PRIVATE CHARTERS

Black Cat’s Charter Cruises offers the ideal floating venue for your special events!

Transform your occasion into a unique experience – be it a private birthday celebration, social club gathering, corporate entertainment, conference delegate engagement, or even a momentous occasion like a wedding.

Relish the highlights of our Lyttelton or Akaroa cruises aboard our spacious catamarans. Enhance your journey with the addition of a fully catered buffet meal. Picture a sumptuous two-course spit roast as part of your memorable time on the water.

Although we offer multiple slots and timings, nothing compares to a bespoke private charter cruise. Imagine the beauty of a sunset painting the water, while your guests unwind to your selected tunes, enjoying a full bar and delectable locally sourced catering.

TO MAKE A BOOKING
CALL US: 03 328 9078
or email: [email protected]

Please include a contact phone number when emailing charter enquiries.

20% Off Christmas Charter Cruises
Monday-Wednesday

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Dinner Cruises

We offer a range of different styles of dinner cruises from Lyttelton Harbour. From simple finger food to a fully catered buffet.

The dinner cruises are one of our most popular charter options – it’s a great way to create something different for an end-of-year event, a Christchurch Christmas party or a special occasion such as a wedding or birthday party.

You can book either a 3-hour cruise complete with a 2-course spit roast meal, or a 90-minute  pizza or platter cruise. 

Schedule & Prices (Lyttelton)

3 hour dinner cruise

Spit Roast

$99.00 per adult
$50.00 per child
$2,970 (30 adults)
2 course spit roast buffet meal
90 minute cruises(min charge 20 pax)

Pizza

$65.00 per person
$24.00 per extra pizza

Platters

$70 per person

  
Other Options/info

75 Persons Max

Extra boat time possible

Free tea & Coffee

Min 50 pax for excusive boat

Spit Roast Cruise

You begin your cruise with a one hour voyage around the harbour keeping an eye out for Hector’s Dolphins, as well as other marine life, and then anchor in a sheltered bay to enjoy a 2 course buffet meal. This is normally a three hour booking.

Main Course

  • Angus Beef with Wholegrain Mustard
  • Maple glazed ham
  • Gourmet Potatoes tossed in herb butter
  • Texan BBQ chicken
  • A selection of six salads
  • Optional add on NZ Lamb, pork for an extra $2.60 per person 
  • Vegan / Vege / GF / DF options available

Dessert

  • Classic Kiwi Pavlova
  • Fresh Fruit Salad

Menu may be subject to change depending on the season or caterers we may use. 

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Pizza Cruise

Start your evening cruise down on the wharf with us in Lyttelton.

Once the delicious food arrives, we will let the lines go and cruise the sights of the harbour for an hour and a half.

We allow for half a pizza per person. If you’d like to increase your order we can do this on request. 

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Charter With Platters

Looking to charter a boat for a couple of hours and simply have some delicious nibbles? We can organise a charter with platters of numerous sizes to cater for your party. Tea and coffee are complimentary.

Please note that with any charter you can talk to us to arrange additional time on the water.

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Weddings

Create an enchanting and memorable wedding on board one of our catamarans. This is your opportunity to have the wedding you’ve always imagined – with the setting sun over the harbour as the most perfect backdrop.

You can choose to have your wedding ceremony at a venue in Lyttelton or Akaroa, followed by your reception on the water, or have the whole event hosted on the harbour with Black Cat Cruises.

You’ll have up to four hours on the water with us, plus you can take time prior to departure to decorate and theme the boat to create exactly the atmosphere you are looking for.

Our charter catamarans are among the most unique and affordable wedding venues in Canterbury.

Talk to us about your ideas and our team will be happy to accommodate any special requirements.

Schedule & Prices

Wedding cruise:Price on application
  
Maximum capacity:70 people
Includes:Full boat hire
  

The Canterbury Cat in Lyttelton Harbour provides a unique meeting and conference venue in Christchurch. It’s a fantastic choice for companies looking for that will both inspire and engage. The surrounding views of Banks Peninsula create the perfect backdrop for a calm, productive environment.

As a venue, the Canterbury Cat can accommodate up to 60 or 80 people depending on how you wish to use the venue.

There is a full bar available, and catering can also be organised as part of your event. BYO alcohol is not available under the terms of our liquor licence.

You can also theme the boat if required.

A minimum of 30 people is required for any charter booking.

Please contact us directly to discuss your options if you have a meeting or event to plan.

Our Charter Vessels

Canterbury Cat

  • Features: Open/Closed rear deck. Open top deck and front deck. 2 toilets.
  • Harbour based in: Lyttelton
  • Licensed capacity: 99 pax
  • Comfortable cruising: 80 pax
  • Dining Cruising: 70-80 pax depending on style of cruise
  • Enclosed seating: 60 pax
  • Sound System: Yes

Black Cat Catamaran

  • Features: Open/Closed top deck and rear deck. Open front deck. 2 toilets
  • Harbour based in: Akaroa
  • Licensed capacity: 99 pax
  • Comfortable cruising: 80 pax
  • Dining Cruising: 60 pax
  • Enclosed seating: 70 pax
  • Public Address System: Yes
  • Sound System: Yes

BAR & BEVERAGES

  • Beer. A selection of locally crafted and international beers ranging from $10.00 per bottle
  • Wine. A selection of red, white, rose, and sparkling wine $10.00 – $12.00 per glass
  • RTD’s. $10.00 per drink
  • Non-alcoholic. A selection of soft drinks and orange juice from $3.00 – $4.00 per bottle / can

Frequently asked questions

Yes. We have a great speaker system and a large range of music that we can play or can give us a custom playlist. If you’d like to arrange your own music / DJ / entertainer on board please discuss this with us

Yes. Minimum of 1 skipper and 1 crew person. 1 Speciality spit roast staff member (dinner charter).

Departures are from B Jetty, Lyttelton or from main wharf, Akaroa.

Our charters cruise the internal harbour and out to the heads, weather permitting. If you have specific requirements please let us know at the time of booking.

All of our vessels are fully licensed however our liquor licence does not allow for BYO. Payment for the purchases made on the bar can be made by visa, mastercard, eftpos or cash. A tab can be arranged but must be paid for in full at the end of the charter.

Yes. Our standard charter packages have been put together based on our cruise experience. However if they are not what you are after please do not hesitate to contact us.

We are so confident you will not have a problem with seasickness that we are prepared to give the person who is sick their money back!!

Unfortunately, the weather is something out of our control but you can be secure in the knowledge that we have to cancel due to weather on approximately 5% of our cruises so you would be very unlucky!! We are still able to hold the event inside the boat and if necessary stay tied to the jetty.

Terms and conditions

  • A $600 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking. Bookings are confirmed on receipt of this payment.

  • For exclusive use of the boat, a minimum of 50 passengers must be paid for.

  • Final numbers are required 10 working days prior to the cruise date. After this time catering numbers can be increased not decreased.

  • Full payment must be made 48 hours prior to departure.

  • Extra Cruise time is possible and charged in 30-minute blocks. The price depends on passenger numbers and the boat in use. This must be booked in advance and time can not be added on the day. Cruises extended over 2 hours may require the purchase of additional food to meet the requirements of our liquor license. 

  • The vessel used and the departure point is at the discretion of Black Cat Cruises and may be subject to change.

  • All prices are inclusive of GST unless otherwise stated. Black Cat Cruises reserves the right to cancel the cruise due to unsuitable weather conditions with a full refund or an agreeable alternative on the night. We also reserve the right to refuse service of alcohol should the catering you choose to supply not meet the minimum provisions required on self-catered charters.

About us

The award-winning Black Cat Cruises is not only an acclaimed success in New Zealand’s tourism industry but also internationally recognized as an eco-tourism pioneer. We hold the honour of being the first to introduce cruises in Akaroa, and we're proud to be acknowledged as New Zealand’s very first eco-tourism operator.

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WHERE WE ARE

Our Nature Cruises and Dolphin Swimming experience depart from Akaroa which is only a 90 minute scenic drive from Christchurch. The Diamond Harbour, Quail Island and Ripapa ferry depart from Lyttelton in Christchurch.

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