--- title: "Lyttelton (Christchurch) Cruise Port" url: https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/lyttelton-christchurch description: "A volcanic harbour serving New Zealand's garden city" --- # Lyttelton (Christchurch) πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ Β· New Zealand Β· Australia & New Zealand > "A volcanic harbour serving New Zealand's garden city" ## At a Glance - **Avg. Ships/Day:** 1 - **Avg. Time in Port:** 9.7h - **Visiting Sailings:** 83 - **Cruise Lines:** 6 ## Peak Season Busiest months: Mar (28 sailings), Feb (15 sailings), Nov (13 sailings) ## About Lyttelton (Christchurch) Lyttelton is the port for Christchurch, sitting inside the crater of an extinct volcano on Banks Peninsula. The harbour is a flooded volcanic crater, which gives it a dramatic setting. A road tunnel connects Lyttelton to Christchurch (about 15 minutes by shuttle or bus). The town itself has a small main street with cafΓ©s, galleries, and a Saturday farmers' market. Christchurch is still rebuilding after the 2011 earthquake, and the mix of new architecture, empty lots, and construction creates an unusual feel. The Cardboard Cathedral (temporary replacement for the damaged Christ Church Cathedral) is worth seeing. The Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park are the green heart of the city. The Antarctic Centre near the airport has interactive exhibits about the continent. Akaroa, a former French settlement on Banks Peninsula, is about 90 minutes from Lyttelton and has wildlife cruises to see Hector's dolphins. New Zealand dollars are the currency. ## Quick Facts - **Currency:** NZD (New Zealand Dollar) - **Language:** English, Māori - **Timezone:** Pacific/Auckland (UTC+13) - **Tipping:** Not expected; 10% for exceptional service ## Location Coordinates: -43.6067, 172.7179 - [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/cruise+terminal+Lyttelton%20(Christchurch)/@-43.60669,172.71786,13z) - [Open in Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=cruise%20terminal%20Lyttelton%20(Christchurch)&ll=-43.60669,172.71786&z=13) ## Things to Do in Lyttelton (Christchurch) Top-rated shore excursions that fit a typical ~10h port call. Prices are starting prices per person. | Tour | Rating | Duration | Fits Port Day | From | Provider | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [ZIPCHCH - Signature Zipline Tour: NZ's Highest & Longest](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/ab3a7d0e-fca8-43aa-968c-f6a3babc3411.md?via=markdown) | 4.9β˜… (291) | 3h | βœ“ | €112 | Viator | | [Christchurch Land Sailing Adventure Velocity Karts](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/5de7315b-25a3-44ba-aeff-9c9ad8b75639.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (114) | 2h | βœ“ | €51 | Viator | | [Christchurch Inner City Lunchtime Food and Culture Walking Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/35379fc5-033f-4fd9-8aca-b98ba1e97e64.md?via=markdown) | 4.9β˜… (107) | 2h 30m | βœ“ | €111 | Viator | | [Full-Day Godley Head Coastal Hike with Picnic Lunch](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/4b069345-6dd3-44b9-a86f-71f0d94268b5.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (167) | 6h | βœ“ | €175 | Viator | | [Waipara Wine Experience for 2 or more, inc tastings and lunch](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/85c3d8ff-b80a-485e-9c95-c92081301645.md?via=markdown) | 4.9β˜… (163) | 5h 30m | βœ“ | €128 | Viator | | [Discover Christchurch Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/947ea6f7-26e1-4fcf-ac3b-14050ed4d95e.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (140) | 6h | βœ“ | €205 | Viator | | [Half-Day Godley Head Coastal Hike from Christchurch](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/4aaa6272-fa45-400a-8a30-fceca1d011aa.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (51) | 4h | βœ“ | €147 | Viator | | [Lyttelton Shore Excursion: Godley Head Coastal Hike with Picnic](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/a3fe30ac-4ee2-48fc-b94e-06dcc740b5df.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (70) | 5h | βœ“ | €180 | Viator | | [Historical, Heritage & Earthquake walking tour of Christchurch](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/140cbd4f-9dd3-411d-8a6e-8e8045c2ba1b.md?via=markdown) | 4.9β˜… (37) | 2h | βœ“ | €15 | Viator | | [Christchurch: Sheep Farm, Lunch and Winery Day Trip](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/0a10df66-2377-47cc-bc4b-ff557c5ef92c.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (63) | 6h | βœ“ | €178 | Viator | | [Private Christchurch Walking Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/786d7590-51d3-4dc2-93c9-c022f265980d.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (31) | 2h | βœ“ | €77 | Viator | | [Māori Waka Experience in Christchurch - 75 minutes](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/7937a234-0055-42a4-b185-b7ec5f91916f.md?via=markdown) | 5β˜… (24) | 1h 15m | βœ“ | €51 | Viator | Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. ## Nearby Ports - [Timaru](https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/timaru.md): 79 nm - [Picton](https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/picton.md): 151 nm - [Dunedin](https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/dunedin.md): 165 nm ## Cruise Lines Serving This Port - [Celebrity Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/celebrity-cruises.md) - [Holland America Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/holland-america-line.md) - [MSC Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/msc-cruises.md) - [Norwegian Cruise Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/norwegian-cruise-line.md) - [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) - [Royal Caribbean](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/royal-caribbean.md) ## Cheapest Available Sailing **[View this cruise β†’](https://cruisello.com/cruises/tasman-tidecall-sydney-to-auckland~CEL-CELEBRITY_EDGE-20290309-10.md)** - **Price:** €966 per person (€1,931 total for 2 guests) - **Cruise Line:** [Celebrity Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/celebrity-cruises.md) - **Ship:** [Celebrity Edge](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/celebrity-cruises/celebrity-edge.md) - **Duration:** 10 nights - **Departure:** 2029-03-09 - **Itinerary:** Tasman Tidecall – Sydney to Auckland ## Featured Cruises from Lyttelton (Christchurch) Prices are per person, two sharing, in the fare's own currency. | Cruise | Ship | Line | Departure | Nights | Price | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Gilded Fjord Crossing – Auckland, Picton & Lyttelton](https://cruisello.com/cruises/gilded-fjord-crossing-auckland-picton-lyttelton~PCL-RP-20261205-13.md) | Royal Princess | Princess Cruises | 2026-12-05 | 13 | €1,057 | | [Wild Fjords & Islands](https://cruisello.com/cruises/wild-fjords-islands~CEL-CELEBRITY_EDGE-20261028-12.md) | Celebrity Edge | Celebrity Cruises | 2026-10-28 | 12 | €1,661 | | [Southern Latitude Crossings – Fiordland & Tauranga](https://cruisello.com/cruises/southern-latitude-crossings-fiordland-tauranga~PCL-AP-20270215-14.md) | Grand Princess | Princess Cruises | 2027-02-15 | 14 | €1,509 | ## Browse Cruises - 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