APT River Cruises & Tours
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Essence of New Zealand January/February 2023
This was the sixth time we have travelled with APT (three long haul and three river cruises) and this was the most expensive, most hectic and least enjoyable of the lot. Are the hotels physically reviewed for location and the quality of the rooms? In Queenstown (New Zealand) the Millenium hotel is away from the centre of town up a steep hill so is not suitable for people who have mobility problems (and there were a number on our tour) and who do not have their own transport (we were in a coach). The restaurant was closed and this is what we had selected for the 'Freedom of choice -dining' so had the option of the Stratosfare Restaurant but my wife will not go on cable cars/gondolas, or the so called gourmet BBQ at Walter Peak Country Farm but we had done this before so did not really want to do it again. However, this was the only other choice. In Rotorua the room at the Millenium Rotorua was awful ( the hotel looks quite good until you get to the rooms). If this was a superior room I hate to think what a standard room would be like! Others on the tour had problems as well, such as remains of food left by the previous occupants! With regard to the 'Freedom of Choice', in Te Anau we chose the Glowworm caves based on the photo in the brochure. This, however, is completely misleading! To get to the caves you have duck down through a small cave entrance for about 100m in poor light making sure you do not bang your head on overhanging rocks. My wife saw the entrance and since she suffers from claustrophobia would not go. I would say also this is not suitable for people with mobility problems either but there are no warnings. From Auckland the rest of the trip to the Bay of Islands was cancelled due to the Cyclone which I fully understand but we were move to the Heritage hotel from the Crowne Plaza after one night. The transfer was chaotic, the restaurant was not open, It did not have a bar and on that first night there we were basically told that there were places we could get a meal but it was a case of getting soaked (it was pouring with rain) or not having anything to eat. Finally I had to pay the taxi fare for the transfer to Auckland airport ($NZ85). To say I was angry is an understatement since as far as I was concerned all transfers were, and in the past and on this trip were included. A fuller letter has been sent to APT and I await a response