Click photo to enlarge
'Volendam'. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
The arrival of more than 4500 cruise passengers in
Dunedin today will herald the start of a veritable cruise ship
armada arriving during February.
Sixteen cruise ships with an estimated combined capacity of
more than 25,000 passengers are expected to arrive during
February in what is believed to be the busiest cruise ship
month on record.
The cruise ships range in size from the boutique 72-passenger
Oceanic Discoverer to the 2500-passenger Diamond
Princess, which arrives today.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said the city
was becoming an increasingly popular destination and its
attractions were rated highly by cruise ship passengers.
More Australians were travelling on cruise ships than ever,
and they often treated the trip as a "reconnaissance" for
future trips, he said.
Port Otago commercial manager Peter Brown said it was looking
like a very busy month for the port company.
"Cruise ship activity is an important part of our business."
Arriving today was Diamond Princess, along with first
time visitor Pacific Jewel and its more than 2000
passengers.
Also of note this month is the expected arrival of a
gays-only cruise, on the Volendam, on February 21.
hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
