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Celebrity Cruise Wanted $1,000 USD… We Paid $280 NZD Instead (Christchurch DIY Tour)

K & R Travel Journeys
K & R Travel Journeys
🥈Expert
👁️ 1K views📅 3 months ago⏱️ 11:02
Celebrity Cruises logo
Celebrity Cruises
What This Creator Said
Creator RecommendsTips & Advice🥈Expert Creator
❤️ Best for CoupleSouth_pacific · 12 nightsFrom SydneyVeteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

Celebrity wanted over $1,000 US just for three hours.

We ended up hiring a local cab driver for just $280 New Zealand dollars.

We got about 5 hours of time compared to the three.

Just check your tags if it means a lot to you.

Creator's Tips & Advice

✓Hire a local cab driver for a flexible, affordable tour instead of booking ship excursions
✓Check product tags to verify items are actually made locally before purchasing
✓Wear sunscreen even when it's not hot, as the sun can be deceptively strong
✓Use the complimentary shuttle to reach the port entrance where you can find local transport

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Safety of hiring local transport — They felt completely comfortable doing it this way and got back to the ship with plenty of time
Getting back to the ship on time — You can spend as much time as you want as long as you make sure you get back on that ship

Questions This Creator Answers

QIs skipping Celebrity's Private Journeys worth it?
QHow can you do a port day without booking ship excursions?
QWhat can you see and do in Christchurch, New Zealand?
QHow much does a local cab tour cost compared to ship excursions?

Topics Covered

Excursions4 Sad BaconValue Pricing3½ Sad Bacon

Port Highlights

Christchurch4 Happy Bacon
Top: Celebrity Private Journeys (over $1,000 USD)
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this
Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

YouTube Video Description↓

We had a CRUISE STOP in Christchurch, New Zealand… and Celebrity Cruises’ “Private Journeys” pricing shocked us. 👀 They wanted over $1,000 USD for just 3 hours… so we did what most cruise passengers don’t: we winged it. Instead, we grabbed the complimentary shuttle from port (Rob HATES shuttles 😂), met a local cab driver, and asked: “Can you tour us for the day?” He said YES — $280 NZD for over 5 hours… and it turned into one of our best port days ever. 🚕 Our DIY Christchurch cruise day itinerary: ✅ Riverside Market (first-ever meat pie + shopping!) ✅ Christchurch Botanic Gardens (perfect weather day) ✅ Christchurch Gondola (views were unreal!) ✅ Saw major new construction happening in the city — including a large enclosed dome/arena being built for concerts & sports events. We also learned a key local tip: wear sunscreen — even when it doesn’t feel that hot. ☀️ 🛍️ Shopping honesty moment: We bought a leather backpack and a hat at Riverside Market thinking they were made in New Zealand… but later realized they were made in India and China. Still a fun find — but worth checking labels if that matters to you! If you’re cruising to Christchurch and wondering: Is a Celebrity shore excursion worth it? Or Can you explore Christchurch on your own from the port? This video shows exactly how we did it — plus what it cost. 👇 Drop a comment: Would you pay for a ship excursion, or would you DIY it like us? 👍 If this helped, please hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more cruise travel tips & port day itineraries! #Christchurch #NewZealandCruise #CruisePortDay #CelebrityCruises #ShoreExcursion