Join us for a relaxing cruise along the magnificent Lake Taupo aboard The Ernest Kemp, a beautiful vintage replica steamboat!
Hi Cherie, thanks for sharing your experience with us! It’s great to hear the journey was enjoyable from start to finish and that the onboard touches helped make it even more comfortable. We’re pleased the information shared along the way added value to your time on the water. Have a fantastic day.
Thanks, Ebonee! We really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. It’s wonderful to know the crew made you feel welcome and that the journey offered plenty of memorable moments along the way. We’re glad the experience left you with lasting impressions and some great photos to take home. Have a lovely day.
Comfortable and pleasant boat ride on Lake Taupo to view the Maori Rock carvings. It took nearly 45 mins from the berth at Taupo to the rock carvings. 1.5 hours round trip. Friendly staff on board. We had a good time.
Thank you for sharing your experience and for choosing to join us on the lake. We’re glad to hear the journey felt relaxed and enjoyable, and that the team helped create a welcoming atmosphere on board. It’s great to know the timing and overall experience suited your plans and made for an enjoyable outing while visiting Taupō. Have a great day!
The Captain and young deck crew were very nice. The Captain spoke about the history while we traveled to the Ngatoro carving. The young girl gave out cookies and later we were able to choose food off the menu. Sadly it was a very windy day, the lake was choppy, but it still was a pleasant trip. We circled twice by the rock and then back to the harbor. I’m so glad I did not go kayaking- it would have been canceled. I recommend the trip.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Teresa! We’re really pleased the crew helped make the journey enjoyable and that you were able to learn a bit about the area along the way. Even with the challenging conditions on the lake, it’s great to hear the experience remained comfortable and worthwhile. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope the rest of your travels were just as memorable. Wishing you safe and happy adventures ahead!
My experience was on but not so good. They were run out of milk and cookies. Staff was more keen to sale stuff on boat rather then provide free stuff for which we paid in advance. Although staff was good. Sound was not so good and was very difficult to hear commentary. I have been to Chris Jolly before and they are really good.
Hi Kapil, Thank you for your feedback regarding your recent cruise with Ernest Kemp. We’re sorry that your experience did not fully meet expectations. While we did run short of cookies on that trip, we would like to clarify that milk is always available on board. We also appreciate your comments about the sound quality and onboard service, which have been noted and will be reviewed with our team. We’re pleased to hear that you found our staff to be good, and we thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Have a good day
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Cherie van Tol-Rose from New Zealand wrote on 28 December 2025
Ernest Kemp boat
The ride out to the maori carving was great. The commentary was very good and gave lots of information. I enjoyed every moment on the trip. The coffee was also a great addition to have. Thank you..