Dunedin was bulging at the seams at the weekend, as thousands of cruise ship passengers descended on a city already chock-a-block from graduations, international cricket and the pre-Christmas shopping rush.
Tourists thronged the streets, festooned with backpacks and cameras, and rugged up against the blustery conditions.
They gathered at street corners, debating their next move, while brightly-dressed graduates, tailed by friends and family members, jostled for space with Christmas shoppers.
I-Site Dunedin manager Louise van de Vlierd said the city was ‘‘fair pumping'' on Saturday morning, and the rush continued into the afternoon.
At one stage, the queue of tourists visiting the i-Site store stretched out of the door, despite extra staff and volunteers on hand to help, she said.
The swollen numbers were in part the result of the arrival of two giant cruise ships, Diamond Princess and Explorer of the Seas, which together carried about 5700 passengers and 2295 crew, on Saturday morning.
‘‘This is one of the bigger days. We've had big cruise ships before, but we've never had quite so many people, because it's two very big ships in together,'' Ms van de Vlierd said.
‘‘Potentially we could have had just on 6000 passengers in and around the city [on Saturday].''
The crowds were a boost for the city's retailers, including those in Port Chalmers, who reported a steady trade as passengers waited for tours or returned to board their ships.
Valarie Brooks, a staff member at the Box of Birds store in Port Chalmers, said she was ‘‘definitely busier'' on Saturday than normal.
Tourists were interested in the store's ‘‘retro'' offerings, but also wanted something distinctly New Zealand, like a tiki, she said.
DigiArt and Design owner Fred Cross said Saturday was ‘‘quite busy'' as passengers waited for tours that were over-subscribed when two ships visited on the same day.
One of those visitors, Australian tourist Christine Hayes, from Dapto, in New South Wales, said she was impressed by Port Chalmers' ‘‘quaint'' appearance, and not put off by grey and blustery weather.
The influx of tourists also helped young busker William Larkins (12), of Dunedin, as he performed speed tap-dancing to a queue of cruise ship passengers waiting for buses in the Octagon on Saturday.
He said the passengers were generous supporters, and meant he could raise between $120 and $400 an hour at times.
The money went mainly towards the cost of competing in classical singing, country music and speed tap-dancing competitions William took part in around the South Island, and as far north as Auckland, mother Julie Larkins said.
Yesterday, Sea Princess, with a capacity of 1950 passengers and 900 crew, again kept the city busy.
