Frequently Asked Questions
Where are our Cigars?
All of our stock is located in New Zealand, we provide convenient shipping overnight* throughout New Zealand ensuring the freshest delivery possible.
We have the largest range of Premium (new-world) cigars that we import directly from the highest rated and most respected cigar family's and factory's in the free-world.
All excise duty (tobacco tax) is fully paid on importation allowing you to order with confidence that your cigars are here, fresh and able to be delivered within 48 hours or less.
*Please allow an extra 1 to 2 days for Rural Delivery
How long will my order take to arrive?
We ship everyday of the working week, please refer to our Delivery Guideline here
Typically your order will be delivered overnight* throughout New Zealand. CANTEROS.nz uses NZ Post (formerly CourierPost) for all deliveries ensuring quick and efficient delivery both in Metro and Rural areas nationwide.
*Please allow an extra 1 to 2 days for Rural Delivery in most cases
Why don't you sell Cuban Cigars?
Our focus is to provide New Zealand Aficionados with the finest Premium cigars available in the free-world at the very best price; thus we do not sell Cuban Cigars.
The myth of Cuban-cigars being the best cigars in the world has been debunked by many industry experts; look at the Top 25 Cigar lists since 2020 and you will quickly discover that free-world or new-world (Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and the USA) dominate these lists heavily.
Add to the fact that in 2020 China gained control of Habanos S.A. via a deal struck in Cambodia and since that purchase China has continued to increase the price of Cuban cigars and you soon see why we have nothing to do with them.
As of 2024 China is the single largest importer of Cuban cigars in the world - good for them as no one else really wants them these days anyway. Europe the once stronghold of Cuban cigars has moved rapidly to the free-world/new-world cigars from Central America and walked away from Habanos S.A..
The last reason we will never deal with Cuban cigars is they are nothing more than modern day slave traders; the average Cuban cigar worker earns less than US$20 per month; that is nothing short of sweatshop/slavery.
Whereas Central American cigar works enjoy good if not great compared to other local employment options; many cigar families provide schools and healthcare for their workers and the likes of Arturo Fuente and J.C. Newman have a well established social program with their Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, which provides Education, Healthcare and Community Development in the Dominican Republic.
Cigars are so expensive in New Zealand compared to overseas, why?
New Zealand taxes tobacco on its weight (kilo tobacco content), this can be in excess of 900% of the cost of the cigar in tobacco tax alone.
This excise duty is paid directly to New Zealand Customs and is used for general purpose measures by the New Zealand Government.
Around NZD$2 billion is collected in tobacco excise duty annually; with only 3% of that spent on Quit Smoking initiatives.
Why do I need to provide Age Verification for my order?
New Zealand requires a minimum age of 18 years to purchase any tobacco-products; we adhere to this law and ask for you to provide proof of your age before shipping any tobacco-related products.
This is required only once; your ID is not held on file, but your verification is recorded on your account for future purchases.
You have a great selection of Cigars, but I cannot see any images, why?
New Zealand has very strong anti-smoking laws and as such it is illegal to display images of cigars and their brands.
My Xikar lighter/cutter isn't working, how do I get a replacement?
Xikar offers a life-time warranty, please email our sales team (sales@canteros.nz) to organise a replacement item.
Please note, you will need to pay shipping costs before the replacement item is shipped to you.
I am visiting New Zealand shortly, are there any Cigar lounges?
Sadly no, with the introduction of the SmokeFree Act there are no dedicated cigar lounges any more.
You can find cigar-friendly bar's in most New Zealand areas (outdoor smoking areas only, it is illegal to smoke inside bars).
Arrange to have your cigar-order shipped to your first destination ready for your arrival and you can still have an enjoyable holiday in New Zealand.
Please email our sales team for assistance (sales@canteros.nz) and refer to our Tourists Guide to Cigar/Pipe Smoking in New Zealand.
How does Click and Collect work?
If you live in Christchurch (or are passing through), we now allow you to Click and Collect your order from our distribution centre in Sydenham, Christchurch.
Why does the payment gateway POLi ask for my bank details?
POLi is a payment-gateway - it simplifies making a direct credit transfer from your account to ours POLi are used by a number of New Zealand’s largest retailers.
Alternatively if you are uncomfortable using this system, you can simply select Bank Deposit and make a manual bank transfer to us. The account number will be on the invoice we email you. If you forget to note our bank account info, just drop us an email.
Can I pay by Credit Card?
YES, we now accept Credit Card payments at Check-Out by our partners Till Payments/Merchant Warrior.
Alternatively you can still pay via POLi or Bank Deposit (Bank Transfer).
Can I pay by PayPal?
YES, simply complete your order by selecting Bank Deposit and put a Note on your order asking for PayPal. Please note PayPal will incur an additional 5% charge.
My Overseas issued Credit Card won't work?
Correct, most non-New Zealand issued Credit Cards are blocked from making tobacco purchases in New Zealand. When this happens, complete your order by using Bank Deposit and request a PayPal transaction (you do not need a PayPal account for this) and we can complete your order that way.