All “Cruise Ship Industry” topics

Cruise ships are returning to New Zealand, but the lack of infrastructure and widespread staff shortages throughout surrounding industry sectors continues to be a source of stress in the tourism sector.

Covid-19 and the associated national lockdowns have hit the cruise industry hard. Operations were suspended from mid-March with ships laid up, crew gradually repatriated, and tickets refunded. Cruise executives now have the time to contemplate their future investment and business strategies whilst Covid-19 ‘lockdowns’ continue across the world.

Cruise ship tourism is surging ahead in NZ but supporting infrastructure and environmental regulation is lagging behind.

The 2018/19 season will see 228,000 cruise ship passengers visit Wellington. However, long after the tourists have spent millions of dollars, and commercial ships have delivered their goods – emissions remain long after vessels leave Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington Harbour).