Both the Pacific Sun and Sea Princess docked in Dunedin yesterday with 1486 and 1950 passengers respectively.
Many passengers took time to stroll through one of Dunedin's top attractions, the Botanic Garden being listed as internationally recognised.
Friends of the Botanic Garden committee member Louise Kilby said she and fellow volunteers had begun greeting cruise-ship passengers at the garden gates, passing out maps and directing them to prominent landmarks.
The service was born of demand and might be expanded to provide formal tours for garden visitors.
Mrs Kilby, who volunteers in the garden information centre, said she had noticed an increase in the number of cruise-ship passengers and other tourists visiting the North Dunedin attraction.
"They all enjoy the gardens very much," she said.
Passengers spoken to by the Otago Daily Times at the garden yesterday said it was beautiful and they wished they had more time to enjoy the plantings.
Most had about half an hour there before visiting other Dunedin attractions ahead of the ships' departures at 6pm.
