Leila Rahil

Review of Interislander Ferry, Wellingto...

It really depends on which vessel you travel on as...

It really depends on which vessel you travel on as to the experience you will have. I did the ride from Wellington to Picton on the evening cruise and the ship I was on was the Kaitaki. It was a beautiful cruise and seriously one of the ferry crossings for scenery. I enjoyed the viewing lounge, though the seats in front of the window are prime space, so the sooner you can snag one, the better! The bathrooms were clean and accessible and the cafeteria was affordable (I did their fish & chips combo) with surprisingly decent food. The crew was very nice as well. I drove on w/a car and they were very good about instructions (it was my first time).

On the return trip from Picton to Wellington, I did the 2pm cruise on the Aratika. I did not like the layout of this ship as much and the viewing deck inside was not as enjoyable because the windows were not clear enough to see through. The walking decks were a bit more crowded on the outside as well, so I spent most of the cruise inside. Both the bar and cafeteria eatery were pretty packed, but they had a seafood basket w/fries and a pint special that was OK, but not as good as the fish & chips were. The crew for this cruise were not as good as explaining where to go after parking nor were their directions for parking on the actual ship. A guy had me pull up too close to a pipe and I tried telling him I would not be able to get out and he still insisted I pull up, but of course, I was too close and had to get out and then back in via the passenger side!
So, I would definitely recommend the ship and time of the first sailing as it was a much better experience.

Also, they are very strict about the check-in time, you have to be there at least 1hr before the departure time if you are bringing your car on. Check-in was surprisingly easy. I made my res online and you are sent a PDF voucher in confirmation email and you can show on your phone at the booth. They give you a dashboard ticket for your car and a passenger ticket for you, which you give to a guy as you board the ship.
I was there about 1hr15mins before and the cars began to load just a few mins past the 1hr mark. Besides, the earlier you get there the sooner you get on and off the ferry and the better your chances are for a good seat in the observation lounge.