A cruise industry consultant says New Zealand risks missing out on most of the boom in the sector by not giving passengers what they want.

With more than 1.1 million passenger days spent in New Zealand, the country's ports have survived the biggest cruise season on record - but only just.

Auckland's Queens Wharf is too small for the new generation of bigger cruise ships and may need a $10 million top-up from ratepayers.

A weekly feature by Grant Bradley looks at what's happening in the travel industry and what it means for consumers.

This summer will be New Zealand's busiest cruise season yet in what is the fastest-growing region for the sector in the world.

Take a tour of the Seven Seas Grandeur, the ship billed as the most luxurious in the world. Video / Supplied

The first look at Silversea's Silver Nova, set to debut in August 2023. Video / Supplied