It was Port Chalmers sculler Faye Forgie.
She was on the harbour for early morning training and used the cruise ship to pace her during sprints.
The passengers were on deck and cheered her on as Sapphire Princess went past.
"It was exciting to have so many people watch me train," Forgie said.
"They all waved as they passed. I had a great view of the cruise ship."
Forgie (65), the secretary of Sawyers Bay School, started competitive rowing with the Port United Club 16 years ago.
She is training to race in her first New Zealand Masters championships on Lake Ruataniwha at the weekend.
The annual championships started three years ago and this is the first time it will be held in the South Island.
About 400 rowers are expected.
Forgie (nee Bungard) will contest five events and her best chance of a medal is in the women's single sculls and the mixed double sculls that she will row with Brian Thompson, of Riverton.
She won both events at the South Island championships at Lake Ruataniwha in July.
Forgie was apprehensive when she was persuaded to start rowing 10 years ago.
"I've lived at Port Chalmers all my life but always had a fear of water," she said.
"I was scared of falling off the wharf."
She was enticed into a boat after watching her son, Kelvin, compete in a regatta for the Port United Club at Lake Waihola.
"Once I had gone out on the water a few times I got over my fears and loved it," Forgie said.
The elite Port-United women's quadruple sculls of Robyn Cameron, Jan Brosnahan, Wibke Schultze and Imogen Coxhead are favoured to win the title.
They are the top South Island crew.
One of the most noted competitors at the championships will be former Olympian Eric Verdonk (North Shore) who won a bronze medal in the single sculls at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988.
He won seven New Zealand premier single sculls titles.
Visiting Englishman Anthony Ellman-Brown (North End) is competing in the men's aged 65 to 69 single sculls.
He came to New Zealand to watch the world championships and has rowed for clubs in Australia and New Zealand on his journey.
A team from the University of New South Wales will add to the international flavour of the masters event.
Other noted competitors include former Otago international cyclist Charlotte Cox (Ashburton) and Kevin Duggan (Otago).
