Carnival Cruise Line to use Auckland as home port for 2027 winter season

The Carnival Adventure will drop anchor in Auckland for its 2027 winter season, the first ship to use Auckland as a home port since 2023.

International cruise company Carnival Cruise Line will use Auckland as a home port for its 2027 winter season with its Carnival Adventure ship the first ever under the brand to “homeport” in New Zealand.

Carnival is one of 10 cruise lines owned by the world’s largest cruise ship operator, the American-British Carnival Corporation & plc.

It operates 29 ships globally and is Australia’s largest cruise line, with four ships sailing locally.

After years away from Auckland’s shores, the cruise company will be returning from May 25 to July 29 in 2027, using the city as its home port.

Homeporting refers to the location where a vessel is based, registered, refuelled, resupplied and where passengers embark or disembark on a cruise.

Carnival Corporations & plc country manager Peter Little said it was exciting news for Kiwis, who will have their first opportunity to cruise from their doorstep.

“Carnival Cruise Line has answered the call from our New Zealand guests who’ve been asking for more opportunities to book a convenient and great value cruise holiday, and we’re delighted to be offering voyages from Auckland,” Little said.

It’s not the first home port for a cruise ship in New Zealand, as P&O Cruises’ Pacific Explorer ship homeported in Auckland as recently as last year before it was sold.

P&O merged with the Carnival Cruise Line in March earlier this year.

The cruise line will have nine cruises throughout the home-port season, with a new four-night itinerary to Norfolk Island, nine and 10 night journeys to Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, as well as a four night one-way voyage from Auckland to Sydney departing July 29, 2027.

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Louise Upston said the cruise industry was poised for another significant step forward with Carnival’s return.

“A home port is where a cruise ship begins and ends its voyages, making Auckland a base for passenger boarding, provisioning and crew operations. Having a ship homeported here over winter is a real vote of confidence in New Zealand’s tourism sector,” Upston said.

“This decision by Carnival means more visitors, more jobs and more opportunities for local businesses. That’s great news for our Auckland hospitality, retail and accommodation sectors.”

The announcement comes as New Zealand prepares to welcome an estimated 177,000 cruise visitors across nearly 40 ships during the 2025-2026 season.

Upston said the Government recognised the growing contribution of cruise tourism to New Zealand, which has contributed $1.37 billion into the New Zealand economy over the last financial year.

“Cruise is now extremely significant to tourism and is why I led a meeting with cruise and port sector representatives in July to discuss how we could all make the most of the opportunities and remove any barriers.

“We’ve worked hard to provide clarity on regulatory costs and support new ways to manage biofouling. Our Government has also set up a Fast-Track Approvals process supporting efficient consenting for much-needed infrastructure like Port of Auckland’s development of a new wharf and passenger terminal for cruise vessels.”

The Government also confirmed ongoing cruise access to the Milford Sound earlier this year.

She said that Carnival’s announcement reinforces those decisions and reaffirms that New Zealand is open for business and is committed to supporting the cruise sector’s growth.

Carnival Cruise Line was founded in 1972 and carries almost five million guests every year.

Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.

• Listen and subscribe to the Today in Business podcast – the top headlines from the NZ Herald business team summarised and delivered by an artificial intelligence (AI) voice as an easily digestible recap.