Beachcomber Cruises. Queen Charlotte Cruise & Track Adventures

Would highly recommend their Magic Mail Run cruise. It is a great way to spend the afternoon and see parts of the country you wouldn't otherwise, especially if you go on the day they do the East bay & Endeavour Inlet run. Our tour guide and skipper, Ryan, was both incredibly knowledgeable and experienced having grown up in the sounds. His insight into the area and willingness to share was what made this cruise really stand out. We also saw a couple of Seals and even some Dolphins breifly which was a nice bonus!

Great company. Great communication. I had emailed several months prior to our trip and this company responded promptly and gave us great suggestions regarding hiking the Queen Charlotte Track. We booked the boat to take us to the QCT for a day of hiking. The boat took us to the Captain Cook site first before dropping us at the lodge where our hike would start. At the end of the day, the boat picked us up exactly on time at the lodge where we finished. Very well run family-owned business.

Our skipper Jason was very knowledgeable about the Sounds, history and wildlife. No tea or coffee was offered during the cruise and for the price it would have been nice to have snacks provided. We bought the keep cups as it was advertised as providing tea and coffee. Overall a great trip but a bit pricey compared to other boat cruises.

We chose this cruise after researching all the available cruises offered from Havelock and Picton. It was a real disappointment. All the advertising refers to the commentary and knowledge of the area. We were really looking forward to learning the local information, learning about the birds and hopefully seeing some sea life. Our tour operator was totally disinterested. He made 4 short comments on a 4 hour cruise. My children, husband and I watched the beautiful scenery go by with not a single bit of information. When I asked he was rude saying surely I did not expect him to speak for 4 hours! We brought keep cups for the “free tea and coffee” - not even offered once. 15 minute stop at Ships Cove - is not enough time to even read all the information at the site. This trip should actually be refunded to us as what we paid for and what we received what not at all acceptable! I did go to the office and report my disappointment, I was told a manager would contact me. It’s 7 days later and nothing- so as promised my reviews.

Our cruise was fabulous. The captain did the narration. He's an incredibly knowledgeable conservationist, geologist, historian, diver and seaman. He took great care in showing us a huge variety of flora and fauna. We learned so much about New Zealand and its environmental efforts. I'd love to do it again.

An amazing afternoon. Unexpectedly so. Jason our Skipper is a wealth of knowledge, friendly and helpful. We saw beautiful scenery and Jason explained the stories attached to sights. The families and pets we met on the mail drop were charming. The seals at the Salmon Farm cute, even though a pest. The highlight was the family of Orcas who put on a show on three occasions. We even saw Hector dolphins at a distance. When the rain came it didn't dampen the pleasure we had experienced during the afternoon. Thank you for sharing.

I agree with all the positive feedback about this run, I thought our captains name was Jason though. Such an incredibly good commentary throughout the cruise, he was one of those exceptional people that are full of in-depth knowledge of the area, fauna and flora, and articulate enough to enlighten all who take the time to listen. Such a beautiful location. We had a fantastic cruise. BYO drinks is a fabulous option, or tea and coffee on board with a keep cup to help you save using throw away cups for the rest of your travels. Plenty of comfortable seating throughout the boat. A must do for Picton. Include the walks if time permits.

Absolutely stunning day out on Beachcomber Tory Channel Mail Boat Cruise todayVery informative and entertaining skipper/tour guide

I think most people will miss the lovely quote above reception when you walk into the office in Picton. However it sums our experience up beautifully about this company. We were first time users of the portage and transfer as we walked the Queen Charlotte Track. However from the moment we walked in we were carefully guided through what was going to happen and how the bag transfers worked. We were treated like family and everyone was very polite. The cruise over with Jason was most informative as he spoke about his family connections to the area as well as the geography and history of the Sounds. Everything ran to time and our pick up on the last day was early so we could reflect on a marvellous experience. We urge everyone to start with this company first. Thank you everyone.

Brilliant day out!Did a 4 and a half hour mail run around the Sounds. Our captain was brilliant with an entertaining and educational commentary.The boat has both inside and top side seating. Definitely bring a warm jacket if you plan on staying top side.