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New Zealand’s Luxury Scenic Train – Northern Explorer Full Ride

Adrian The Cruise and Travel Guy
Adrian The Cruise and Travel Guy
🥈Expert
👁️ 10K views📅 10 months ago⏱️ 15:06
What This Creator Said
Creator RecommendsFull Ship Review🥈Expert Creator
🧍 Best for SoloOther · WinterFrom AucklandVeteran Cruiser

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

Creator's Key Takeaways

I opted for the Scenic Plus experience, and I'll show you everything it includes, as well as what I paid for it and whether it was worth it.

One of the main reasons I chose Scenic Plus was for the experience of being whined and dined for hours, and it did not disappoint.

This is in no way a journey from A to B. It's very much a slow way of travel that lets you see parts of the New Zealand landscape that many cruise travelers will never see.

Creator's Tips & Advice

Bring an insulating jacket for the open-air viewing carriage, especially in winter.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Packing for a day-long journey with luggage restrictionsScenic Plus allows two large suitcases; pack a day bag with essentials as checked luggage is inaccessible.
Staying warm in winter conditionsBring an insulating jacket for the open-air carriage; it was freezing outside.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat is it like to travel on the Northern Explorer scenic train in New Zealand?
QIs the Scenic Plus class worth the extra cost?
QHow does this train journey compare to cruising or driving?

Topics Covered

Port Destination4 Happy BaconItinerary Route3 Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

Auckland3 Happy Bacon
Wellington4 Happy Bacon
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.

About our Bacon Score methodology
YouTube Video Description

What’s it like to cross almost the entire North Island of New Zealand without flying or driving? I boarded the Northern Explorer, the country’s most luxurious scenic train, and spent 12 hours travelling from Auckland to Wellington in Scenic Plus class. In this video, I’m taking you with me for the full experience. From breathtaking mountain views and engineering marvels like the Raurimu Spiral, to multi-course meals and panoramic glass-roof carriages, this is New Zealand like you’ve never seen it. In this video: - Full Scenic Plus review - All meals & drinks shown - Stunning rail footage - Cabin walkthrough - Fare breakdown If you’re a fan of luxury travel, slow journeys, or just curious about rail in New Zealand, this video is for you. Would you try this route? ✈️ Watch my Air New Zealand flight review and trip report here: https://youtu.be/NldyZwlsqFM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛳️ My website hosts one of the world's most powerful cruise search engines where you can research and even book your next cruise or land holiday. Take a look here: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ☕️ I don't charge for any of my content or hide things behind a paywall. If you'd like to help support my work, you can buy me a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/thecruiseandtravelguy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛒 Shop my Amazon Cruise Essentials here: https://www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au/cruise-essentials - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ♣️ Join my private Facebook group for cruise deals, tips and advice - the more members we have, the better we’ll get! www.facebook.com/groups/CTGdeals - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🤳🏼 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.com/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/thecruiseandtravelguy Music by Master Planned Music 0:00 Introduction 0:39 Auckland 1:27 Train Overview 3:01 Scenic Plus Begins 7:09 Amenities and Viewing Car 12:04 Value and Price Breakdown 13:09 Wellington