Crown Princess opens Auckland cruise season
More than 200,000 cruise passengers are expected to visit New Zealand through the end of June, according to the tourism minister.
Crown Princess entered Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour on Saturday morning, marking the start of a new cruise season. The ship, which can accommodate about 3,080 guests, arrived while completing a 114-day world cruise.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said New Zealand was expected to receive more than 200,000 cruise passengers between the ship’s arrival and the end of June. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited estimated that cruise activity would contribute more than $200 million to Auckland’s economy during the season.
However, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited director Annie Dundas said passenger totals remained below those recorded in previous years.
Princess Cruises is planning to double its New Zealand port calls beginning with the 2028/29 season. Its proposed schedule includes nine ports, among them Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Picton, Napier and Timaru, along with scenic cruising through Fiordland. The company said the expansion would make it New Zealand’s largest cruise operator.