TSS Earnslaw Lake Wakatipu Steamship Cruise from Queenstown

Badge of ExcellenceQueenstown, New Zealand

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Cruise Lake Wakatipu on a vintage Edwardian steamship with tickets for a cruise aboard TSS Earnslaw from Queenstown. Watch the stokers feed the TSS Earnslaw’s coal fires and enjoy views of the mountains. This scenic cruise departs from a central location in Queenstown, with multiple sailings throughout the day.

Steamship tour from Queenstown
Sail on a historic, coal-powered ship
See Otago scenery from the water
Multiple times offered throughout the day

What's Included

GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

88 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Please arrive 30 minutes before departure and queue directly outside the TSS Earnslaw, you will be checked in by name. (You are not required to check in at the office prior to this time)

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Make your way to the Steamer Wharf at Queenstown’s waterfront, and present your voucher for a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw. The "TSS" in the name stands for “twin screw steamer”, and the TSS Earnslaw is the last remaining coal-fired passenger steamer in the southern hemisphere, propelled by a pair of screw propellers mounted on either side of the hull.

You have time to explore the ship during the cruise, and don’t miss the chance to head below decks to the engine room, where stokers feed a roaring coal fire. Explore the small onboard museum that's located in the forecastle, or head to the TSS Earnslaw’s café, where snacks and drinks are available for purchase. There are also dramatic views of the mountains that surround the lake, which has a maximum depth of 1,250 feet (380 meters) before making the return trip across Lake Wakatipu to Queensland’s Steamer Wharf, where this tour concludes.

Lake Wakatipu (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 150 travelers

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 good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Jenny_H

Able to see the beautiful scenery from a different perspective. Lovely steamship. Staff were all friendly and helpful. Great experience!

Reviews

4.5

201 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 201 reviews

Earnshaw Cruise on Wakatipu

Derek_S, May 2024

A very pleasant cruise up Lake Wakatipu on a vintage steamer on a lovely winter's day when the scenery looked awesome.

terrible customer service

Troy_C, May 2024

Lyn was very rude and disrespectful. It became about race and class. I wasn't an asian client and she treated me with unprofessionalism. I made a mistake and thought I purchased the bbq. my son walked off the boat when she was talking to me she had a audience and I said I was going to get me son who has special needs off the boat she grabbed my arm physically. this shocked and embarrassed me. I also purchased a coffee for my wife and son which she said she would make as soon as we get started again. that never happened she told my wife she was washing the dishes and begin serving others. I didn't want to confront her but it made me so upset I did. racist person against black or non asian people.

Spectacular way to see the lake.

David_A, Apr 2024

Loved our short cruise on Lake Wakatipu. Checked out the engine room. Interesting seeing the engine workings and see the stoker at work. One ticked off the bucket list.

Scenic boat ride

CarolynSarah_U, Apr 2024

Scenic boat ride to and from Walter Peak. A friendly piano player was on board who played tunes for us for the duration of the ride. Staff were friendly and helpful.

A good thing to do on a nice day in Queenstown

Eileen_G, Apr 2024

Pleasant cruise with nice views on route. Boat is very quaint you can see the engine etc if you want . You can buy drinks on board at the bar if you fancy one . A lot of people got off at the restaurant at the other side of the lake which they really rated

Fun, Living History

stephen, Apr 2024

Fantastic experience, the sights of the lake, the history of the boat, a great blend. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to explore the area more.

Lovely

Rosina_K, Apr 2024

Wonderful boat ride & nice staff Beautiful views & photo ops. Stopped at Walter peak, which is amazing. Everyone was relaxed and happy truly beautiful scenery.

Amazing

Carina_S, Mar 2024

Everything loved that you could go all over the boat and got to see the engine and loading of the boiler

Great trip

James_F, Mar 2024

Excellent trip on a perfectly restored historic steamship. The best way to see Lake Wakatipu. Wonderful experience.

Very enjoyable.

Michelle_B, Mar 2024

The Lake Wakatipu Steamship Cruise from Queenstown is a must do trip when in Queenstown. An awesome time had on board. The scenery was stunning.

A must do whilst in Queenstown.

Gavin_H, Mar 2024

The scenery was stunning, the lake was calm when we went which made the trip smooth sailing. A beautiful vessel to take a trip on, rich in history and lovingly restored. Enjoy the views and take in where you are, don't just go for a joy ride like many people did the day we went, they were too busy chatting and drinking to really appreciate where you are, not even looking at the views, this may be a once in a lifetime experience for some.

Worthwhile trip!

Jenny_H, Mar 2024

Able to see the beautiful scenery from a different perspective. Lovely steamship. Staff were all friendly and helpful. Great experience!

Very scenic, but did not...

Conrad_J, Feb 2024

Very scenic, but did not get off at the destination and would have liked to walk about, even for the 5-10 minutes that we stopped. Was not allowed!

Steams up!

Gregory_J, Feb 2024

Great trip on the lake. Impressive vessel and food/drink service on board is very good. Although hundreds of people board each trip there is plenty of seating on board.

Classic Cruise in a beautiful country

Lawrence_P, Jan 2024

I love old boats and this was a great cruise on a true classic! The scenery was amazing and it was so nice hearing nothing but the sound of the wake. The coal fired steam engine is incredibly quiet under way (unless you’re in the engine room😬).

Worth doing once

Elise_D, Jan 2024

Spend a but more and book the lunch, as otherwise you can't get off the boat at all. The grounds at the station looked lovely

Close qharters views!

kerry_m, Dec 2023

Booked as my husband is an engineer and he loved it. Had good access to view the workings of her and chatted to the stokers and engineer. Even let him blow the whistle. She is beautiful, good bar, friendly staff and even a pianist!

Unique ship!

Darashaw_M, Dec 2023

Even though the ship is over 100 years old, it is in good shape and the trip was interesting. The scenery was spectacular, but the highlight for me was the Singer who kept us entertained all the way through.

Breathtaking

sharyn_p, Oct 2023

Breathtaking views. Crew were very helpful. Great experience for anyone that loves a relaxing cruise.

Peaeful, Remarkable Scenery

Paulene_M, Oct 2023

The beautiful Queenstown scenery. The Escape from everyday life. A little touch of paradise. A very multi-cultural experience. Met some lovely people.

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