The TSS Earnslaw steamship was built in 1912, the same era as the Titanic! Many of the ship’s components are of the same design. It was commissioned by the New Zealand Railways Company with an investment of £21,000.
Departing from the Queenstown wharf, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the island. The entire scenery is truly magnificent, like entering a fairyland.
Dinner is buffet-style with charming young gentlemen guiding you to your seats. Each seat even has a personalised name card. There’s a decent variety of dinner options. It’s recommended to start with some meats as they are continuously available, while the other dishes might take a bit longer. The desserts are exceptionally delicious, and there wasn’t a single disappointment! As the day starts to darken, and you’ve had your fill of dinner, you can watch a sheep shearing show on the farm, along with a demonstration by sheepdogs!
TSS Earnslaw steamship – Things you need to know
Boarding time:
12:00 PM. It’s strongly recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes early. You can queue up in the front and sit by the piano on the ship. On the journey, you’ll encounter Westerners and performers singing and playing together. They are having a great time, and it’s quite interesting for us to listen as well. The return trip is around 3:00 PM!
Boarding location:
TSS Earnslaw, steamer wharf, Queenstown. The Google Maps location is accurate and reliable.
Onboarding
There’s coffee, hot mulled wine, ice cream, and beer available, and they’re reasonably priced!
BBQ Lunch
Surprisingly good! The quality of the pork, beef, lamb, and chicken is quite impressive. The ice cream is authentic! The meal doesn’t include fruits or alcoholic beverages, of course, considering the price, the meal is quite worth it!
Farm performance
Walter Peak High Country Farm is an incredibly beautiful English garden. Every view from any window is the most stunning scenery. Irises, roses, foxgloves, lavender, geraniums – all blooming under the sunlight… yet not overly extravagant. And inside the restaurant, you’ll find a vintage ambience left by the passage of time!
Steamship experience
The ship cabin is open for visitors! It’s really great! Kids can closely observe the internal components of the steamship, and if the staff has time, they’ll even answer kids’ questions briefly.
How to book
You can book the entire TSS Earnslaw Vintage Steamship Cruises experience on their website. They offer different time slots to choose from. We opted for the 4:00 PM departure, which included a dinner package. The whole activity, including the round trip, lasts for 3.5 hours and costs between $135 and $145 per person, depending on the chosen time slot.
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