News

Wellington has concluded a strong, 2024/25 cruise season, with the last cruise ship visiting the capital at the weekend.

The Oceania’s Insignia, a smaller luxury ship with a maximum capacity of 702 passengers, berthed at CentrePort on Sunday, heralding the close of a longer than normal season.

“It’s unusual to still have cruise ships coming as we head into winter, however, it’s a positive boost for the port and the city,” CentrePort CEO Anthony Delaney says.

Wellington has welcomed 73 cruise ships and tens of thousands of visitors to the capital across the season, which began in October 2024. This reinforces the city’s reputation as a great destination for cruise tourism.

A diverse array of vessels have come and gone across the past eight months, from small luxury liners to larger cruise vessels, including:

• Ovation of the Seas (Royal Caribbean), with the potential to carry nearly 5,000 passengers.
  Celebrity Edge, a newer ship in the cruise ‘fleet’, with a maximum passenger capacity of 3,200.
• Royal Princess and Crown Princess, part of the regular visiting Princess cruise franchise.
• Viking Orion, known for its Scandinavian design and feature planetarium.
• MS The World, an actual permanent residence for its passengers if they choose.

The season also welcomed 10 first-time callers, including the Scenic Eclipse II, another luxury ship which boasts a helicopter pad and submersibles taking passengers well below deck to get an in depth look at the particular area they’re visiting, the Norwegian Sun, which offers mid-sized luxury experiences and Le Jacques Cartier, a Ponant explorer class vessel with an ability to navigate remote areas.

CentrePort Chief Executive Anthony Delaney praised the collaborative effort that is the backbone to the season.

“This cruise season has been a testament to the strength of our partnerships across the region. From the City Ambassadors welcoming passengers downtown, to the coordination with Wellington City Council and WellingtonNZ, it’s been a true team effort.”

During the season, the port managed nine double-ship days, which showcase the port’s capacity and brought a festive atmosphere to the waterfront, as well as a significant boost to local businesses, particularly those that were berthed here over Easter weekend. CentrePort also hosted a ship that stayed overnight due to weather impacts providing additional benefits for the local economy.

WellingtonNZ, the region’s economic development agency, highlighted the cruise sector’s vital role in the local economy.

“Cruise remains an important contributor to our region’s economy – not just in the city but right across the region, and for both small and big businesses. Cruise passengers enjoy coming to our compact capital – exploring the city and enjoying our café culture and retail offering, visiting our exhibitions and attending events, while also getting into nature on our trails and at Zealandia,” Jo Heaton, WellingtonNZ Tourism and Visitor Economy manager says.

“The impact of cruise tourism on our region shouldn’t be underestimated - the 2023/24 season alone delivered over $100 million in economic benefit to the region, and we expect to reach a similar figure for this season. Passengers spend a significant $25.2 million, while crew members contribute an additional $2.7 million. Over 750 local jobs are also supported by the cruise industry, so it is vital that cruise continues to be welcomed into Wellington.”

CentrePort is already looking ahead to the 2025/26 season, with plans to continue enhancing the cruise experience and supporting sustainable tourism growth in the region. We are expecting 72 ships to call in port at Wellington based on the current schedule – meaning CentrePort will generally maintain the same number of ship calls for its next season, which is positive.

ENDS

For queries, please contact:
Andree Kai Fong, CentrePort Communications and Engagement Manager
andree.kaifong@centreport.co.nz

Charlotte Wilson, WellingtonNZ Communications and Media Manager
charlotte.wilson@wellingtonnz.com