Waiheke Island Wineries’ Tour: an honest review

My verdict: the best-value guided wine day on this site, and the one I would point a first-timer at. Six hours, a maximum of ten people, four or more vineyards with a tasting at each, and the ferry pass is genuinely in the price. The catch is lunch: it is not included, there is a break of about an hour and a half in the middle for you to sort it out, and reviewers who did not plan for that noticed.

4.7★★★★★1,013 reviewsfrom NZ$185

Duration6 hours

Group sizeMaximum 10

Vineyards4 or more, tasting at each

Ferry includedYes — ferry pass

PickupWaiheke Ferry Terminal

LunchNot included

What the day looks like

You are collected at the Waiheke Ferry Terminal and out for six hours with a group capped at ten. Four or more vineyards, a tasting at each, and a lunch break of about an hour and a half somewhere in the middle. The ferry pass is included, which on a NZ$185 tour is worth NZ$46.50 to NZ$62 of the price and is why this compares better against the beachfront lunch tour than the sticker prices suggest.

Usually included

A ferry pass, so the crossing is covered
Four or more vineyards with a tasting at each
Six hours with a group of no more than ten
Pickup at the Waiheke Ferry Terminal
A lunch break of about an hour and a half

Not included

Lunch itself — you buy your own in the break
Extra drinks beyond the tastings
Anything you take home from the cellar door

What the reviews say

1,013 reviews, 4.7, and the guides carry it — Maree and Luca come up by name repeatedly. “Great value for the money! Maree was a great tour guide.” (nakiea). On what you actually taste: “We visited 4 vineyards on the island, and tasted 15 wines.” (Nicola). Four vineyards and fifteen pours in six hours is a lot of wine for the money, and it is the reason the honest complaint on this tour is the one it is.

“Our only note was that we would have liked something to absorb some of the wine—either bread or crackers” (Kathryn Rose). That is a five-star review with a real warning inside it. Lunch is not included on this tour, so unless you use the break to eat properly, fifteen tastings land on an empty stomach. It is not an oversight by the operator, it is what the price does not cover, and it is the single most useful thing to know before you book.

What works

Ferry pass genuinely included — the crossing is not an extra
Maximum ten people, so you are not on a coach
Four or more vineyards with a tasting at each, in six hours
1,013 reviews at 4.7, with guides named again and again
The cheapest guided wine day here once the ferry is counted

Worth knowing

Lunch is not included, and there is an hour and a half where you will want it
Extra drinks beyond the tastings are on you
Six hours is a long day if you are only mildly interested in wine
Fifteen tastings without food is a genuine complaint in the reviews
Small group means fewer departures than a bus tour

Rating4.7 / 5

Reviews1,013

PriceNZ$185

Duration6 hrs

GroupMax 10

FerryIncluded

Insider tip

Decide where you are eating before the tour starts, not during the break. An hour and a half sounds generous until you are somewhere with one kitchen and nine other people from your van in front of you.

Who it suits

People who want the most vineyards for the money and do not mind buying their own lunch. Couples and small groups, because ten people is a conversation rather than an audience. If you want lunch handed to you, the Taste of Waiheke day includes two courses and the ferry, and the gourmet tour includes a vineyard lunch but not the crossing. If you want to taste at your own pace and pay per pour, the Explorer bus stops at wineries and lets you decide at each counter.

Fares checked 12 August 2026

Ferry fares on this page were read on 12 August 2026: NZ$62 on-peak adult return, NZ$46.50 off-peak. Fullers360 revised its fares on 16 February 2026 and they are still moving, so check the operator’s own site before you count on a number. Tour prices come from the listing itself, read the same day.

Check wineries’ tour dates

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most tours — book now, decide later.

The other wine days

Four vineyardsFerry ticket included

Frequently asked questions

Is lunch included on the Waiheke Wineries’ Tour?

No. There is a break of about an hour and a half for lunch and you buy your own. That matters more than it sounds: reviewers tasting fifteen wines across four vineyards wished for bread or crackers. For a tour with lunch in the price, see the Taste of Waiheke day.

Does this wine tour include the ferry?

Yes, a ferry pass is included, which is worth NZ$46.50 to NZ$62 depending on the sailing. That is why a NZ$185 tour compares well against tours that look cheaper and start at Matiatia. The fares are set out on the cost page.

How many vineyards does it visit?

Four or more, with a tasting at each, across six hours and with a group capped at ten people. One reviewer counted fifteen wines across four vineyards.

Which Waiheke wine tour is best?

It depends on lunch and on whether the crossing is included — not on which vineyards, because I have no basis for ranking those. The wine tour comparison puts all five side by side on inclusions and real all-in cost.