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Shore Excursion: Napier and Surrounding Countryside Scenic Tour

Name: Shore Excursion: Napier and Surrounding Countryside Scenic Tour
Brand: Deco City Discoverer
SKU: 104453P2
Price: 72.89 USD
Rating: 4.0 (69 reviews)

Napier, New Zealand

Cruise Shore Excursion of Napier and surrounding countryside

3 hours
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Make the most of a short time on land on this comprehensive tour of Napier’s highlights. Tour the Art Deco city in an Art Deco bus, with large windows and a viewing deck at the back where you can get great photos. Listen to live commentary as you drive around the city, spotting landmarks and stopping at the beautiful Art Deco National Tobacco building, the Mission Estate winery, and more.

Travel in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle
An ideal tour for first-time visitors wanting an overview
The tour lasts around 2.5 hours
Good fun for travelers with a range of interests

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle

Food and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Napier Port, Napier 4110, New Zealand
Where we have the numbers we will come to ship side

Pickup point

Napier Port

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

5/1/2023 - 4/30/2024
Monday - Sunday : 09:00 AM - 02:30 PM
5/1/2024 - 4/30/2025
Monday - Sunday : 09:00 AM - 02:30 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Our tour normally commences around 1.5 hours after the first Shuttle Bus from the ship. I will message you the pick up location and departure time on Viator We will come shipside when numbers are sufficient. I will send message on Viator with pick up time and location. Otherwise we collect travelers from the Napier Information Centre tour bus pick up area known as the "Pink Flag". This is adjacent to the Information Centre on the Marine Parade. The Information Centre is the first stop on your shuttle bus route. Thanks Mark.

What To Expect

Deco City Discoverer

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Most travelers can participate
Infants must sit on laps

Not wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 28 travelers

Operated by Deco City Discoverer

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.0

69 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 69 reviews

Informative but missed some highlights

Clare_R, Apr 2024

Informative and views from the peaks were great. Shame the chocolate factory didn't give any free samples and bus couldn't get into main napier shopping area.

Enjoyable

Vince_F, Apr 2024

Really enjoyed our tour I thought maybe it could have been done I a shorter time as apart from the Art Deco houses and info about earthquake there wasn't a lot more to see.

Boring tour not worth the money

Kevin_B, Mar 2024

There were none! . It was a long winded boring drive around stopping at a chocolate shop for 15 mins then listening to a run down of the earthquake in 1931. We finally saw some art deco homes. Trip could have been condensed into one hour instead of two. Tour narrator spent a lot of time telling the bus driver how to drive! Waste of 2 hours

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello Sorry you feel that way, we endeavor to showcase all aspects of Napier City and surrounding countryside. My guide was guiding the driver a bit as he was filling in at short notice as our normal driver was unwell so he needed to keep him on track. This was better than canceling the tour at short notice.

Mark was an excellent...

Jonathan_M, Mar 2024

Mark was an excellent tour guide and I highly recommend his services. Our group was picked up exactly as promised (and in my husband and my case, we were early to the pick-up point and Mark allowed us to come on board the bus early as he made one shuttle bus run into town for the cruise ship!). Napier is a beautiful city and Mark clearly loves his hometown and enjoyed sharing it with his guests.

Informative

Kelly_M, Mar 2024

Overall a great tour, would highly recommend, the art deco bus was great although a little bumpy but had a good laugh

Short and sweet. A sip of Napier.

Hanan_y, Mar 2024

Some seats need more padding. Tour lovely. Host very informative and helpful with mum and her walker. Easy access from the ship's port. Napier was a lovely town. Too bad no time to stop and sample any NZ wine in town. Nice side trip to get off the ship. Would have to come back and do a wine tour nexr time. Thanks

Great tour

Danny_B, Mar 2024

Beautiful place, so much to see. Art Deco buildings were amazing. Shame about the roadworks, spent a lot of time going no where. Maybe skipping this oart would have been an option? Also, arriving for a break when the inlyvcafexhad stopped serving ciffeecwas disappointing, maybe related to delays?

Napier scenic tour

Lynne_L, Feb 2024

So boring 😢 just not very interesting. Just skip the tour and walk around town you will be happier.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hello Lynne Sorry you feel that way. We have many happy travelers and I can appreciate not all people enjoy the same things. Regards Mark

Mark was a very informative and cheerful guide

Andrea_W, Feb 2024

Mark did a great job driving and being the guide for our tour. He showed us the highlights of Napier and the surrounding area just as the tour was supposed to be. He was informative and cheerful. We were pleased with the tour

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for your review Much appreciated Safe travels Regards Mark

Great Bus & Tour guide

Linda_W, Feb 2024

Veronica who we drove around was great and the driver was fab! We didn't get pick up info from viator so he had to come into town to pick us up. Where we should of waited at the cruise ship for him. Thanks to him we didn't miss our tour as he rang me. He made the tour with all his info and thank him very much.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for your review Pleased I found you in town and you had a great tour. Happy travels Regards Mark

Avoid this tour

Joel_P, Feb 2024

The most memorable part of the tour was finally getting off the tour bus and being able to walk around on our own. We got off the ship as instructed and took the shuttle into downtown Napier. When we arrived we were told to turn around and go back on the shuttle to meet the tour bus on the pier. We got on the bus at the pier only to have the tour bus go back into town to pickup others who took the shuttle into town. We wasted almost 1 hour. Additionally there was an Art Deco festival in town and the downtown streets were all closed. So the bus took us around the outskirts of town of which a lot was largely industrial. We told the driver/guide we wanted to be dropped off downtown and he preceded to take us to a virtually empty chocolate factory where we wasted another 40 minutes while he talked to folks at the chocolate factory. Most of the art deco was downtown and we wished we were able to stay there versus wasting time and money visiting the outskirts of Napier.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hello I am dissapointed you feel that way I feel you are being very critical without good reason. The message via trip advisor was very clear that I would collect everyone from the ship. It was unfortunate the last two passengers were finally located in the city. I felt obligated to collect them. It does make it hard when events are on and some streets are closed. Saturday was a very busy day for the Art Deco Festival. I do not recall anyone asking to be dropped off in town at the start of the tour? We were not at the chocolate Factory that long. At the end of the tour I offered a drop off in the city centre rather than to the ship. Some people got off to enjoy some of the atmosphere in the city and catch the shuttle bus back to the ship. I am sorry you made a mistake booking my tour instead of spending more time walking in the city. Happy travels

A great experience!

Maria_V, Feb 2024

As we were the only one who booked the tour, we got a private excursion. Our guide Bob was excellent. He told us a lot about Napier and stopped a lott to give me the possibility to take some pictures. Outside Napier, the chocolate shop had already closed but the winery was very interesting. we really enjoyed the trip.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hello Maria Thank you for your review. Regards Mark

Very Disappointed

Stephanie_D, Feb 2024

Even though the tour guide Bob was a very nice & knowledgeable man, we were expecting the tour to be on The Art Deco bus. Instead we were crammed into a small van which was at capacity. We only had 1 opportunity to get out of the van for 20 mins at a chocolate factory & a few minutes at the Tobacco building. We expected more stops & photo opportunities, not just drive-bys. Unfortunately we did not enjoy our day in Napier.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hello and thank you for your review. Have to say I am very disappointed as we do try to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time. From time to time due to operational issues we have used the Mercedes. That was my doing and should have messaged you to advise. I can not understand the "Crammed" as there were 16 passengers in a 20 seat Mercedes Sprinter that is a well respected tour vehicle. I am reviewing the day with Bob and my driver and will ensure we get this correct and avoid any disappointment in the future. Thank you for taking the time to do a review It is important to me to get this right and ensure everyone enjoys their time in Napier Regards Mark

Interesting town and history

PENNYL_B, Feb 2024

We visited a celestial compass, which was interesting. We liked the chocolate shop. Our guide told us a lot about the city’s past problems with earthquakes and cyclones (hurricanes). There was lots of pretty scenery. And our guide was very knowledgeable and interesting.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for your review Much appreciated Regards Mark

Napier with Mark is a gem

Bernard_G, Jan 2024

Mark and Bob shared the Napier story with us, and took us on an excellent tour in the Deco Bus. We had a great visit.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Bernard Thank you for your review. Always a pleasure touring our city Happy travels Regards Mark

Good tour worth the time

Tricia_F, Jan 2024

Well informed tour guide and a great way to see the town and surrounds. Chocolate factory was a nice stop. Recommended.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for your review much appreciated Regards Mark

Good trip

Sunny_P, Jan 2024

It's very nice tour. Very kind and best driver. He made us so happy. Thak you so much. See you next time,too.

Good tour

Sunny_P, Jan 2024

Very nice tour. Very very kind, brightly and best driver. Thank you so much. I hope see you again,too.

On-time, In-full. As promised.

Thomas_S, Dec 2023

Turned up on time, in place arranged. No problems, just did as expected without fuss. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Hello Thank you for your review. Appreciate your comments. Regards Mark

Almost there

Karen_G, Apr 2023

The tour has good potential. As with all independent tours, pickup info is never as clear as it could be. Our email said the bus would arrive at 9:45 for a 10 am departure. We left at 9:46 with not everyone on board. Our guide was knowledgeable and the acoustics in the bus made it difficult to hear him. The driver opened up the back once it was apparent that it was too warm in the bus. The tour stops for about 20-30 mins to get a drink and the stores nearby are not really conducive for souvenirs. At the top of one of the hills, the view was gorgeous. See if you can get the driver to stop so you can take pictures. We did not have the chance. The driver was very courteous and nice, offering to take our picture at the back of the bus. I think this tour could be a great tour with few changes, e.g. local wine tasting at the marina bay restaurant or something similar. Consider a cooler full of water on the hot days. Do take the driver up on the opportunity to get dropped off in town to view the art deco buildings. They are fune.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hi Karen Thank your for your detailed review. I appreciate all your comments and will be looking into them all. The Air conditioning although not the latest of systems has just had a lot of $ spent on it to ensure it is working to potential. We have lost a couple of good stops on the tour due to the worst cyclone in NZ history a few weeks ago, including the Silky Oak Chocolate Factory which has many of the missing items you mention. They will be back in a few months. This is very helpful review as I was not in town myself on the day and appreciate your proactive comments. We will have our tour firing on all cylinders for next season I can assure you. If you ever find yourself back in Napier I will take you up to that view again to ensure get a good photo. Kind Regards Mark