Tauranga will feel impact after Norwegian Jewel skips stop

The ship was due to make a stop in Tauranga today. Photo / File

Tauranga businesses will take a hit after a cruise ship skipped a stop in the city following a passenger throwing himself off-board in Hawkes Bay yesterday.

Emergency services are searching the waters near Mahia Peninsula for a person missing from the Norwegian Jewel from around 7pm yesterdayevening.

According to a previous Ports of Tauranga cruise ship schedule, the ship was due to dock in Tauranga at 7am today. The stop has since been removed from the list.

The Ports of Auckland cruise schedule shows the ship is expected to arrive in Auckland at 5am tomorrow before departing for Sydney at 4pm the same day.

Tourism Bay of Plenty head of destination marketing, Kath Low, said the route change would see businesses miss out on trade with 2376 passengers.

"A number of those passengers would have disembarked the ship and made bookings through the i-SITE at the Port of Tauranga. There would also be a number who meander the shops of Mount Maunganui and Tauranga," Low said.

"Those businesses we have spoken with this morning who had pre-bookings with passengers are issuing refunds."

She said there would be a financial loss but the extent of that loss was unknown.

CCTV footage and witness statements show a 62-year-old Australian man deliberately jumped overboard, according to a statement from a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson.

"The authorities were notified and a search and rescue operation ensued immediately. Unfortunately, the guest has not been found," the statement read.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the individual's family during this difficult time".