Ovation of the Seas arrives in the capital

Wellington businesses may be in for an early Christmas present as up to 6500 passengers and crew arrive in town from one of the world's most exclusive cruise ships.

The 168,666-tonne Ovation of the Seas arrived in the capital today, after setting off from Sydney on December 18 then stopping at Hobart, Fiordland and Dunedin.

Ovation is the largest cruise ship to traverse New Zealand's waters, with up to 4905 passengers and 1500 crew.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Milford said cruise ships were becoming a major part of the city's economic picture, particularly for retailers, hospitality and tourism operators, with about 80 ships due this season.

"It's well received and well looked forward to by those industries, and this one particularly due to the large number of people.

"As well as the passengers there is a significant ship's crew who in their own right have quite a spending power."

He said it would provide some relief to Wellington businesses that had been hit hard by the November 14 earthquake.

"It will help make up a little for the disruption that we had a month or so ago."

The ship will also visit Picton on December 24, Tauranga on December 26, and Auckland on December 27. With a length spanning more than three rugby field, the ship is too long to berth in Auckland so will have to anchor in the harbour off Queens Wharf with passengers ferried about 800m on tenders to the Viaduct area.

The Ovation, which is owned by Royal Caribbean, is the fourth biggest cruise ship in the world. It has a stand-up surfing pool, sky diving simulator, rock-climbing wall, dodgem cars, a circus school, and an observation gondola on a hydraulic arm rising 90m above the ship.

It has eight speciality restaurants, with some of its bars run by robotic bar tenders which help deliver 127 different cocktails.