New Zealand Faces 40% Fall in Cruise Port Bookings
Cruise Lines International Association's Joel Katz said cruise tourism is worth one point two three billion New Zealand dollars a year and supports more than eight thousand jobs.
Senior New Zealand ministers met cruise industry representatives at Parliament House in Wellington this week after port bookings for the 2025/26 cruise season were forecast to fall 40%, setting up an ongoing government-industry effort to attract more ships to the country. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston convened the forum, with Cruise Lines International Association Australasia, the New Zealand Cruise Association, Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Group and Heritage Expeditions represented.
The forecast decline amounts to 145,000 fewer guests, 469 fewer port calls and 14 fewer vessels than New Zealand’s best-ever 2023/24 season.
“Cruise tourism is worth NZ$1.23b a year to the New Zealand economy and supports more than 8,000 jobs around the country,” CLIA Executive Director in Australasia Joel Katz said. “Action is needed to create an environment in which cruising can thrive.”
Ministers widen the cruise policy discussion
Alongside Upston, the ministerial group included Simon Watts, Minister for Climate Change, Local Government and Auckland; Casey Costello, Minister for Customs and Associate Minister for Immigration; Andrew Hoggard, Minister for Biosecurity; and James Meager, Minister for the South Island and Associate Minister for Transport.
“By working together across all areas of government and industry we can focus on lifting New Zealand’s competitiveness as a cruise destination and encourage more ships to visit,” Katz said.
New Zealand Cruise Association CEO Jacqui Lloyd said ministers had acknowledged cruise tourism’s economic role in communities across the country. “Together we will work on building the right conditions for cruising to thrive,” Lloyd said.
Peak-season data frames the downturn
New Zealand’s 2023/24 cruise season generated NZ$1.37 billion in total economic output and supported 9,729 jobs. The season included 1,011 cruise ship visits, 1.55 million passenger visit days, NZ$439.5 million in direct passenger spending and NZ$317.6 million in cruise line spending, including NZ$146.2 million in port and government fees and charges.
Auckland remains the country’s main cruise gateway by activity. Otago, Canterbury, Bay of Plenty and Wellington are also major cruise regions. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has described the New Zealand cruise market as lagging the international recovery and has expected short-term contraction in both port visits and passenger numbers.
Specific policy measures, cost changes or a timetable for the collaboration were not identified.
