Well I'm about to leave Auckland and I'm happy to report that it's a great city as a cruise port of call. We arrived early and our rooms weren't ready but the Crowne Plaza stored our bags and we walked down to the waterfront.
Auckland is New Zealand's largest city and has a population of 1.5 million and it is a small and compact city. Built upon a number of extinct volcanoes it is also a very hilly city and reminded me a lot of San Francisco. The waterfront area is clean and modern and the cruise ships dock right in the heart of the city. You can walk off the ship and you are straight onto Queens Street with shops, bars and restaurants. There is no need to pay for organised excursions. From the waterfront you can jump on a hop on hop off bus and take in Auckland's top sites or take a boat across to Waiheke Island or a harbour tour. Alternatively if you fancy being an adrenaline junky just had into town and sit on the reverse bungee jump which will hurtle you up to the sky.
In terms of hotels if you are thinking of a pre-cruise stay the Hilton down below is right on the harbour and is probably the best located in terms of views across the bay, although I believe this view is compromised when a ship is in port. The Copthorne Harbour City and Mercure are also right on the front. The Sky City Grande is the 5 star property and is set within the city itself, although this is only a 5 minute walk from the front. It is part of the Sky City complex with the only casino in Auckland and one of only 5 in the country. You can also go up the Sky City Tower although to be honest all of the hotels are tall and slim so I imagine they all offer amazing views of the city. Request a high floor is you stay here.
Yesterday afternoon our driver Rhys took us on a drive around Auckland and her surrounding areas. He has worked for APT for many years now and his knowledge is amazing. He spent the full hour pointing out all the places of interest and filling us in on New Zealand's history, culture and politics. I gained a far greater insight into the area than if I had just wandered around by myself.
Today we are heading south to Rotorua and it will be good to see how the country changes. Auckland is a modern city and quite Americanised so I am looking forward to seeing the more traditional areas of the island. There is also a lot of excitement about heading to Hobbiton, although I confess I am not a Hobbit expert myself. I will let you know what I think.
