The world's largest cruise shipping line, Carnival Cruises, is
promising to boost ship visits to New Zealand by more than 70 port
calls over the next 18 months.
Two of its luxury cruise ships will make regular visits around the
country, contributing to a big boom in cruising tourists.
That is predicted to inject at least $35 million into the New
Zealand economy.
"A hundred and eleven thousand passengers coming through this year which is a 61% jump on last year and add to that another 40,000 crew. That's about 150,000 people coming through on cruise ships," says Cruise New Zealand chairman Craig Harris.
Luxury cruiser The Sun Princess is the length of nearly three rugby fields and she holds nearly 3000 passengers and crew.
It is estimated she will generate half a million dollars in each port she visits, and she will visit seven ports around the country and up to a dozen times a year.
"Cruising offers something different. We take people to amazing destinations and I think the great advantage is you only unpack once. I think alot of people are getting tired of the hassle of travel," says Carnival Australia Chief Executive Ann Sherry.
But Carnival Cruises says that Auckland is missing an opportunity.
It says that if it wants to become a cruising hub then it must improve facilities.
