Crossing Cook Strait was as close as most of us ever got, and on that voyage across that unpredictable stretch the only thought in most minds was "are we there yet?"
But the landscape has changed and cruise ship companies have come to recognise that offering more budget-driven options to take a short cruise works.
People work out that it can even out at around $200 a day ... you could pay that daily for a plush hotel room with the difference being that the hotel room stays in one place.
Your $200 a day will see you call at five or six spots.
The latest season has seen 55 liners call in, and next season there are already 59 scheduled.
That's called big business - to the tune of more than $20 million a year to the region.
Which means that "region" has to step up and turn it on - turn on making the destination a popular one.
Which it has become as Napier is effectively top of the tourism list for passengers surveyed.
I spoke to several passengers from the Emerald Princess earlier this week and all echoed one sentiment.
"It's so clean, so tidy, here."
They said it looked fresh and felt fresh.
First impressions mean a lot, and the city, when it puts out the welcoming mat, does it very well so a round of applause for all who toil to keep things spotless.
And well done the little lad I saw bend down and pick up the wrapper he'd dropped.
Every little bit helps.