Cruises set to bring $14m

ROBERT KITCHEN/The Dominion Post

Town bound: Passengers from the cruise ship Star Princess board shuttle buses to central Wellington yesterday.

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Cruise passengers are expected to spend an estimated $14 million in Wellington between now and April.

The first ship of the season, Carnival's Star Princess, docked yesterday and is due back at the end of the month after an 11-day South Island tour.

CentrePort cruise manager Karen Funnel said the port had 47 cruise visits booked, a total passenger count of nearly 68,000 if the ships were full.

"Last year they were 96 per cent full; it will be up there again this season."

There were already 56 cruise visits booked for next season.

Positively Wellington Tourism figures estimated the average cruise visitor spent $204 a day in the city, well above the average New Zealand land-based tourist spend of $125 per day, including accommodation.

Carnival spokesman Anthony Fisk said New Zealand was only going to get more popular and ports and their attached cities had to think about investing in the industry. Some ports offered better service than others.

Carnival had plans to invest more into New Zealand itineraries but there were already clashes over berthage in the regular stop-offs.

"There is usually only space for one ship, with the exception of Auckland and maybe Wellington."

Destinations should be planning five years ahead to cater for growing cruise traffic, he said.

Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said that last year passengers grew by 54 per cent and similar numbers were expected this season.

Of all the cruise visits booked this season, only six stayed past 6pm, which meant tightly focused itineraries. As a compact city, Wellington delivered well, helped by a $5 return shuttle service.

"They can get off, see a lot in a concise space and get back on. They like it. Wellington comes off really well when cruise passengers are surveyed."

Cruise passengers were keen for an urban destination, given many of the other ports they visited in New Zealand were rural, he said.

Flat Earth Tours' Jan Bergquist said the most popular attraction was still the Lord of the Rings tours, 10 years after filming started in Wellington in October 1999.

She said cruise visitors loved Wellington's rugged views, and wanted to eat well for a good price.

"Even though they have lots of money they are always price conscious."

The service level on board the ships was exemplary and some Wellington restaurants and cafes fell down on providing what was expected, she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News