Bluebridge Review: Wellington to Picton Crossing

If you’re planning to travel between New Zealand’s North and South Islands, the Bluebridge ferry offers a scenic and reliable way to cross the Cook Strait. Running daily between Wellington and Picton, this ferry service is a popular choice for both locals and tourists looking for an affordable and comfortable journey.

I recently took the Wellington to Picton ferry, and we’ll take a close look at what it’s like to travel with Bluebridge, from booking your ticket to stepping off in Picton. We’ll cover key aspects like the ease of making a reservation, the overall comfort of the ferry, the facilities on board, and what you can expect from the experience. Whether you’re traveling with a vehicle, on foot, or even with pets, we’ll break down how Bluebridge compares to its main competitor, Interislander.

The crossing takes about 3.5 hours, with breathtaking views of Wellington Harbour, the open Cook Strait, and the stunning Marlborough Sounds as you arrive in Picton. But does Bluebridge live up to expectations in terms of service, value for money, and convenience? Well, read on to find out what the journey with Bluebridge will be like from my experience and find out if this ferry is the right choice for your next journey across the strait.

Wellington to Picton Ferry

Booking a Bluebridge Ferry

Booking a Bluebridge ferry is actually very easy and straightforward. There are four ferries running most days, with timings spread across the day. You’ll find prices for the ferries vary depending on demand, and once you’ve selected whether you’re travelling by foot or vehicle, you’ll find three ticket options per ferry. 

Often the cheapest ticket is for a standard ferry ticket, no changes allowed. The mid-price ticket is for a semi-flexible ticket while the most expensive will be for a ticket that you can cancel or move up to 1 hour in advance of the ferry departure time. The price between the different ticket levels is sometimes marginal, and it can be worth spending a few extra dollars for peace of mind. 

Flexible tickets are recommended if you have the flexibility in your schedule, or if you want to try and make sure you have good weather for the crossing. This can of course be a hit and miss situation, because even when the weather is good in Wellington is might not be in the strait or in Picton. However, Bluebridge will email you in advance (usually the day before) if it is forecast to have a bumpy ride, at which point you could change your journey if you wanted.

Boarding the Bluebridge Ferry

Whether you’re travelling as a foot passenger or with a vehicle, check in closes an hour before boarding.

If you’re coming with a vehicle, check in will be open much before then. Ideally you arrive 2 hours before your departure time, which will give you plenty of time to get parked up and head out for a coffee or bite to eat before boarding. 1 hour before boarding is that latest time to arrive as boarding starts soon after and you may not be allowed on.

When I travelled from Wellington to Picton, I booked the 1.30pm ferry and arrived about 11.15am to check in. Once I’d parked up I was advised to be back by 12.30pm. You’ll notice a lot of people stay in their vehicles while waiting to board, which is absolutely fine, but it’s also just a few minutes’ walk to the edge of the CBD so if you arrive with plenty of time to spare you could always go for a walk.

I locked my car and popped into the CBD for a coffee, arriving back at my car by 12.15…just to be safe! There’s a toilet nearby to the car waiting area if you need to use the facilities before boarding, but be sure to be back at your vehicle by 12.30 as they are quite prompt with getting everyone on the ferry and you don’t want to be that person running back to your car from the toilet while holding up everyone from boarding.

Guideline Timings For Bluebridge Ferry Crossing

These are just a guideline as actual timings can vary depending on passenger delays and weather, but this were the timings when I crossed from Wellington to Picton on the Bluebridge ferry…in not fun weather. 

Based on a 1.30pm advertised sailing: 

12.30pm – Be at your vehicle (if you have one)
12.35pm – Passenger vehicles start to board as foot passengers also make their way from the terminal to the ferry
12.50pm – Passenger vehicles all boarded
1.20pm – Ferry departs if ready
5pm – Announcement for people to start making their way back to their vehicles or to gather on Deck 3 if they are a foot passenger
5.30pm – Departed from the ferry (I was near the back of the vehicle platform, about halfway through the vehicles that were departing, both freight and passenger vehicles)

Facilities on Board a Bluebridge Ferry

One of the reasons that Bluebridge is often cheaper than the Interislander ferry is that there are less facilities onboard the Bluebridge ferries. However, what is on board is more than enough for a comfortable crossing, though if you need a bit more then one ferry a day will likely have the Pōhutukawa Lounge, a lovely upgrade to your comfort levels. You’ll see which ferry has this lounge option when you book your ticket.  

The offerings on board are pretty standard for large ferries, with seating areas, viewing decks, a cafe/restaurant and bar. There’s also a cinema, family room and on the deck above are private cabins, available at an extra charge. 

The seating areas on board the ferry are spacious and comfortable, with a range of booth style chairs, restaurant set ups, stool at higher tables and a few seats with charging points. There’s a quiet room if you want a bit of peace and quiet to read, and you’ll find a handful of seating areas outside that you’ll be able to enjoy if the weather is good…or if you’re tough and can deal with the wind!

Crossing the Cook Strait

Shortly before the ferry departs, a low rumble can be felt as the engines start up. On the tannoy, an announcement comes over giving you the safety briefing before the ferry starts to move out of Wellington harbour. 

For the first 45 minutes you’ll be journeying out of Wellington. Leaving the harbour, past the ever popular Oriental Bay and following the route around the Miramar Peninsula and out to the Cook Strait. You’ll spot some of my favourite beaches as you journey round. This is also the point you should start keeping an eye out for dolphins! 

Once you’ve left Wellington, there’s a 90-minute journey across the Cook Strait. If bad weather is predicted, this is where you’ll feel it the most, but the views are still great as you travel alongside the North Island coast, see the wind turbine farms and admire the sparse cliffs. As the South Island starts to loom in the distance, you’ll know that any rough weather and big waves will more than likely be over soon. 

For the next 75 minutes you’ll be treated to stunning views of the Marlborough Sounds. You’ll want your camera ready and hope for good weather so you can stand out on the deck and soak up the views. Just stunning, and a perfect introduction/welcome back to the South Island.

I had been very nervous before taking the journey from Wellington to Picton as I’d had a warning email that strong wind and large swells were forecast. I had booked a fully flexi ticket, so spent a lot of time checking the weather and working out whether I could change my plans to accommodate the rocky weather. I figured in the end that if it was deemed safe to travel by the people running the ferry then I would go with my original booking.  

Time summary of crossing the Cook Strait:
45 minutes to get out of Wellington
90 minutes to cross the Cook Strait
75 minutes through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton

Discount Code

Anything to save money, right? Well, there a bunch of discount codes for Bluebridge ferries, but I used one from the NZTT travel group. All you have to do is sign up for their free membership card, then search the website for the discount code and, just like that, 10% off! 

Find the NZTT website here, full of great tips and the all important discount codes! 

Would I Recommend Taking Bluebridge Ferries?

I’m not a ferry expert, nor am I someone who needs lots of entertainment on a journey. I am, however, a budget backpacker who needed to get from the North Island of New Zealand to the South Island who has a slight fear of the ferry just…falling over in rough weather. Or at any point to be honest. 

I really enjoyed the seamless and efficient boarding and disembarking of the ferry. The journey was a little rocky but staff were on hand to help anyone who didn’t feel well, and the boat itself was comfortable and there were plenty of places to sit. I actually spent most of the journey outside to help combat the nausea from the big waves, but sat in various places inside to warm up and relax between deck visits. 

There was plenty of food on offer, including both sandwiches and pastries, pies and other hot food alongside hot and cold drinks. With the freight traffic being loaded in advance of passenger vehicles and foot passengers, this meant that the queues for food and drinks were minimised because half of the passengers had already eaten by the time the other half were boarding. 

All in all, yes I’d absolutely recommend taking a Bluebridge ferry between the islands of New Zealand, especially because it’s often cheaper than the Interislander! 

Are you planning a South Island road trip? Check out this ultimate road trip itinerary for New Zealand’s South Island.