Last cruise ship overnight stay of the season to dock in Tauranga this week

The Celebrity Solstice will dock at the Port of Tauranga on March 30 for an overnight visit. Photo / File

The Port of Tauranga will have its last overnight stay for the 2018-2019 cruise ship season this Saturday.

'The Celebrity Solstice' will dock at the Port on the March 30 for an overnight visit.

To mark the occasion, Little Big Events is putting on a Street Food Union event in Mount Maunganui for Bay of Plenty people to connect with the cruise ship passengers.

It will take place in Coronation Park between 5pm and 9pm on Saturday.

Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Kristin Dunne said cruise ship passengers are vital to the economy.

"Cruise ship activity brings significant benefits to the Bay of Plenty including the $66m boost the economy received during the 2017-2018 season. More than 50 per cent of passengers stay in the local area."

Forecasts prepared for Tourism Bay of Plenty predicted the 2018-2019 cruise ship season would bring $91 million into the local economy.

This season was the Bay of Plenty's largest yet with 115 ships expected including nine
overnight visits, 25 double ship days and two triple ship days.

The 115 ships would bring an estimated 326,922 passengers and crew to the region.

The Celebrity Solstice is a large, modern ship that carries 2850 passengers and 1116 crew with a ratio of one crew member to every 2.5 passengers.

The Celebrity Solstice is the third largest ship to visit the Port of Tauranga this cruise ship season, after the Ovation of the Seas and Majestic Princess.

The Celebrity Solstice is expected to dock in Tauranga at 9.45am on Saturday and will depart the at 5.45pm the next day.

Street Food Union Event-

What: Street Food Union for locals and cruise ship passengers
Where: Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui
When: Saturday the March 30
Time: 5pm-9pm
Cost: Free