Travel - Sail Away with Pacific Jemm’s Mulled Wine Cruises
Eichardts has launched a new luxury 90-minute Mulled Wine Cruise on picturesque Lake Wakatipu. You will find the Pacific Jemm docked at O’Regan’s Wharf ready to set sail twice a day. Included in your cruise is two glasses of locally made mulled wine and hot nibbles.
The Pacific Jemm is a beautiful luxurious 80-foot vessel – it is a truly special way to experience the stunning scenery along the lake. The boat is adorned with artwork, gorgeous wood features, plush pillows and blankets for the ultimate upscale experience. Stepping on board you will receive a warm welcome from the captain and team – the attentive staff will prep your food and snacks to bring out to you as you kick back, relax and enjoy.
The boat was previously used for private events such as weddings, birthdays and Christmas parties when Eichardts decided they wanted to try something different. You can still hire it for a private function, but the Mulled Wine cruise makes it much more accessible for individuals or smaller groups to jump on board and experience it.
“We’ve had the Pacific Jemm for a number of years and had it available for private charters,” Raegen Tyrer, Marketing Executive at Eichardts says. “We decided that whilst we get a significant number of private charters, it is sitting there and there aren’t any other superyachts on the lake. We wanted to give this a go and see what we can do in terms of letting the public come and enjoy it without having to book a fully-private charter – just to make it more of a community-based experience and something different.
“With the cruise itself, the captain can go pretty much wherever he likes on the lake, whether that’s down to Kingston or up to Glenorchy. It’s great for people of all ages, from kids to elderly and families just to enjoy a really nice luxury cruise.”
The mulled wine served on board is delightful on a chilly day. Full-bodied, fruity and with just the right amount of spice, it comes from award-winning Bannockburn winery Terra Sancta. There’s an array of soft drinks and non-alcoholic options on board as well. As you’re cruising along, it’s not long before the crew start to bring out warm bites to enjoy and a highlight is certainly the hot cheese dip – yum!
Tyrer says that since launching the response to the cruise has been overwhelmingly positive and there is already discussion about extending it beyond winter. The cruise can accommodate up to thirty-four people onboard and there’s plenty of spots to cosy up and enjoy the sailing including the top deck, a room at the front of the boat and a lovely grand table to sit and watch the views from inside on the main deck.
“Cruises operate Monday to Sunday, and I would recommend people check online for availability and book in advance. Bookings can be made up to an hour or two before the cruise depending on the size of the group. Grab your friends, come along, bring a warm coat and just sit back and relax – enjoy the beautiful tranquillity of Lake Wakatipu, we’re really lucky where we are. The team are really excited to be able to share that with everybody,” Tyrer says.
You can snuggle up with a warm glass of spiced mulled wine and a hot water bottle on the Pacific Jemm daily at 12:30pm and 3pm for $85.
They have a special local’s rate running currently for $69, just enter the promo code PJHOSPO. Space is limited, so secure your spot and book in advance at pacificjemm.com/mulled-wine-cruise
