As the Crown Princess arrives in Auckland today, more than 170,000 cruise ship visitors are expected to visit New Zealand this summer, the Tourism Minister says.
But numbers are still expected to be down on last summer.
Across almost 40 ships, some 177,000 cruise visitors should travel to New Zealand for the season, Tourism Minister Louise Upston said this afternoon.
The Crown Princess can accommodate 3080 guests and 1200 crew, according to operator Princess Cruises.
Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said cruise ship season should bring benefits to many parts of the country.
“Some will head off to Waiheke Island for a day. Others might go to Hobbiton. A number will stay in Auckland City.”
And she said many ships would visit multiple New Zealand ports, not just Auckland.
“If there’s more foot traffic through any CBD or retail area, you’re going to have more sales.”
But the expected number of ships arriving was down 20% on last year, Young said.
“There are some challenges, I believe, in terms of pricing ... and access.”
RNZ last November said cruises faced unbudgeted costs after a border levy hike.
Customs last December reduced its levy for departing and arriving travellers and the Ministry for Primary Industries kept its levy at the same rate.
But the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) was raised from $35 to $100 on October 1 last year.
Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck said cruise ships should boost many downtown businesses.
“There’s some great delight when we see the cruise ships coming in.”
The stereotype might be of cruise ship visitors sticking to the souvenir shops and not spending freely.
But Beck said many retailers and some hospitality providers benefited from the cruise tourists.
She said some visitors from the Northern Hemisphere could buy winter clothes local retailers otherwise would not be selling in the New Zealand summer.
Beck said cruise ship visitors often had a spectacular welcome to Auckland.
“The view is magnificent ... their first glimpse of Auckland coming in through our beautiful harbour.”
But she was also mindful of the fact numbers were expected to be down 20% on last summer.
“One of the challenges is the cost increases have a short lead time,” Beck said.
The relative lack of notice could make it difficult for operators to absorb fee hikes.
“With cruise, customers buy a long time in advance.
“Unfortunately, New Zealand is seen as expensive and challenging to operate in.”
Upston said: “With the first ship of the season, Crown Princess, having docked in Auckland today, it’s great to welcome her passengers and crew.”
She said the Government had already worked to address some cruise industry concerns.
“Ministers met with cruise and port sector representatives in July to discuss how we could all make the most of the opportunities and remove the barriers.”
Upston also said the Government had established a fast-track approvals process for infrastructure such as Port of Auckland’s new cruise wharf and passenger terminal.
That project is the Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North berth extension.
It involved a new reinforced concrete-piled wharf as well as the passenger terminal.
The port company planned to build a platform on either side and extend the platform a further 6.6m into the harbour.
Port of Auckland previously said once the work was done, cruise ships would begin moving from the ferry basin where their arrivals and departures had disrupted ferry services.
“By accommodating larger cruise ships at Bledisloe North Wharf, the project will reduce the need for these vessels to anchor in the harbour, thereby minimising unnecessary fuel consumption and emissions,” the port company said in its application.
Upston today also said the Government and industry had worked on new ways to manage biofouling, which related to the introduction of pests and diseases on vessel hulls.
The minister said cruise lines could now have confidence any extra cleaning needed to meet biosecurity rules could be done safely and efficiently.
John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation and courts. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.