Doubtful Sound Overnight

We had the most AMAZING time on our overnight cruise on Southern Secret. The transfers with Nadine were wonderful (great combination of personality, warmth, knowledge, smile) and the information and commentary provided by Clint in his own inimitable, Kiwi way, was just wonderful. We loved spending a night on the boat, hosted by Clint and Jenny. We marvelled at Jenny’s competence, and Clint’s competence and ease with both his boat, and the passengers walking all over it. The boat cruise epitomised everything that is great about New Zealand. Nothing was a problem to either Clint or Jenny. The cabins were comfortable, the food was superb, the fishing was fantastic. There was nothing not to like. Yes, it rained, but it’s Doubtful Sound, after all, and so all is forgiven, rain wise, when you have an experience like that, in a place like that. I would recommend this trip to everyone: nobody should have any hesitations at all about this cruise. All in all, a perfect getaway for us, provided by an outstanding company and its people. Thank you.

Could be the best thing we did while in New Zealand. This experience is so unique and provides a much more intimate experience vs a crowded day tour. We saw tons of dolphin, caught fish we ate that night, prepared by the best chef it was so delicious. So many waterfalls. Kayaking as well. Just unbelievable. The boat was so comfortable for the amount of people. I sometimes get seasick and the water was so calm you sometimes forgot you were on a boat. You really have to make this part of your trip while in NZ. Thank you to the crew for everything!

Southern Secret is a wonderful way to see the fabulous scenery and miss the crowds. In addition you get a ride over Lake Manapouri one of NZ’s largest and most stunning lakes. Everything is managed with efficiency and care from start to finish. We were looked after by skipper Jason who shared his enthusiasm for the natural world with us all ... He also taught us how to fish and we caught dinner - blue cod and Jock Stuart - expertly cooked by Kirsten.

Before I went on this cruise, i had read so many wonderful reviews and was getting worried about how these great reviews would set my expectations too high. But in the end, our Skipper Jason and our Chef Caleb lead us on a unforgettable and fun journey through Doubtful Sound... The level of experience they had and the amount of effort they put in to ensure that everyone had a great time is unparalleled. My only complaint is that the whole cruise is too short.

From start to finish this cruise exceeded our expectations. Definitely recommend the small boat - we had 8 people. A great group and we all felt relaxed. Fishing, kayaking, pulling up cray pots - and the food - Kristen your food was out of this world! Dish after dish of yummyness. Jason thank you for going the extra mile to ensure this was indeed the trip of a lifetime.