0 Ferry Cancellations June 25/26 2026

• Cook Strait Ferries
• by Stuart Gunn
• 25-06-2026

Significant disruptions to Cook Strait ferry services are in effect for today, Thursday, June 25, 2026, due to forecast high winds and significant swells. Interislander Service Alerts Interislander has confirmed the following cancellations for today: 3:30 PM: Wellington to Picton 9:30 PM: Picton to Wellington The disruptions are expected to continue into tomorrow, Friday, June 26, with further cancellations for the 3:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 3:30 PM, and 9:30 PM sailings. Recommendations Check Status: If you have a booking, please monitor your email and text messages for direct updates from the ferry operators. Contact Information: Interislander: You can reach their customer service team at 0800 802 802 (available 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM) or via email at bookings@interislander.co.nz. Bluebridge: As ferry schedules are subject to rapid change, it is highly recommended to check their official website or contact them directly at least 48 hours before any scheduled sailing to confirm your status.

0 Cook Strait Ferry Situation update

• Cook Strait Ferries
• by Stuart Gunn
• 31-03-2026

  Status at 1:30pm Tuesday 31st March for Cook Strait Ferries As of Tuesday afternoon, March 31, 2026, the Cook Strait remains under significant pressure due to a combination of mechanical failures, a maritime emergency, and deteriorating weather. Bluebridge The Connemara remains out of action. It has now been detained by Maritime NZ following a safety inspection in Wellington.   Cancellations: All scheduled crossings for the Connemara are currently cancelled, including the 2:00 PM Picton to Wellington sailing today. Outlook: Bluebridge hopes to resume services late this evening (Tuesday), but this is strictly dependent on the vessel being cleared by authorities. Advice: If you were booked on the Connemara, check your email for a cancellation notice. Re-booking options are currently extremely limited.   Interislander A major search and rescue operation earlier today has caused flow-on delays across the network. Overboard Incident: A person went overboard from the Kaiārahi around 2:20 AM this morning. The vessel remained on-site to assist in the search for several hours. Fleet Status: While the Kaiārahi has since returned to service, the schedule is lagging. Most morning sailings were delayed, and some may be consolidated to manage the backlog. Aratere & Kaitaki: These vessels are currently operating but are under high demand as they absorb passengers and freight from the cancelled Bluebridge sailings. Current Marine Forecast Conditions are becoming more challenging this afternoon: Wind: A Gale Warning is in place for the Cook Rock area. A southerly change has brought winds of 30 knots. Sea State: The sea is expected to be rough for a time this afternoon with a moderate southerly swell developing. Visibility: Poor visibility is expected during passing showers. Summary Table Operator Vessel Status Bluebridge Connemara CANCELLED (Detained by Maritime NZ) Bluebridge Livia Operating - High Demand Interislander Kaiārahi Delayed / Recovering Schedule Interislander Aratere / Kaitaki Operating