Australia and New Zealand update at International Cruise Summit

‘It is the biggest season ever… in Australia and New Zealand right now,’ said Kevin O'Sullivan, former CEO, New Zealand Cruise Association. 

Australia is expected to receive 400,000 passengers from 1,848 cruise calls spread over 70 ships. 

As previously reported, in the same period, New Zealand is estimated to receive 360,000 passengers over 1,050 cruise calls from 54 ships. 

The destinations ‘are seeing more smaller expedition ships coming, too,’ according to O'Sullivan. Just 30% of last season’s calls were from ships carrying more than 2,000 passengers; ‘In the past it would have been considerably more than that,’ O'Sullivan revealed. 

The update came during the ‘What’s Happening Down Under?’ panel at the International Cruise Summit (November 14-15) taking place at the Meliá Castilla hotel in Madrid. 

Challenges 

O'Sullivan went on to cite loss of institutional knowledge, changes to shore excursion management, pressures on coach fleets, weather events and biofouling (hull cleaning) as the destinations’ main challenges.  

Partnerships 

New Zealand Cruise Association plans on: reviewing and re-signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Tourism New Zealand, working with the Australian Cruise Association, building stronger connections with central and local government, aligning with regional Destination Management Plans and developing its partnership with Cruise Lines International Association. 

Market trends in Asia

Dickson Chin, MD, Wallem Ship Agency, also took to the stage during the event to discuss market trends in Asia.  

He said ‘it will definitely take some more time’ to see ‘the China effect.’

2024 is still ramping up when it comes to berth reservations, with 2025/2026 seen as the target for reaching pre-Covid levels, he added.  

The big change, said Chin, is China expanding into cruise ship building.