company is a monopoly with no direct competitor but they do not behave this way. The service is prompt and friendly. Foveaux is a difficult crossing which we experienced both directions. The staff were alert to people feeling or being ill and very very kind discreet and caring to those who were unwell. Also friendly and happy to chat with others who want the skinny on life on the island. Awesome!
Visited December 2016
21 December 2016
On the way over we went on a smaller boat which was great fun. It was a little choppy but there were lots of birds to see. On the return journey we were on a bigger boat the sea was calmer but it didn't seem to ride the waves as well as the smaller one. A place you would probably only visit once in your life so worth doing everything.
Visited December 2016
18 December 2016
Very helpful staff. Open to all the questions asked about the crossing. Gave us a good tip for dinner on the island. Thank you.
16 February 2017
Ferry was on time, fast, clean, comfortable. Crew pointed out sights and birds and sealife on the way. I left my camera behind and got it back on the next trip - this probably wouldn't have happened in the US!!
Visited November 2016
15 November 2016
Seamless organisation, meeting the bus connection from Invercargill Airport, through to Bluff then on the ferry across to Stewart Island. A north easterly breeze meant there were a few white caps and a 1m swell. It was a little bumpy getting out of Bluff but then really quite straightforward. We did need to remain seated as the swell meant the boat moved a little unpredictably. I chose to sit out the back as I love the spray and smell of the sea and was not disappointed. I watched an albatross play in the wake and soar and swoop which was a real highlight. I recommend the trip! (For those who get seasick, you would want to take some medication! Staff were attentive and helpful all the way.)
Visited November 2016
30 March 2015
We took a day trip with the Stewart Island Ferry and found them to be very good. Smooth crossing both ways with pleasant and informative crew.
Visited February 2015
29 March 2015
We parked our car at Bluff and took the ferry to the island and vice versa. The ferry is clean and comfortable with toilets (clean) on board. There is a bar with snacks and soft and alcoholic drinks on board at fair prices. The skipper was user friendly and happy to answer any questions. Very punctual and luggage loaded and unloaded very efficiently.
Visited February 2015
