It’s set to be a hot and dry summer and Mount Maunganui souvenir shop owner Ian New is predicting a great cruise ship season to match!

Launching off this month, the Royal Princess is the first cruise ship to arrive for the 2023/24 season on Wednesday, October 18, and will bring 3560 visitors and 1346 crew.

Last summer saw cruise ship’s return to Tauranga’s port after two-and-a-half years, with the Government closing maritime borders in March 2020 due to Covid-19. Hopes were high for this tourism boost to our region, but wet weather throughout 2022’s summer put a slight dampener on business and tourism.

“We had a lot of rain and we lost business with some of the cruise ships that didn’t come in. Quite a few were cancelled last year and then they’d arrive in port and it would pour down,” says Kiwiana Gifts & Souvenirs’ Ian New.

Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager and board member of NZ Cruise Association Oscar Nathan says last year was “tough”.

“Unsettled weather was the main driver of 14 ship day cancellations or diversions to other ports, which impacts local operators as it leads to cancellations and missed bookings.”

“A good summer”

Things are expected to turn around this year however, with sunshine looking promising due to the El Niño weather pattern, and more than 100 cruise ships coming to the Port of Tauranga.  

“I think it’s going to be a really good cruise ship season, positive with the sunshine… people will be a lot happier,” says Ian, who has been building his store’s stock in preparation.

“It’ll be a good summer for the domestic market with people coming to the Mount on holidays.”  

Oscar says the port is expecting 108 ships, equating to 93 ship days this 2023/24 season. “This is an increase from last season where we received 91 ship berths and 77 ship days and includes 24 double ship days and four overnight stays.

“This year we hope the weather will allow for more visitors to enjoy the outdoor activities we do so well, and to take in the beauty of the coastal Bay of Plenty.  In the 2019/20 season cruise tourism to the Bay of Plenty was worth $74 million and more than $90 million in the 2018/19 season.”

Arriving on October 18, the Royal Princess, this will be the cruise ships first voyage to Aotearoa says Oscar. “We welcome locals to join us at Waikorire (Pilot Bay) as we farewell the ship when it departs at 5:45pm.”