When you join us at Fiordland Historic Cruises, you’ll be treated to a lifelong memory aboard a ship with real history, in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  

We’re a family owned and operated company, that’s personal, and we’ll guide you through  the fresh water fiords of Fiordland National park, during your hands on experience.

Relax away from the crowds and enjoy a personalised experience with the finest kiwi hospitality. Become a part of our family. 

For our day trip bookings we book a maximum of 16 guests to ensure there is space to relax on board.  Booking a private charter? for our 3 hour charters we can cater to up to 20 passengers. For a 6 hour charter it’s our recommendation to stick to 16 people. An over night charter caters to 4.  You are treated to personalised commentary – no pre-recorded loudspeakers here! – with heartfelt hospitality, complimentary canapés and chilled refreshments.

Yes! We love the opportunity to have children on board, and as long as they have an adult close by, they can get involved in some of the aspects of sailing Faith including driving and hoisting sails.

As we are a 19 metre vessel life jackets are not a requirement for children to be in during the duration of your trip. Should an emergency arise children’s life jackets will be provided by our crew. It is a requirement for children under the age of 5 to be within arms reach of their supervising adult at all times throughout the duration of the journey. If you would prefer your child to be in a life jacket please make mention of this during our briefing. 

All of our food and refreshments are provided for you throughout the duration of your journey. These are completely complementary. If you are booking a charter please let the staff know your preferences at the time of booking.

We are located at 85 Lakefront Drive Te Anau, this is our departure and return point. 

When you join us at Fiordland Historic Cruises, you’ll be treated to a lifelong memory aboard a ship with real history, in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  We are a small owner operator company that offers a personal experience. Being family owned, we are small and compassionate and we’ll guide you through  the fresh water fiords of Fiordland National park, during your hands on experience.

Relax away from the crowds and enjoy a personalised experience with the finest kiwi hospitality.

As we are a boutique owner operator company we do not offer customer prick up or drop off. Please make your way to 85 Lakefront drive.

YES! We love private charters. They are the ultimate in privacy and luxury with our exclusive charter hire —
Perfect for individuals, couples, families, or groups seeking a truly unforgettable escape in Fiordland.

If you have booked one of our Scenic cruises and guided walks, 6 hour charter or private charter walking shoes are recommended. The guided walk is a bush walk marked only by bush markers. There are two bridges to cross and the surface is uneven. If you are coming on board for a special event, please note that stiletto shoes are not permitted on board Faith. 

Our Scenic Cruise Guided Walk bush walk is a walk marked only by bush markers. The surface is uneven and there are tree roots to step over. The surface consists of forrest floor and leaves, there is no gravelled areas. There are two bridges to cross on the duration of the 600m walk into the hidden lakes. Some fitness is required. If your mobility is limited there is an option to remain on board at the Hidden Lakes wharf. 

Yes, while our bathroom facilities are minimal. The toilet is similar to a camper-van toilet to ensure we are keeping within our national park environment plan. The toilet is located down the aft staircase.  This may not suit passengers who find confined spaces difficult.

As we are operating in the Fiordland National Park, dogs or any pets are not permitted on our experiences. For more information please visit   https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/know-before-you-go/pets-on-conservation-land/

We do not permit smoking or vaping on board our vessel, in order to protect her heritage and respect the aspects of our nature experience. 

Fiordland weather is unpredictable. We have on average 200 rain days per year. Fiordland National Park in the rain is amazing. The only weather that impacts our departures is wind and the wave state of our lake. Your skipper will contact you 1 hour prior to sailing should the weather be unsuitable for sailing. If you are unable to reschedule your experience, you will receive a refund. Please view our terms and conditions for more information. 

Faith sleeps a maximum of 7 adults including the two crew required for an overnight journey. The sleeping configuration consists of a guest stern cabin with a small double and a single bed – a guest twin cabin with two single beds – a crew bed in the aft lobby and a skipper berth in the main wheelhouse. More information on our sleeping setup can be found here.

When you join us at Fiordland Historic Cruises, you’ll be treated to a lifelong memory aboard a ship with real history, in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  

We’re a family owned and operated company, that’s personal, and we’ll guide you through  the fresh water fiords of Fiordland National park, during your hands on experience.

Relax away from the crowds and enjoy a personalised experience with the finest kiwi hospitality.

Become a part of our family. 

The Fiordland National Park is like no other place on earth for the most part untouched by humans,  protected by the Department of Conservation, this place is the closest thing to stepping back in time, that you will ever experience. This is a vast wilderness area with many native birds and vast mountain ranges. There are no mammals that live in our waterways so you will not see Dolphins or Seals with our trip.  

CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY: Due to the nature of our boutique cruise experience & limited spaces, No refunds are provided for a guest cancellation within 72 hours of departure, unless the activity operator cancels the activity due to waterway, road or weather conditions. Otherwise, refunds are granted solely at the discretion of the payee according to the activity operator’s cancellation policy. Refunds may only be obtained from the booking agent.

REFUND POLICY GROUP CHARTER BOOKING: Due to the nature of our boutique cruise experience & limited spaces, No refunds are provided for a cancellation within 7 Days of departure, unless the activity operator cancels the activity due to waterway, road or weather conditions. All canceled bookings will incur an administration fee of $550 if canceled within 3 months of travel. Otherwise, refunds are granted solely at the discretion of the payee according to the activity operator’s cancellation policy. Refunds may only be obtained from the booking agent.

The Te Anau Glowworm caves can only be accessed from Lake Te Anau. This journey is provided by our friends at Real New Zealand. They do such a great job that we do not travel to the Glow worm caves, however our cruise is very complementary to this trip and guests often join us before or after their caves visit.