What's on-board
With free onboard WiFi and movies, private cabins, a fresh-as local menu, great Kiwi service and the only ferry offering Airpoints Dollars, there’s a reason we’ve been keeping shiploads of people happy since 1992. Yeah, buoy!
How to book
Your private cabin is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day sightseeing and our unobtrusive hospitality crew will ensure that you enjoy a high degree of comfort and service. You can pre-book your private cabin on the Straitsman and Strait Feronia online. Just follow these simple steps:
- Look for the blue bed/cabin symbol on the availability screen (step 1 of the booking process)
- Select a sailing with cabins available
- Where it asks "Do you wish to book cabin accommodation during your crossing?" select yes
- Choose the cabin type/s you would like to add to your booking by selecting the drop down boxes out to the side of each to adjust quantities
- Click the green 'Continue' button to proceed to step 2 of the booking process
Please note: Extra cabins may be available for purchase on-board. If you are unable to book a cabin prior to your departure please ask our friendly crew to double check availability once you are on-board.
We have a range of cabin sizes available from single to five berth family options. All cabin sizes are available on Saver-Sail, Super-Sail and Flexi-Sail fares when you prebook to match your sailing fare type and conditions. You can prebook a cabin online or by phone when you make your booking, or add a cabin to an existing booking by calling our team on 0800 844 844. If you haven't prebooked but would still like a cabin you can ask our on-board team if there are any available, however these will be charged at the Flexi-Sail price.
Both our ships offer a range of private cabins
All cabins have air-conditioning, a power point, a desk with chair, wall-mounted reading lights, hanging space with coat hangers, a telephone with wake-up call instructions and a wall mirror. Complimentary fresh linen, towels and body wash are also included.
Single Room
from $30.00
One single bed
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
Twin Room
from $40.00
Two single beds
(side by side or bunk style)
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
Family Room
from $60.00
Four single bed
(bunk style)
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom & shower
(1–4 people + small child/infant max)
Porta-cot (subject to availability)
Accessible Cabin
from $60.00
Two sets of bunks including one electrically elevating bed
Wheelchair-friendly cabins
Large accessible en suites
Bed linen and towels
All cabins have air-conditioning, a power point, a desk with chair, wall-mounted reading lights, hanging space with coat hangers, a telephone with wake-up call instructions and a wall mirror. Complimentary fresh linen, towels and body wash are also included.
Single Room
from $30.00
One single bed
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
Twin Room
from $40.00
Two single beds (choice of side by side or bunk style configuration)
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
Family Room 4 berth
from $60.00
Four single beds (bunk style configuration)
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
From $60.00 per crossing (1-4 people + small child/infant max)
Porta-cot available on request, subject to availability
*Please note that our four berth family rooms on the Feronia are internal cabins only, with no windows.
Double Room
from $50.00
One double bed
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
From $50.00 per crossing (1-2 people max)
Family Room 5 berth
from $75.00
Five single beds (bunk style configuration)
Free Wi-Fi access
Private ensuite bathroom with shower
From $75.00 per crossing (1-5 people + infant or small child max)
Porta-cot available on request, subject to availability
The Wellington - Picton Night Sailing
Unique to Bluebridge, this is a great option if you’re short of time or want to rest and freshen up before the next leg of your journey. Available from Wellington to Picton on weekdays. Final check in is by 1am, you’ll board soon after that, set sail at 2am and arrive in Picton at 5.45am ready for breakfast. For your own private space to get some sleep, pre-book a cabin with ensuite (shower/toilet/basin) and linen provided (bedding and towels). Single, twin, double, four, and five berth options. If early boarding is available we’ll email or TXT you the day before. Sorry, we can’t guarantee it will be available as it depends on what time the ship arrives in Wellington and operational requirements. To take advantage of early boarding you must pre-book a private cabin. If you’re traveling with dogs, night sailing is a great choice as they’re more likely to sleep.
If early boarding is available:
We’ll email or TXT you the day before your sailing. If you receive this and would like to board early, please check in at the Wellington passenger terminal by midnight.
To take advantage of early boarding you must pre-book a private cabin. If there’s a cabin available online, and you’d like to add one to your 2am booking, please email bookings@bluebridge.co.nz and put your booking reference and “add a cabin” in the subject line. Or you can add a cabin to your booking when you check in.
You’ll board the Straitsman soon after checking in, set sail at 2am, and arrive in Picton at 5.45am.
Luggage
We ask that you only take one small overnight bag up to your cabin.
All large pieces of luggage must be checked in at the terminal when you check-in.
For more information on checked in luggage click here
Real New Zealand Flavour
Bluebridge is the best way for foodies and wine lovers to cross Cook Strait. You'll be spoilt for choice with great coffee, freshly baked breads, tempting cakes and a range of kiwi-inspired fare prepared with love by our chefs on board. So regardless of whether your Cook Strait sailing is at breakfast, lunch or dinner we’ve got the menu sorted!
Sweet treats, local breads and fresh coffee
For those with a sweet tooth we have freshly baked muffins, cakes and pastries, and kids are well catered for with special children's meals, Carrello gelato and delicious free of nasties Paleta iceblocks. We source authentic artisan breads from local bakers Pandoro so you can choose from a selection of freshly baked ciabatta, focaccia and paninis during your sailing. All of our fresh fruit and produce is sourced locally. Our lamb comes from Nelson, our beef from Canterbury and Salmon is supplied from the Marlborough Sounds. Well renowned Wellington coffee roaster - L’affare even deliver their beans fresh to our ships each day.
Truly good value tucker
We pride ourselves on keeping our food prices at a level that is affordable to the average kiwi family without sacrificing quality or portion size (think hungry truck driver)! So it's highly likely that you will leave our ferry with a big smile on your face AND money left in your wallet to spend on the rest of your trip!
Marlborough's finest drop
We are proud to serve the award-winning Ara Single Estate family of wines. Their beautifully lush Pinot Gris in particular is in such limited supply that you can only find it in Australia and New Zealand.
Crafted from grapes grown in the Waihopai Valley at the westernmost end of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, Ara draws on time-honoured wine making methods to create a strikingly different wine experience.
This all combines to offer a point of distinctiveness which refines the quality of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir varieties resulting in wines of elegance and texture.
If wine isn't your thing, we also offer a range of beers, cold drinks and juices.
Quality caffeine fix
Our L’affare-trained baristas can make you a superb espresso coffee from beans roasted by Wellington’s iconic and revered coffee roastery.
We love L’affare's no compromise approach to coffee quality and the fact that they source the finest green beans, use the latest roasting technology and create the finest blends.
Menu
Breakfast 5.30am - 10.30am
Cereal (v)
Your choice of either Weetbix or muesli with milk
Toast & Spreads (v)
Two slices of fresh bread toasted, accompanied with butter & two spreads
Continental Breakfast (v)
Choice of Weetbix or muesli, yoghurt, fruit, two slices of toast & two spreads
Eggs with Toast (v)
Your choice of scrambled, poached or fried eggs served on toasted ciabatta
Add:
Bacon
Sausage
Tomato
Beans
Hash brown
Toasted Ciabatta
Eggs Benedict
Poached eggs served on English muffins with hollandaise sauce
With bacon
With salmon
Big Kiwi Breakfast
Your choice of scrambled, poached or fried eggs served with tomato, baked beans, sausage, bacon & hash browns on toasted ciabatta
Snacks 9.00am - 5.30am
Nachos (v)
Corn tortilla chips served with beans, avocado, red onion,
sour cream, tomato salsa & cheese
Single
To share for two
Polenta Chips (v) (gf)
Polenta chips served with chutney
Basket of Wedges (v)
Potato wedges served with Thai sweet chilli sauce & sour cream
Basket of Hot Chips (v)
Hot chips served with tomato sauce & aioli
Panini
Toasted ham panini filled with ham, cheese, tomato & mayo, or
toasted chicken panini filled with chicken, brie & cranberry sauce
Toasties
Your choice of the following fillings:
- Ham & swiss cheese
- Cheddar cheese & tomato (v)
- Cheddar cheese & onion (v)
Lunch and Dinner 10.30am - 9.00pm
Strait Burgers
All burgers include lettuce, red onion & tomato with a salad garnish
Choose your favourite:
- Beef with mayo & BBQ sauce
- Lamb with mint jelly & mayo
- Halloumi with mayo & tomato relish
- Crumbed Dory with tartare sauce
- Chicken schnitzel with sweet Thai chilli sauce & mayo
Add:
Bacon
Cheese
Basket of beer battered chips
Fish & Chips
Crumbed Dory and beer batter chips with a fresh salad, tomato sauce & tartare sauce
Small
Large
Teriyaki Chicken Noodles
Marinated chicken dressed with noodles, sesame seed, green onion & capsicum
Small
Large
Chef's Special
See our ship's counter display for dish of the day
Available until sold out
Strait Salads
All salads include tossed rocket & mixed leaf salad, tomato, capsicum, snow pea sprouts, carrot & chia seeds. Plus a side of lemon, sweet chilli, Italian or Caesar dressing
Choose from:
- Salt 'n' pepper squid
- Salmon & capers
- Chicken, brie & cranberry
- Halloumi
- Teriyaki beef
- Warm lamb & tzatziki
- Chicken, croutons & parmesan
Steak Sandwich
Scotch ribeye steak on a toasted bap with mayo, lettuce, red onion, tomato & onion marmalade
Add:
Basket of beer battered chips
Bacon
Cheese
Kids Meals
- Southern-style chicken strips with chips & juice
- Fish pieces with chips & juice
- Ham or cheese sandwich with fruit, yoghurt & juice
- Pizza: ham & cheese or cheese & tomato with chips & juice
Beer, Cider & RTD's
Beer, cider & RTD's
- Moa Apple Cider
Made from 100% New Zealand grown apples and fermented with French Oak - Coruba Rum & Cola
This is a dark, flavoured rum with hints of spices and caramel - Gordons Gin & Tonic
Gordon’s gin, mixed with crisp sparkling Schweppes Indian Tonic Water - Jim Beam & Coke
Jim Beam White Label - Tui
A sweet fruity aroma with a hint of malt, toffee & caramel - Speights
Full flavour of malt and hops - Corona
The unmistakable colour, the one-of-a-kind taste and the unparalleled Mexican flavour - Heineken Light
- Moa Southern Alps
The perfect marriage between a traditional Belgian wheat beer and a modern aromatic IPA. - Parrot Dog Bitterbitch
- Steinlager Classic
- Smirnoff Ice
- Emmersons Bookbinder Amber Ale
- Tuatara Amarillo Dark Ale
- Heineken
Wine List
- Allan Scott Chardonnay
The palate is nicely complex with ripe peachy flavours, nuts and melon - Allan Scott Riesling
Floral and lemon aromas with subtle underlying tropical notes. - Ara Pinot Gris
Delicate aromas of pear and nectarine which flow through to honey citrus notes - Alan Scott Merlot
Berry fruit, coffee, and vanilla bean flavours - Ara Pinot Noir
Dark raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavours emerge from a soft and savoury wine - Brancott Estate
- Ara Rose
- Ara Sav Blanc
Tea & Coffee
- Coffee
Latte, Flat white, Long Black, Espresso, Cappuccino, Mochaccino, Chai Latte. Full, Trim or Soy milk available. - Tea
English Breakfast, Peppermint, Lemon Grass and Ginger, Malabar Chai, Lavender Grey, Honey Dew Green, Fruit's of Eden, Cleopatra's Champagne - Hot Chocolate
Cold drinks
- Just Juice
Tropical - NZ Natural Water Sparking/Still
- Soft drinks on Tap
Pepsi, Pepsi Max, 7UP, Mountain Dew or Mountain Dew Livewire - Bottle Range
Franks Ginger Beer, Franks Key Lime and Lemon Bitters, Franks Zesty Lemonade, Franks Sparkling Blood Orange, Oh! Berry, Oh! Orange & Mango, Ovi Citrus, Ovi Peach or V Green - V Pure
- Up and Go
Chocolate or Vanilla - Orange Juice
- Smoothies
Very Berry, Peach and Apricot Paradise, Feijoa Frenzy, Spirulina Slam - Kombucha
Raspberry Lime, Ginger Lemon, Original
Special dietary requirements
We can cater for many customers with individual requirements such as religious, ethnic or dietary needs. Please advise the cafe staff of your requirements.
Gluten Free dishes and products
It's important to note that we also offer other gluten-free items on a daily basis. You can find our gluten free menu items in our food menu above with the 'GF' symbol listed next to the menu item. If you still experience difficulty with our current menu – simply talk to a member of our friendly crew about your requirements. Our chefs can create something special for you.
**Please note that our gluten-free fried items are prepared using the same cooking equipment as a number of non-gluten free products.
Food allergies
For your peace of mind and assistance, we carry an up-to-date food allergy manual behind each service counter on board our ships. This manual details every food item we sell and/or make on board with all ingredients listed clearly for our staff. If one of our customers is nut intolerant or allergic for example, the pesto in a scone may have traces of pinenut and this can be checked on the ingredients listed in the manual. Again if you're unsure or struggling to find something suitable on our current menu selection, please talk to a member of our friendly crew as our Chefs are only too happy to assist you.
Food hygiene and safety
The Wellington City Council's Environmental Health Officers annually inspect all premises that prepare, package and store food for sale. We are delighted to announce that Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferry has been awarded the an excellent food hygiene grading for all of our food service outlets. Our grade is based on the Council's 4-category risk rating. The categories are: conduct and practices, structure of the premises, cleaning and sanitising and staff training.
Halal certification
Each of our current suppliers of beef, lamb and chicken holds a Halal Certificate issued by The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand Inc. (FIANZ), our national Muslim organisation. The Federation's Halal Committee (comprising the Religious Advisory Board, Meat Scientists, Food Technologists and the Secretariat) ensure that meat plants of New Zealand, operating under the supervision of the Federation, always maintain a high degree of Halal integrity. Halal Accreditation Certificates (for the premises) are issued to such meat plants by the Federation only after a thorough and rigorous Halal auditing process which includes a regime of ongoing supervision and inspection. You can learn more about the issuing of Halal Certificates to meat plants on the FIANZ website.
Travelling with kids on Bluebridge
Going on the ferry is an exciting experience for the whole family. Our ships are kid-friendly with safe outdoor areas to spot dolphins, take selfies, have a picnic or tik tok on the top deck. When they’re done exploring (or feeding the seagulls) and some quiet time is the name of the game, their free activity pack, WiFi and movies will keep them entertained.
Both ships have plenty of comfortable seating options and a dedicated inside play area with free movies. If you prefer your own space you can even pre-book one of our private family cabins with ensuite.
Free activities
When you check in, each child will be given a free activity pack. Each pack includes some colouring pencils and a 14 page activity booklet full of Wellington, Picton and marine themed fun facts, games and stickers. All of these free goodies come in their own Bluebridge reusable shoulder bag perfect for the kids to carry with them throughout the journey!
Free entertainment during April
If you're sailing with Bluebridge this Easter or during the school holidays, your kids will have a whale of a time with loads of free entertainment.
| When | 8am to Picton | 1:30pm to Picton | 2pm to Wellington | 7pm to Wellington |
| Easter |
1/4 Face Painting 2/4 Enchanted Entertainment 6/4 Face Painting |
1/4 Enchanted Entertainment 2/4 Puppet Show 5/4 Puppet Show |
1/4 Face Painting 2/4 Enchanted Entertainment 6/4 Face Painting |
1/4 Enchanted Entertainment 2/4 Puppet Show 5/4 Puppet Show |
| School Holidays Week 1 |
10/4 Puppet Show 12/4 Face Painting 16/4 Puppet Show 17/4 Enchanted Entertainment |
17/4 Face Painting |
10/4 Puppet Show 12/4 Face Painting 16/4 Puppet Show 17/4 Enchanted Entertainment |
17/4 Face Painting |
| School Holidays Week 2 |
18/4 Puppet Show 23/4 Face Painting 25/4 Puppet Show 30/4 Face Painting
|
28/4 Face Painting |
18/4 Puppet Show 23/4 Face Painting 25/4 Puppet Show 30/4 Face Painting 1/5 Face Painting |
Free family-friendly movies
Relax with a recent release G or PG rated movie in our kids’ area. No tickets required – so if the kids have a change of mind five minutes after the opening credits – no drama.
Kid-friendly space and facilities
Inside play areas
Both of our Bluebridge ferries have spacious indoor lounges that include play areas with some toys and games. The Strait Feronia has a larger dedicated play room. Both play areas include a large flat TV screen playing family-friendly movies.
Change stations
Family change areas are centrally located near the lounges on board and inside our Wellington and Picton passenger terminals.
Private family cabins
We understand that when travelling with little ones it's nice to have your own space. Why not hire a family sized four berth cabin available on board both ships for only $60 each way. On the Strait Feronia we also have a five berth cabin available for $75 each way. Portacot available on request. We recommend you pre-book your family cabin as we have a limited number of them available on each ship.
Kid's meals
We have a range of kid’s meals and snacks available on board. A choice of five different combos all perfectly sized for kids and great value at only $9.90 each. Each combo is served with hot chips and a juice. They can choose from southern style chicken strips, fish pieces, or pizza. For a healthier option, if your kids are keen on platters they’ll love our combo that includes a ham or cheese sandwich with seasonal fruit, yoghurt and a juice.
Our baristas are happy to whip up a fluffy as well as a coffee/tea for you. If you need hot water for baby bottles, our crew will be happy to help
Free WiFi
The best WiFi on Cook Strait!
You’ll enjoy faster, uninterrupted, free WiFi inside our terminals and onboard our ships for your entire journey across the Strait.
We’ve upgraded to VSAT technology which eliminates the previous black spots experienced across Cook Strait, which means you can browse the web, use social media and email during the entire 3.5 hour crossing with speeds similar to a 4G smartphone connection.
Where can I get it?
WiFi is available in the passenger areas inside the terminals and the ships. Just look for the ‘Free WiFi Area’ signs.
What technology is involved?
Twenty-seven new VSAT WiFi receivers – each weighing around 4kg – have been installed onboard the company’s two ferries, the Straitsman and Strait Feronia, with an antenna located at the top of each ship. The new infrastructure will also allow us to add other services over the coming 12 months, including new media and entertainment options, so keep an eye out for news about this.
How do I surf Cook Strait for free?
- Select ‘BluebridgeWiFi’ from your available wireless network list or on your wireless network control panel.
- Open your web browser and connect to a website.
- Our Free WiFi Terms & Conditions screen will appear. Hit the big blue button and then you’re all set! If you have any questions, just ask our friendly staff.
Free Movies
We play a range of popular films during our sailings, in dedicated free-to-access movie lounges. Check out the popular titles 'now screening' onboard each of our Cook Strait ferries. This selection is updated regularly so be sure to check back before your sailing to find out what's on!
Movies showing in April:
Strait Feronia
-
Penguins
-
Smallfoot
-
Abominable
-
A Dogs Way Home
-
Father Figures
-
Last Chance Harvey
-
Fantastic Beasts
Straitsman
- About Time
- The BFG
- Goodbye Christopher Robin
- Hotel Transylvania 3
- Little Women
- Mary Poppins
- Wreck-it Ralph