Also the cost of the optional excursions, and which ones you think are really worth doing as I wouldn`t want to miss out on anything.

Margaret :s

Hi, I am planning to do the New Zealand trip in the autumn and am wondering if any members can share their thoughts on spending money, the possible cost of meals etc. I see that some of the meals are included.

Also the cost of the optional excursions, and which ones you think are really worth doing as I wouldn`t want to miss out on anything.

Margaret :s

Hi Margaret

NZ was my first JY trip in March of 2010. Various people over the years have placed reviews of their experiences so I suggest you search the community pages for these.

I took credit card, debit card and NZ$. For spending money, set yourself a daily budget and times it by the length of the holiday - NZ is not cheap and you have to buy most lunches and dinners. You should have a separate wad of money for the excursions - hence a debit card. I recommend you go on all or as many of the excursions as possible as you might not revisit.

As Cindy said in another post, its a full on holiday where you spend lots of time on the coach (sleep time!). Most evenings I ate in the hotel as too tired to venture out. I remember Auckland and Rotorua had good restaurants.

Enjoy

Sylvia

I think I have answered another of your post somewhere!!

I have done the HKG and NZ tour, just take as much money as you can afford and a credit card for what you can't!! And pay back later. I took all I could and came he. With quite a bit as I only managed 1 helicopter flight to the Franz Joseph...which was amazing...

I am not sure what the tours are really called and if these were optional, but I went to the sheep dog one which was amusing, I did a speed boat which was good, but wish it had gone faster!!!Milford Sound was just amazing we had the perfect weather and I found it very emotional, went in a very old boat to a posh house TS ERNSLAW or something like that and it poured with rain so not sure we got the full experience. New Zealand heritage place which as interesting, to the cave and the glow worms strange little things. All the things we saw and did I did enjoy along the way, While in Christchurch as to cant really see much we on our own did a museum and a wander around, also with some of the group this was we paid for I do know, was a Antarctic centre and a winery

Www.iceburg.co.nz. Good

Waitomo caves. Good

Sky tower in Auckland did myself...very good. 26.00 NZ dollars

New Lantau island tour in HKG had to pay for was good

Whakarewarewa Thermal reserve not really my thing

Trans alpine express was ok...preferred the train one in Oz

Take on board that the rep will have other tours etc that you can go on depending on the weather and timings, so it is not just what is on offer there will be other things to pay for along the way.

This is a great tour and so much is on offer which you have paid in the price so when I go away I try if I can to do all I want and to see as much as possible, as like with this tour I won't be going back ..

I went on the January date in 2012.. The weather was good but n HKG the smog was bad, and the weather in NZ wasn't conducive to many helicopter sea plane flights..

Cindy