Shore Excursion: 4 Hour Premium Hawke's Bay, Napier Art deco Tour
Napier, New Zealand
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See and experience Napier’s highlights on this half-day shore excursion designed for travelers with limited time. Explore Art Deco Napier and Hastings, learning about the events behind this artistic style. Continue up Te Mata Peak by road for sweeping views of Hawkes Bay. The tour also includes a visit to Hastings, awarded NZ's best town, with drives through orchards and vineyards explaining the fruit industry.
- A convenient way to get an overview of Hawke's Bay in a short time
- Includes bottled water to keep you refreshed in the warm climate
- Ideal for travelers interested in culture, art, and history
- This is an economical group tour suitable for cruise passengers
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fee - Entrance fee
- Local Guide
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 03/04/2026 - 04/08/2027
Monday - Sunday : 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Itinerary
1
Napier
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Arataki Honey Visitor Centre
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Bluff Hill Lookout
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Te Mata Peak
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
5
Tukituki River
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
6
Hastings
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- A minimum of 2 people per tour is required - single travellers please enquire
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 22 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Alfred_C
Bert made Napier’s sights and tour very special. We arrived not expecting much of Napier, but now we have fallen in love with Napier’s old world charm and beautiful landscape! Bert was personable, witty and knowledgeable. We would do another tour with Bert anytime.
Reviews
4.1
based on 48 reviews
Alan_K, Mar 2026
Our guide, Bert, was friendly and knowledgeable and informative. He took us to some great viewpoints. The tour is mislabeled as “Napier Art Deco tour.“ We simply drove quickly down one street and didn’t really get to see anything of the Art Deco buildings. It’s more a good driving overview of the area. The van was not in the best shape, wasn’t terribly comfortable, and the air conditioning system was apparently not adjustable, so it was either freezing cold or too hot.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Napier is well known for its Art Deco architecture, and under normal circumstances we would spend more time exploring this in depth. However, your ship, Celebrity Edge, was in port for approximately 5 hours, which makes it impossible to operate a full 4-hour tour while also ensuring all guests return to the ship on time.
We do understand your disappointment, however the tour duration had to be adjusted based on the ship’s schedule, not by choice. Our priority is always to ensure guests return safely and on time, so the tour was tailored to fit within a 3-hour window.
Regarding the vehicle, this was a shared tour, and we aim to maintain a temperature that is comfortable for all guests. If you had any concerns during the tour, our guide Bert would have been more than happy to assist, as he is known for being approachable and helpful.
We appreciate your understanding and thank you for choosing
Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours.
Alfred_C, Mar 2026
Bert made Napier’s sights and tour very special. We arrived not expecting much of Napier, but now we have fallen in love with Napier’s old world charm and beautiful landscape! Bert was personable, witty and knowledgeable. We would do another tour with Bert anytime.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re so glad Bert made your Napier experience special—he’ll be thrilled to hear this. Hope to see you again soon!
Regards
Team Hawke's Bay scenic tours
suzanne_s, Mar 2026
An enjoyable tour, unhurried. Our only problem was that my husband wears two hearing aids and found the driver/guides accent a little difficult to understand.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your kind feedback. We’re pleased to hear you enjoyed the relaxed and unhurried tour.
We also appreciate your comment regarding the guide’s accent. Our guides always try to speak as clearly as possible, and guests are welcome to ask the guide to repeat anything if needed.
Kind regards,
Team Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours
David_F, Feb 2026
There was a surprising level of disorganization on the pier at the start of the tour, with no signage for the tour and ground personnel unable to tell from our Viator tickets which group we were supposed to join.
Our guide (Garret) was knowledgeable and engaging. The tour thoroughly explored the deco areas of Napier and Hastings. Unfortunately, there were no photo stops in Napier. Further, the tour bus was not in great condition, and road and mechanical noise made it difficult to hear from the back half of the bus. Finally, the longest part of the trip was from Hastings to a mountain overlook that, while impressive, really did not justify the time spent coming and going.
Overall, our time might have been better spent simply walking and gawking in the center of Napier.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi David,
We apologise for the inconvenience caused to you.
Due to Napier Port regulations, small vehicle operators are not permitted to park very close to the ship. Upon disembarking, guests are required to look for the green sign displaying Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours, where our guide was positioned as instructed by port authorities. Unfortunately, it appears you were unable to locate the sign and instead boarded the port shuttles, which resulted in unnecessary confusion and loss of time.
Your tour was conducted in a Mercedes Sprinter, a vehicle that is widely used and highly regarded for premium touring worldwide. However, we understand that it may not have met your personal expectations, and we respect your opinion.
We thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, as it helps us continue to improve our communication and guest experience.
Rebecca_D, Jan 2026
Very knowledgeable tour guide & driver. Beautiful scenery, especially the views from Te Mata. Great impromptu stop at a winery.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback, 😊
Larry_L, Dec 2025
This tour was great as it provided a good overview of the entire area with city, lookouts, beaches, and other stops. Our tour guide Mark was great and the van worked great for a small group tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your feedback we are pleased you enjoyed your tour with Mark..
Thank you for your using Hawke's bay scenic tours
😊
Ian_M, Mar 2025
Pretty ho hum tour really. Had been looking forward to this tour and was somewhat disappointed.
It didn’t start well. Information re pick up was to get earliest possible shuttle to final stop - The Aquarium. The shuttle driver informed us he’s not supposed to drop off at The Aquarium any longer but he would do it for us.
Due to one of the drivers being unwell with COVID alternate arrangements had been made. A bus had been organised as a replacement for two vans to avoid cancellation of the tour. We had arrived at the tour pick up point just after 7:30am and the bus would be arriving at 8:45am. Apologies were given but the long wait did not bode well for a good day. Luckily we had decent weather for the wait.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hi, sorry to hear your bad experience I would like to tell you Shuttle service is run by Napier port I don't understand why you have mentioned that on our profile. And yes there had been lot covid cases spreading fast in Napier so our management decided to test every tour guide and found some positive ones, but your feedback doesn't seem to be appreciating our efforts in making sure every one have safe tour. Imagine if we had not tested any one and let them do tour and you would have been sick in ship and not able to enjoy anything. So plz understand we had to arrange another driver so it took time but we didn't cancel like other operators and gave you great safe experience of Hawke's Bay. It's our priority being 25 years in tourism industry to ensure every tourist safety is paramount for us. Every tour guide goes through proper training before we have tourist in his hands.
We thank you for having a tour with us.
Regards
Brian_T, Mar 2025
Meeting point wrong in instructions. Phone number for Scenic Tours was also wrong. Driver/guide tried hard but it was all rather amateurish
Response from Host, Mar 2025
We understand your frustration when shuttle drops you at first stop I site instead of aquarium is our pick up. You just needed to tell shuttle where you going then they will drop you at second stop which is aquarium. Both of our contact numbers are working unless you dailing wrong number. We are sorry we couldn't make you enjoy your tour bcz ship only allowed 3 hour which cuts the tour short to 2.5 hour. If you were here longer time at least 4hour we would have been able to show you more on. Ships can often change their timings which makes vary challenging for us. We offer you free tour on your next visit to Hawke's Bay.
liz_c, Feb 2025
This was not a good experience, which started with the driver being late and then passengers who had got off at the wrong stop needing picking up which meant the tour started 1 1/2 hours late. The driver was rude to passengers which wasn’t good, the route was boring and seemed to consist mostly of Apple orchards and vineyards. We really didn’t need to hear the driver’s family history of how he came to New Zealand. This tour turned into a 5 1/2 hour tour with no refreshment stops. And the worst was that for most of the journey the driver was using his phone, not only talking but also texting, which with a bus full of 20 passengers was not only stupid but inappropriate. If I had known that he was breaking the law, I would have challenged him on this. Most of the passengers seem to want to return to Napier after the honey stop but the driver insisted on taking us around more art deco houses and also telling us how much they cost, irrelevant. This tour was paid for by Deborah Marsh a named member of the party, and at the end of the tour the driver took her name and offered a refund, she is still anticipating this money coming back into her account. I think she gave my name, Liz Crompton, as that was the name it was booked under. Any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact Liz.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Yes yesterday we declined your refund request which resulted you coming here commenting. As other calls/ messages received from other passengers from your tour van everyone described you and your friend most annoying person and asked our office how can we have such a person have your with them as you seemed to be demanding private tour where didn't understand you hadn't booked private tour. You were racist and annoying sitting right behind the driver which resulted driver had to remind you it's not your private tour. You were trying to force everyone follow your instructions which our driver declined. We got to know you wished to stop at honey farm and decided to go back but your husband was enjoying the tour so you couldn't get out. Our driver stopped at park and text us about your behaviour and racism which we would like to remind you in new zealand everyone lives as family and no such bad elements exist in our society that's why we are different to world. We would have refunded you if you had stopped your tour at honey farm but you remained sitting and completed the tour. We are told you were unable to walk due to your bad legs and knees and missed visiting Napier park, Bluff Hill lookout and te mata peak. Our drivers are well trained and did every possible effort to help you but couldn't due to your bad behaviour, but we thank you your husband for enjoying the tour with us he's great person. He could have enjoyed the tour much better if you had helped him. Unfortunately not. We still stick to our decision not to refund you at all.
Regards
Mike_D, Feb 2025
As requested we got off the ship as early as possible only to find the tour operator had not arrived and everyone was wandering around wondering what was happening and where to go. When the tour operator did show up it was still confusion but we finally ended up on a mini bus that was small and cramped. When we were on the tour the driver/guide seemed to be just driving around aimlessly with no structure or knowledge of the route. Very disappointing and definitely not worth the money.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Yes Mike we were present at the bootom of the ship where we picked everyone else but you seemed to still boarded the shuttle instesd of our instructions to everyone being Art deco festival in town tour operators were present near ship not in town as roads were blocked for public traffic. But if you failed to see the green big sign which out driver was showing near the ship you shouldn't blame on us you should read your special tour instructions provided in your tour ticket being a art deco festival where hundreds of people visit Napier from around the world and every road in town is blocked. Driver had completed the itinerary as normal and pleased everyone else. But we still thank you for choosing Hawke's Bay scenic tours.
Diane_G, Feb 2025
Beautiful bay, the surrounding areas were a great scenic view on a catamaran.. provided coffee, tea.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Hi Diane_G: Thank you for the lovely remarks, but I am sure you reviewed another part of your day.
Maria_C, Feb 2025
Sukh gave it her all. She was caring, thorough, and a great guide. We had a great time! We were blessed to have a private tour as we were the only ones signed up this day but it is usually a small group. It gave us a great sense of Napier, Hastings, and the surrounding area in a short 4 hours. Extremely enjoyable!
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Hi Maria_C: Thank you for a fantastic review and rating your guide. Yes, Sukh is a great guide. She is very passionate about her job, Napier and the area history. This is her first season and she is so well respected and liked. Thank you again for your review. - John
Gloria_P, Dec 2024
Problem with meeting the tour guide when you get off the ship-we were dropped off at Visitors Centre, not Aquarium.
The tour guide was informative kind and helpful though.
The tour itself gave you a glimpse of NZ countryside nothing much. A lot of focus on Art deco of buildings
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Hi Gloria_P: Thank you for your review. On the day, we had dozens of people and they all arrived to us. I am sorry if for some reason your shuttle driver did not continue to the aquarium. I am please the tour was as we advertised, countryside and the concentration on Art Deco. I take it that you mean you enjoyed that Deco portion, it is extremely popular. Thank you again for your review. - John
Kathy_J, Apr 2024
An incredibly informative tour with a delightful tour guide, Roy!! Very worthwhile! Highly recommend. Travel from the beach, through Napier, to the countryside, and up into the mountains.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Kathy_J, thank you for your fantastic review. I do note that you were on the same tour as the unhappy reviewer below. I am pleased to receive a fantastic review following a lesser review. Yes, everyone has a different take on tours. Again, thank you for this review. - John
Betty_B, Mar 2024
I thought our guide was very personable. He agreed to pick us up from our hotel and even waited because one of our bags was misplaced at cruise terminal. He took us to some really pretty places.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Betty_B.. Thank you so much for your lovely review. Our tours are all about making you the center of our tours. As I mentioned above, it is easy when you are passionate about your city and surroundings. - John
Veronica_L, Mar 2024
Great highlights of Napier
Most enjoyable tour
Nice and knowledgeable guide
Highly recommend! ….would do trip again !
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hi Veronica: Thank you for your great review. I am so pleased that you enjoyed all aspects of your tour and would highly recommend. Thank you again. - John
d2gredvig, Feb 2024
Our tour guide (John) was knowledgeable and shared a lot of information about the area around Napier and its Art Deco architecture. The drawback to this tour was the limited stops to view the sites. We drove around town and the countryside for almost the entire 4 hour tour with only one stop. The term "Premium" in the tour description was misleading and not up to our previous Viator experiences.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hi d2gredvi: Thank you for taking the time to review.
As I am unsure exactly what day you took your tour, I am unable to comment specifically. I usually ask if we arrive somewhere if anyone wishes to get out and take a photo. You would have had several opportunities. I can absolutely guarantee that you stopped at the Napier Hill lookout, the painted toilet building in Napier, the Honey farm, the site of spectacular valley views, Te Mata Peak, and several others would have been offered. Again, I am sorry that the tour did not meet your requirements. - John
Anna_S, Feb 2024
Our guide was amazing, she was very knowledgeable. She gave us very detailed information about the local area. She brought honey to taste and told us most interesting facts about it. The facts about kiwi plants and their cultivation was very interesting. The whole trip was enjoyable and memorable.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hi Anna_S, Thank you so much for your fantastic review. I would honestly like to think we have the best guides in the business, but then I am bias. I really appreciate you taking the time to write
great review of your shore excursion. Thank you again. - John
Paul_H, Feb 2024
It was good to see the area but slot of the wineries required a pre booking so we could not go on. The ones we did get into were good.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hi Paul_H: Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I am unsure how to answer your review as your tour does not visit any wineries. It is, Art Deco, countryside, Honey Farm, Napier and hastings cities Art Deco and history. Thank you again. _ John
JamesRoger_L, Jan 2024
I rarely write negative reviews, but this is necessary as my 5 traveling companions and I all agreed that we did not enjoy this outing for several reasons. We rode in a rented van holding 12 persons and the suspension was useless on the vehicle (or it had none)! We had a guide who was SO interested in art deco that we spent over 1 hour of our 4-hour time driving through neighborhoods in town. Our trip out into the "country" had only three very brief stops. At the end of the tour, some folk wanted to be driven back to the main road rather be left off and have to walk back to the bus pick-up location. Driver was not happy about that although he did comply. We also requested specific directions to a local business which he refused to provide apparently because he did not like that business. In fairness to the driver, he was quite knowledgeable about the area and the history. Our driver was Roy. Either we all mis-read the excursion description, or we were duped on this outing. ALL our other Viator excursions have been terrific with great guides and all 6 of us have been very pleased. But not this time, sadly.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hi JamesRo: Thank you for taking the time to write your review of our tour. I read this with surprise. Roy is a very well educated man, a locally born and raised chap who is extremely passionate about his home city. I am sorry of that van did not meet your expectations re the suspension. Be rest assured that these vans are vigorously checked every six (6) months by an independent Govt agent and the suspension is a main part of this safety check. The 1 hour driving through neighbourhoods is part of this tour, to show the variety of art deco, from commercial to private homes. We have more than anywhere else on earth. At the end of your tour, it is std to ask to drop some of you off at the bottom of the main street (art deco area) and for you to walk at your own pace back to the shuttle, or we will offer to take you directly to your shuttle. In regards to wanting to be driven somewhere else, that unfortunately is outside the scope of your tour. There are others that may not want to do your extras, also the itinerary is timed to do what we advertise and without special extra requests. That tour is unchanged since the tour ships started to arrive in Napier, years ago. It is our biggest seller and may I note, more sales of this tour than any other tour operator in Napier. It is a hugely popular. I am truly sorry you did not find all aspects of this tour not to your liking. - John
Karen_N, Jan 2024
Kirsti was an excellent guide and driver. Very accomodating and the nectarines a special treat.
Felt tight in the van with the number of people we had.
Loved seeing the countryside.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hi Karen_N: Thank you for your great review. We try very hard to accommodate any requests on the day to ensure everyone has a great day. And, yes, the Nectarines are fantastic and fresh at present, Yummy... oooh yes, we have some spectacular countryside to show off to our passengers on the day. I am pleased you enjoyed your tour with us. Thank you again. - John
Sandi_H, Mar 2023
Our shuttle bus guide provided a lot of information throughout the whole bus tour with some interesting stops along the way. A good overview of the area. Good choice for tourists who don’t want to have to do a lot of walking.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Sandio_H, Thank you for your great review. Yes, exactly as promised... A good overview of the area. You are in port for such a very short time, so this tour covers it all in your space of time. Thank you again. - John
Linn_H, Feb 2023
We were in a very small bus for a very long time. The views were wonderful, but the experience was uncomfortable.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hi Linn_H, Thank you for reviewing. I am sorry that you felt the van was very small. Just so everyone understands, we advertise small group tours. The vans we use are standard Toyota Mini buses. We have taken thousands of people over 19 years and this is the very first comment. - John
Roslyn_J, Nov 2022
We were taken to areas with magnificent views. Loved the residential areas, too. We could live here comfortably. Loved the Art Deco.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Hi Roslyn_J. Thank you for your fantastic review. Like you, we love this small part of the world, the lovely art deco and the wineries, and the sunshine and the people and the... I can go on... (Ha Ha). Thank you again. - John
Anu_A, Oct 2022
John was very knowledgable and brought Napier to life . The story of the destruction from the earthquake and then the rebuild was fascinating
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Hi Anu_A, thank you for your fantastic review. It is always great to receive these as we do not ask for them. I thank you for taking the time to review. All our staff take these tours personally and present a great value tour as a result. Thank you again. - John
Paulina_G, Feb 2026
Great way to get to know the surroundings, since Napier is very small in the city center. Very nice scenery, it was fun to stop at the honey center, as we could taste different honeys and see bees. Bert our guide, super friendly and very knowledgeable, the best! What is certain is that the truck was a little old compared to other vans and buses from other tours.
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Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your great feedback, we really pleased that you enjoyed your tour with Bert..
Regards
Team Hawke's Bay scenic tours
Marc_B, Jan 2024
Très instructif et le guide était très connaissant de la matière. Je le recommande à tous. N’hésitez pas à le réserver.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
I or should I say, Google translated this review to ....
Very informative and the guide was very knowledgeable about the subject. I recommend it to everyone.
Don’t hesitate to book it.
Thank you so much for taking your time to review, and most of all I am pleased that you really, really enjoyed your tour with us. Thank you again - John
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