The ship, the crossing and the practical details
TSS Earnslaw cruise: what to expect on board
The 1912 steamship crossing explained: the engine room walkway, the pianist, what to wear, getting to Steamer Wharf, children and accessibility.
See Walter Peak BBQ & cruise tickets on GetYourGuide ↗Quick answer
The TSS Earnslaw is a 1912 coal-fired steamship that crosses Lake Whakatipu from Queenstown to Walter Peak in about 45 minutes. On board you can walk down to the engine room and watch the stokers feed the boilers by hand, take in the lake and mountains from the open decks and, on some sailings, hear a pianist. Wear warm layers and non-slip shoes, and expect steps and narrow passageways.
The TSS Earnslaw at a glance
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Built | 1912, in Dunedin |
| Type | Twin-screw coal-fired steamer |
| Route | Queenstown to Walter Peak |
| Crossing | About 45 minutes each way |
| Engine room | Open walkway, stokers at work |
| Payments | Card only on board |
A working steamship, not a replica
The Earnslaw was built in Dunedin, then carried in pieces by rail to Kingston at the southern end of the lake and put back together. New Zealand Railways ordered her to serve the farming communities around Lake Whakatipu, and she carried passengers, sheep, cattle, mail and supplies. She was nearly scrapped in 1968 before being rescued and returned to passenger work by the company now called RealNZ. She is the only remaining commercial passenger-carrying coal-fired steamship in the Southern Hemisphere. The letters TSS stand for twin-screw steamer. She was launched in 1912, the same year as the Titanic, and in 1990 the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand recognised her as part of the country's engineering heritage.
The engine room walkway
A walkway lets you look into the engine room while the ship is under way. You see the twin triple-expansion steam engines turning and the stokers feeding coal into the boilers by hand. RealNZ says it's warm and loud down there, and that reaching it involves stairs and a confined space, so think twice if anyone in your group is bothered by heat or tight spaces. Children often find it the most memorable part of the crossing. The steam machinery is kept in working order: in a major survey both engines have been lifted out of the ship for overhaul and the boilers re-tubed.
On deck: views, commentary and music
On the open decks you look across the lake to Cecil Peak and the Remarkables, with commentary on the landscape and the ship's history. A licensed bar and café sells drinks and light snacks, and a small museum area shows historical photos and displays. On some sailings a pianist plays, a long-standing tradition on the ship, and guests sometimes sing along. Her engines inspired a piece by the composer Ron Goodwin, and she appears briefly in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The host language on the booking is English.
How long the crossing takes
To Walter Peak the Earnslaw takes about 45 minutes each way. On the Walter Peak BBQ cruise the whole trip runs about three and a half to four hours, including the meal and the farm show. A cruise-only ticket is shorter, and RealNZ's page for it gives the length. RealNZ says she leaves Queenstown several times a day, and most often in summer. Departure times change with the season, so the booking calendar and your confirmation show your time.
Read next: Earnslaw dinner cruise: which option to book
Steamship or catamaran?
RealNZ's own comparison is plain: choose the Earnslaw for history and character, and choose the Spirit of Queenstown for convenience and informative commentary. The Spirit of Queenstown is a modern catamaran with panoramic windows, an open-top deck and a café and bar, and its crossing to Walter Peak is shorter. Both are boarded by ramp, and neither is fully wheelchair accessible. Both also sail as cruise-only trips as well as trips that continue to Walter Peak. If you book the Walter Peak BBQ cruise, you pick the vessel when you book.
What to wear and bring
RealNZ's packing list is short. The open decks are exposed, and Queenstown's alpine weather can change quickly, so carry a windproof layer in any season. RealNZ notes that even a hot summer day can bring a cold evening. The engine room is warm, the decks are not, so pack for the open deck rather than for the engine room or the dining room.
- Warm clothing or a jacket
- Non-slip shoes
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- A camera or phone
- Personal medication, including for asthma and allergies
Getting to Steamer Wharf
Sailings leave from Steamer Wharf in central Queenstown, and the RealNZ Visitor Centre is at 88 Beach Street. Your confirmation shows where to meet. RealNZ says to allow an extra 30 minutes to find parking before check-in. Free street parking is limited, and there is paid parking in the Man Street and Church Street buildings, plus pay-and-display car parks on Boundary Street and Ballarat Street. Queenstown is about 2.5 hours' drive from Te Anau and about 1 hour 15 minutes from Wanaka. The ship takes card payments only.
Read next: Getting to Steamer Wharf, timings, and which sailing to pick
Children and families
The cruise is listed as suitable for all ages, and RealNZ says life jackets and safety measures are in place on board. Children tend to be fascinated by the engine room. Expect stairs between decks and a warm, loud engine room, so keep younger children close. Non-slip shoes help on the ship and on the gravel paths at the farm.
Accessibility
RealNZ says neither the Earnslaw nor the Spirit of Queenstown is fully wheelchair accessible. Both are boarded by ramp, but on the Earnslaw there are multiple steps, narrow passageways and raised thresholds, and you move between decks by narrow stairs only. RealNZ lists no accessible toilets on either vessel. It asks you to tell it about mobility needs when you book, so it can advise on the right vessel and help with boarding, although staff help can't always be guaranteed. At Walter Peak, RealNZ says the restaurant is wheelchair accessible but reached by an inclined gravel path, and that unaided wheelchair users can't travel around the farm on a farm tour.
Weather, cancellations and maintenance
Cruises run subject to favourable weather. If a sailing is cancelled for poor weather, the booking offers another date or a full refund. RealNZ schedules the Earnslaw to run every day of the year except during her annual maintenance, when Walter Peak trips run on the Spirit of Queenstown. The dates differ each year, so check yours. For major surveys she is winched out of the lake at a historic slipway at Kelvin Heights, powered by a steam engine and boiler that once served the paddle steamer Antrim.
Who this isn't for
If you want a quick, easy ferry ride, the Spirit of Queenstown is quicker and simpler to move around. If stairs, heat or confined spaces are a problem, the engine room won't suit you. If the boat matters less to you than the farm itself, look at the farm tour. And if you've set your heart on the steamship for a particular date, remember she is out of service for maintenance for part of each year. If you don't want to spend three and a half hours or more on one outing, a cruise-only ticket or another Queenstown plan will fit better.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go in the engine room?
You can look into it from a walkway while the ship is under way, and watch the engines and the stokers. RealNZ says it's warm and loud, and that reaching it involves stairs and a confined space.
How long is the crossing to Walter Peak?
About 45 minutes each way on the TSS Earnslaw. The full Walter Peak BBQ cruise takes about three and a half to four hours. Your confirmation shows the departure time.
Is there a pianist on the Earnslaw?
On some sailings, yes. A pianist on board is a long-standing tradition on the ship, but it isn't guaranteed on every sailing.
Is the Earnslaw wheelchair accessible?
Not fully. She is boarded by ramp, but has steps, narrow passageways, raised thresholds and narrow stairs between decks, and no accessible toilets. Tell RealNZ about mobility needs when you book.
Where does the Earnslaw leave from?
Steamer Wharf in central Queenstown. The RealNZ Visitor Centre is at 88 Beach Street. Your confirmation shows where to meet, and RealNZ advises allowing extra time to find parking.
Does the Earnslaw run all year?
She is scheduled to run every day of the year except during her annual maintenance, when Walter Peak trips run on the Spirit of Queenstown. The dates differ each year.
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