Taranaki can expect a bumper summer of cruise ship visitors this season, with seven vessels scheduled to stop off at Port Taranaki.
The 2023-24 cruise season will begin on 17 December, with the arrival of the 285m, 1,900-passenger Noordam, and end on 7 March, with the visit of the 230m Hanseatic Spirit, which carries a maximum of 230 passengers.
All up, more than 8,000 cruise visitors will experience Taranaki during the summer.
“We’re really excited to have so many cruise ships stopping in Taranaki – it’s the most we’ve had in one season to date - with five of them first-time visitors to port,” Port Taranaki head of commercial Ross Dingle said.
Port Taranaki and Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki, the regional development agency, have been working together to attract cruise lines to the region.
“There is a massive amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to attract cruise lines to Taranaki and we’re thrilled seven ships are hitting our shores this summer,” Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki general manager destination Brylee Flutey said.
“This influx of cruise visitors has the potential to provide positive economic benefit to our region’s tourism businesses along with our retail and hospitality industries while showcasing the region to thousands of international travellers.”
Among the cruise ship line-up is the 294m Island Princess, which was due to visit Taranaki last season before Cyclone Gabrielle forced her cancellation. The vessel, which can hold more than 2,200 passengers, will visit on 7 February.
“It was very disappointing that Island Princess couldn’t visit last season. Shipping is dynamic and schedules can change quickly because of a number of factors, including weather, and safety is always the first consideration,” Mr Dingle said.
“It’s great that Island Princess was keen to return to Taranaki this season and we’ll be very eager to have the vessel alongside and welcome her visitors.”
While they are the same size, and the largest cruise ships to ever visit Port Taranaki, Island Princess will have to bow to Queen Elizabeth for the most passengers aboard. The 294m Queen Elizabeth, with capacity for 2,547 passengers, will dock on 28 December.
“We’ve been looking forward to Queen Elizabeth visiting for the past few years. She had been booked in for the 2020-21 season but COVID-19 forced the cancellation of that visit, so it will be fantastic to have her in port.
“We have a real range of vessels coming this summer, from the large cruise vessels, boasting a large variety of onboard entertainment, shops, restaurants and more, to smaller luxury vessels, and the Hanseatic Spirit, which is billed as an expedition class vessel, taking passengers to places the larger ships don’t go.
“It makes for an interesting summer, and there’ll be some impressive vessels for the public to watch arrive and leave,” Mr Dingle said.
Ms Flutey encouraged the community to “extend a warm welcome to our manuhiri” throughout the cruise season.
“We’re really encouraging a Team Taranaki approach to support a positive experience for our visitors, such as helping out if you spot a cruise passenger needing directions or offering a local recommendation for lunch while in town.”
Cruise ship schedule
2023
Sunday, 17 December – Noordam
Thursday, 28 December – Queen Elizabeth
2024
Wednesday, 24 January – Seabourn Odyssey
Wednesday, 7 February – Island Princess
Thursday, 15 February – Seabourn Sojourn
Monday, 19 February – Silver Shadow
Thursday, 7 March – Hanseatic Spirit
