Interislander is great, the staff are very helpful, especially since was the first time I went on with a vehicle and my dog, the trip was good, was a great day to be sitting outside enjoying the views

We would highly recommend the Premium Lounge on your next crossing on the Interislander. We were aboard the Aratere on 3 October 24. Service was excellent- a lovely young lady welcomed us with a cold drink and a smile. Passengers are served nibbles and non alcoholic drinks to start- fresh sushi with tuna, fresh sandwiches , tea and cakes. Dinner was superb-I had the Vegan Curry on rice( chickpeas, roast pumpkins and carrot) and a selection of salads( yum) Hubby had the Pork belly on udon noodles- I heard no complaints only” ummm.. yum.. ummm” There is an extensive wine list of local wines and beers and RTDs. Definitely worth the $80( we figured McDonald’s and acouple of coffees would be the same!) We’ll be back!! Overall, an excellent service with exceptional food and beverage.

BE WARNED!!!!!! ABSOLUTELY HARD NO!!!!!!!!! I would not use this company if it was the LAST OPTION ON EARTH. I would swim the crossing before giving any money to this company. I purchased ferry tickets back in June 2024 for a November 2024 sailing. They were "non-refundable" tickets. Interislander Ferry company uses every conceivable twist on interpretation of that policy to steal from consumers. I bought my tickets 6 months in advance. 2 months prior to the ferry crossing they emailed me to tell me that my ferry crossing had been cancelled and I had been re-booked on a different crossing that didn't leave for 2.5 hours later. I emailed them back immediately, politely, and asked for a refund given that the new sailing time did not work for our itinerary and because they had chosen (a business decision) not to sail the booked sailing that I purchased. THEY REFUSED. Listen, I understand when a transportation company does not provide refunds on a non-refundable fare when I, as the traveler, need to make a change. That's the risk I took in getter the cheaper fare. So be it. I also completely understand when a transportation company doesn't provide refunds on a non-refundable fare for things that are out of their control - a weather issue, a mechanical issue, a worker strike issue, a delay due to a system being down, etc. As a seasoned traveler I have had to deal with ALL of those situations and just chalk it up as part of the fun (headache) of traveling. But this is not a situation that is out of the company's control. This was a proactive business decision made 2 months in advance. Nor was the offered alternative "reasonable" (an argument that seems to be their gotcha). A booking 2.5 hours later consumes 20% of my waking day during a vacation! Nothing about that is "reasonable." They made a business decision not to provide the service I purchased and are now refusing to refund my money. I have gone back and forth with the company via email 6 times and escalated the issue to 3 different people and they still refuse to do anything about it other than offer me to rebook for another time within a year. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Zealand. They know that many people are in this same situation, and therefore I believe they count on that fact to steal money from international consumers via their ludicrous non-refundable policies that trap the consumer in a no-win situation if the company decides they don't feel like honoring their side of the deal. BE WARNED!!!!! Given how their policy is written and interpreted by them, in theory they NEVER have to actually provide the ferry service to get you across the channel, so long as they notify you and provide you some alternative, which could go on in perpetuity forever. SHAME ON THIS COMPANY.

Smooth boat ride from North Island to South Island. Friendly staff. Good food. The convenience of loading the car in to the ship is great. No need to swap the rental car.

Interislander so disappointed in your customer services. We appreciate that it must have been frustrating with yet another Ferry breaking down last week and can imagine the pressure on your team. However showing no flexibility with those whose bookings you’ve rearranged, no refund option and showing no understanding of family’s work obligations when being inflexible to move a booking you’ve implemented, do you know that this has ruined a long planned family holiday, surely given the circumstances greater assistance and care could be shown. I’ve always used Interislander and recommended, it’s not just the breakdowns it’s about the lack of care to your passengers. Would love to see you seeing this as an opportunity to implement better customer service and care for your loyal customer base.

Recently enjoyed the ferry ride while on a NZ train trip from Aukland to Christchurch. Being with a group actually made the trip more enjoyable as there was plenty of interaction with our travel companions. We were booked as a group into the Pelorus Jack Lounge where we had a hot breakfast, followed by morning tea and way too much food available. It was easy to walk up onto the deck to view the surrounds and we were lucky to travel on a clear day with relatively calm seas. Apart from great scenery, especially when in the sounds close to Picton, we were entertained by a very large group of dolphins travelling towards our ferry when we were lucky enough to be on deck with our cameras. All in all a memorable crossing which could be recommended to all.

Taking the ferry was a necessity for us since it connected our trains from the north island to the south. We weren't expecting such a lovely experience. Besides the views, it was a relaxing ride. Easy connections on the Picton side to the rail station.

Always enjoy the interislander trip, staff are always approachable and friendly, but I have the same complaint as always. Clean the windows on the outside!!!! There's a stunning view you can't see for filthy, built up sea salt...even once a month would help!

We decided to treat ourselves to the Premium Lounge during the ferry crossings on a recent sojourn to the South Island. It wasn’t cheap, but we thought it was worth every cent. We were on the Kaitaki for both crossings. We parked very close to the passenger entry, as I have limited mobility. The staff were so helpful, both at check-in and driving onboard the ship. The staff onboard were very friendly and professional. The food was nice and it was a very relaxing way to spend the three and a half hours journeys There were only about 15 of us in the big lounge each way, it was great. We had a morning sailing Wellington to Picton, and an afternoon sailing Picton to Wellington. We are very glad we paid the extra for the peace and tranquillity. The seating is very comfortable and you have a small table in front of you for meals, spreading stuff out, etc. I would definitely pay the extra $$ to use the Premium Lounge next time we cross Cook Strait.

Really enjoyed the journey over in this huge and stable ferry. The breakfast available on board was very reasonably priced and delicious. Amenities were clean and nice. Seating was very good and boarding organised as was departure.

Our March ‘24 tour of New Zealand included travel aboard the Ferry. We were with a tour group by bus. Think of the trip as a “Mini-Cruise” One tip our tour guide gave us for seating was to head to the back of the Ferry on Deck 7 for great views and comfort. It’s a two deck level enclosed area with great views. You have easy access to the top and side decks for ocean breezes and views. Dining/food/drink all at the front of the ship. Seating there is tables and chairs and great views as well. But you can take your food back to the rear observation area, sit down in you very comfy chairs and sofas and enjoy your voyage. If your travels take you from the North to South Island, this is a highly recommended day to do it!

Nice smooth crossing for us today. We embarked with the car and the check in process was smooth and easy. We had the premier (no children) lounge so could enjoy a cooked breakfast, teas, coffees, alcoholic drinks plus scones and biscuits. Great scenery - especially as we entered the straits towards Picton. Small shop on board and also a cinema (showing Dune 2 on deck 2)

Very orderly embarking and debarking processes. Staff friendly and polite. Ferry interior fit out looking a bit tired, and food and drinks pricey, but the ferrying service itself was excellent. The scenery on the route is of course beautiful.

I traveled from Wellington to Picton on the Interislander Kaitaki Ferry. The views and experience are well worth the cost (vs. flying) in my opinion. Check-in was very easy - similar to an airport. Wait in line, weigh/check your bags, get your boarding pass, etc. Each passenger can check 2 bags weighing up to 23.0 kg and carry on a smaller item. There is a scale inside that you can use if you’re like me and push the boundaries of that weight limit when traveling. lol The waiting area has a small café for coffee and snacks and free wifi. I purchased the Premium lounge ticket, which was well worth it in my opinion. The premium lounge was fully booked but the seats were spacious leaving plenty of room for everyone. They offered a buffet style breakfast with all the things: Bacon, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, waffles, coffee, tea, yogurt, milk, etc. They cleared out breakfast and later provided lighter lunch or snacks and desserts. A bar was available too. The Kaitaki had multiple locations to view the outdoors or walk around, although I anticipate they all do.

The good thing about the Premium Lounge is that it's not over crowded and if your socially minded, you can meet like minded shipmates. Unlimited drinks, including alcohol (within the law). The truth about their buffet is that it's not a real buffet, they don't serve the food until the boat departs, so don't show up on an empty stomach, thinking it's all you can eat. The buffet is limited, so it can cause inequality amongst other shipmates in the lounge. Here is an example: The first person will pile up their plate, just like other buffets, the last person gets NOTHING!, NIL, ZILTCH. So don't be that unlucky passenger and go exploring the rest of the boat first and expect lunch, otherwise... You lose! Also the seats are first in first serve, yet those that are lucky to drive, gets first dips before us non-drivers. So if you haven't got your learners license, don't expect to sit next to the window. The TV's in the lounge were switched off, if the sports are not running, have you not heard of YouTube premium with seascapes.