Three cruise ships visit Tauranga today

Mount Maunganui is set for a busy afternoon, with three cruise ships in port for the first time this season.

All three ships arrived this morning and are scheduled to depart between 8.30pm and 11.15pm tonight, with the largest one alone carrying 4000 passengers and crew.

Passengers disembarked to a surprisingly quiet Pilot Bay, with locals perhaps subdued by a Christmas holiday vibe.

First on the list for most passengers was a morning walk, with a stream of people heading from the ships towards Mauao.

Among them was Golden Princess passenger Leo Basten, 73, who said he booked the cruise from his hometown, Melbourne, after deciding that he was "in the mood". It was his second visit to the Mount.

"It's a very appealing town," he said. "This is a nice way to end the year - on a high note."

His mate Craig Stephenson, a 68-year-old Melbourne train driver, said he visited Tauranga every two years.

"I could live here," he said, when asked what he thought of the place.

"I won't do the walk because of my ankle," he said. "But there's a pub around the corner here, from memory."

The positive sentiments were echoed by a 25-year-old Portuguese crew member from the Crystal Symphony, who said the Mount was "beautiful", and she wanted to move there.

The next big day in the cruise season will occur on Boxing Day, when one of the world's largest cruise ships will visit. The 168,000 tonne Ovation of the Seas will arrive at 6.15am and leave at 6pm.

Today's Cruise Ships

Golden Princess, 108,000 tonnes, 8.15am-8.30pm
Crystal Symphony, 51,000 tonnes, 8.45am-10pm
Caledonian Sky, 4200 tonnes, 10.30am-11.15pm