We took the 17-day Signature | New Zealand Up Close tour starting in Auckland and ending in Queenstown including all 3 trains. It was an amazing tour in many ways, but disappointing / frustrating in others. There is no way we could have seen this much of New Zealand in one trip had we organized it ourselves, and several of the days were truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But we were often unhappy or uncomfortable. Here is what could have been better:
Lodging: We were promised 4-star hotels. We got that only about half the nights. Also, GJNZ did not do a good job of following through on our original request for rooms with king beds. Instead this got handled at each new place as a last-minute upgrade request at check-in which sometimes could but sometimes could not be accommodated.
Transport: The trains were wonderful. There was also (necessarily, it seems) quite a lot of time in a bus, with not enough bus stops for either scenic photos or bathroom breaks.
Pace: There were lots of early morning starts - which did not leave adequate time for sleep and getting ready for the day. There was generally not enough time at the various destinations. Activities often seemed rushed. We would have appreciated a longer tour with a few extra unscheduled days peppered into the itinerary to either rest or explore - especially in the cities of Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown.
Info / education: We had thought this would be a guided tour, but our tour director was NOT a professional guide and was not particularly knowledgeable or able to answer many questions about what we were seeing. Her role was limited to organizational and trouble-shooting; more of a conductor than a guide.
Overall this is an ideal tour for someone who is young and able to go many hours between bathroom breaks; doesn't mind a fast pace with early morning starts; isn't picky about hotels; and who doesn't want or need a guide. If you are highly educated and plan to ask a lot of probing questions; if you are older and slowing down; or if you prefer luxury accommodations and service, this is probably not the right tour for you.
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