Charter pricing in Auckland is harder to find than it should be. Most operators make you ring for a number, which is fine until you are trying to compare three of them and get a figure approved by someone who was not on the phone call.
So here is ours, in full, with the extras listed rather than mentioned. Every price below includes GST.
You are hiring the boat, not a seat
The first thing that confuses people: private charter pricing is for the whole boat, not per head. Ten people and thirty people pay a similar base rate. That makes a charter look expensive for a small group and very reasonable for a big one.
On a 30-person work function, a $3,200 charter is a bit over $100 a head for a three-hour private cruise with a bar and a BBQ. Compared with a restaurant function room that is competitive, and nobody has to organise a venue.
Harbour cruises - three hours
| Peak | Off-peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Wednesday | $2,900 | $2,600 |
| Thursday to Sunday | $3,200 | $2,800 |
Covers the first 30 passengers. Additional passengers are $40 each, up to 40 total.
Fishing charters
Summer charters run six hours, winter charters eight.
| Summer | Winter | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Wednesday | $2,150 | $2,100 |
| Thursday to Sunday | $2,350 | $2,350 |
Covers the first 20 passengers. Additional passengers are $45 each.
The extras, in full
This is the part that catches people out elsewhere, so here is the whole list.
| Extra | Price |
|---|---|
| Rod and reel hire | $20 per person |
| Bait (squid and pilchards) | $30 per person |
| Large berley (three recommended) | $35 each |
| Additional fishing assistant | $50 per hour |
| BBQ hire (sauces, napkins, cutlery, plates) | $150 |
| BBQ meal (burger, sausages, snacks, water) | $45 per person |
| BYO alcohol licence and bar staff | Call for the current rate |
Three things worth knowing. BBQ hire is included on harbour cruises and charged on fishing charters. You are welcome to bring your own food aboard rather than take the catering - plenty of groups do. And the bar fee is the one line we will not quote generically - it depends on the licence arrangement for your charter, so ring us and we will give you the figure before you commit to anything.
The bar, and why it works the way it does
MV Koru is a licensed vessel, which means alcohol has to be served by our bar staff rather than pulled out of a chilly bin. You can BYO, arranged in advance, and one of our barmen serves it. The rules are the same on every charter: beer in cans only, wine and RTDs under 6%, no spirits, and intoxication is not permitted.
People sometimes read that as restrictive. For a work function it is usually the opposite: nobody has to play bartender, nobody gets over-served, and the skipper is not put in a position of having to end the day early. Under maritime law the skipper is responsible for everyone on board, and a managed bar is what keeps that from becoming anyone’s problem.
Deposit and cancellation
A $450 deposit secures your date. It is non-refundable but transferable - if the date has to move, the deposit moves with it rather than disappearing.
If you book within 14 days of the charter, the full amount is payable up front.
If you need to cancel, we reschedule your booking to another date within the next 12 months.
If the weather turns, the skipper may adjust the route to find sheltered water, or we reschedule you. We watch the marine forecast and will be in touch ahead of time rather than leaving you guessing on the morning.
What to ask before comparing quotes
If you are pricing several operators, these are the questions that actually change the number:
- Is that the whole boat, or per person? They are not comparable.
- How many passengers are included in the base rate? Ours is 20 on fishing, 30 on cruises. Others differ, and the per-head charge above that is where quotes diverge.
- Is rod hire, bait and ice included or extra? Almost always extra. Ask for it itemised so nobody is handing over a credit card on the deck.
- Is BBQ or catering included? Included on our cruises, $150 on fishing.
- Is GST included in the figure you were quoted? Ours is.
- Is the deposit refundable, transferable, or neither? This is the one people skip and then regret. Some operators publish 100% non-refundable terms with full liability inside 14 days.
- What actually happens if the weather is bad, and who decides?
Getting a number for your group
Live availability is on the online booking calendar, so you can see what is open without ringing first. If you want a written quote to take to someone for approval, call 0800 262 844 and we will put one together. Invoices can carry your PO or reference number.
Full detail on each option is on the large group fishing charter and harbour cruise pages, and if you are organising something for work, corporate charters covers how those usually run.