Australian cruise ship visits fall as passenger demand rises
Conference figures estimate port calls declined 9.3%, while the number of Australians taking ocean cruises reached 1.45 million in 2025.
Cruise ship visits to Australian ports fell to an estimated 1,496 from about 1,650 a year earlier, a decline of 9.3%, according to figures presented at the Cruise360 Australasia conference in Sydney.
The downturn came despite higher passenger demand. The report said 1.45 million Australians took an ocean cruise in 2025, representing a 9.5% increase from the previous year.
The report attributed the reduction in port visits to rising port costs and regulatory fees, along with capacity withdrawals by Cunard, Virgin Voyages and Seabourn. It also cited the integration of P&O Cruises Australia into Carnival in early 2025.
CLIA Australasia Executive Director Joel Katz called for stable, practical and competitive policy settings to help Australia continue attracting cruise ships and generating economic benefits for communities nationwide.
Princess is adding capacity in Western Australia, with Crown Princess due to be based in Fremantle from October. Sapphire Princess is scheduled to take over the deployment in 2027.