The first cruise ship of the New Zealand summer season docked in Tauranga harbour this past weekend. The Majestic Princess arrived at the Port of Tauranga from Tahiti at 5.30am on October 15 with up to 3,560 passengers on board.
Despite only being in town for the day, the cruise ship heralds the return of an industry that has traditionally contributed millions of dollars to the country’s economy each year.
Tourism Bay of Plenty had guides ready to assist passengers with information, and an information kiosk, with Tourism Bay of Plenty General Manager and New Zealand Cruise Association Board member, Oscar Nathan, noting it was a privilege to host the first of New Zealand’s summer cruise visitors.
The vessel’s arrival signals the start of what is expected to be a significant cruise season for New Zealand and the coastal Bay of Plenty, with many cruise companies reporting their strongest sales to date.
The financial impact of the two-year absence of cruise ships has been felt across New Zealand. The cruise industry injected $547 million into the country’s economy in the 2019/20 cruise season, with most of that spend benefitting the tourism, transport, and retail sectors.
