Dunedin i-Site Visitor Centre manager Louise van de Vlierd said it was a busy and successful day for the city’s cruise ship industry, after two cruise vessels arrived.
The Celebrity Solstice, which carries up to 2852 passengers, reached Port Chalmers, at 7.42am, and the Seabourn Encore, with up to 604 passengers, arrived at 7.17am.
The ships left at 5.04pm and 4.50pm respectively.
Crowds had flocked to the Octagon and elsewhere in the central city, and trips to traditional attractions such as Larnach Castle proved popular, as did guided city tours, Ms van de Vlierd said.
Yesterday’s ship visits usher in a busy phase in the Dunedin cruise ship season, during which one will arrive at Port Otago each day until January 5.
Among the Celebrity Solstice passengers were three members of the Nicholls family — husband Jim, wife Diane and their daughter Rachael — who were enjoying their holiday break from the incessant 40degC summer heat, "crunchy" brown grass, and continuing water restrictions at Dubbo, about 300km northwest of Sydney.
Mother and daughter had bought some garments on their first trip to Dunedin, and Mrs Nicholls declared it a "beautiful, lovely city".
"We’re enjoying it," Mr Nicholls said.
He added with a smile: "Just remember Dubbo is the centre of the universe."
