Cruise ship Azarama Pursuit at anchor in choppy seas in Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay on Saturday before it headed to Tauranga. Photo / Gisborne Herald
Cruise ship Azarama Pursuit at anchor in choppy seas in Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay on Saturday before it headed to Tauranga. Photo / Gisborne Herald
The cruise ship Azamara Pursuit’s visit to Gisborne was shortened by deteriorating conditions in Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay on Saturday as the southerly wind strengthened.
The ship, carrying about 600 passengers, sailed in from Napier at around 8am that day and sailed again for Tauranga around 2pm.
“Tendering of them ashore wasquite testing Saturday morning due to the choppy sea conditions,” a shipping agent said.
“But those passengers who came ashore in the morning managed to get their excursions in; others went shopping in the CBD.”
He said the excursions planned for the afternoon were cancelled.
“The captain decided to sail early before sea conditions got worse.”
The Norwegian Spirit, with a capacity of just over 2000 passengers, will be the next cruise ship to call into Gisborne on January 30 for its second visit this summer.
