Christopher Luxon holds post-Cabinet press conference
Napier has had one of its busiest cruise-ship days with more than 5000 visitors from three liners in port on Monday.
Thousands thronged the Emerson St shopping precinct, before heading back to the port in a fleet of buses.
Napier Port chief operating officer Adam Harvey said passengers number totalled 5206.
Ship shapes at Napier Port, Ovation of the Seas (top), and Heritage Adventurer dwarfed by Viking Orion. Photos / Doug Laing
Heritage Adventurer was first of the trio to berth at 7.25am on 3 Wharf, followed by Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas — on its 25th visit since 2017 — at 8.35am on 6 Wharf, facing the sea, then Viking Orion at 12.28pm on 2 Wharf.
Alongside the three cruise ships, Napier also had a container vessel and a fertiliser charter in port, with another container vessel and two log vessels due to arrive in the evening.
The port is nearing the end of 80 cruise stops this summer, with 70 bookings already confirmed for the 2025/26 season.
“We anticipate this number may increase, as cruise bookings can be made as late as three months before arrival,” Harvey said.
The view from Westshore mid-afternoon on Monday with Ovation of the Seas and two other cruise liners berthed at Napier Port. Photo / Doug Laing
The port, with 6 Wharf, was capable of accommodating the Icon-Class ships, which had not yet visited New Zealand, he said.
They included Icon of the Seas (364m length) — the first Icon class vessel to enter service and so far cruising mainly in the Caribbean — and Star of the Seas, expected to be delivered later this year.
Just seven visits to Napier remain in the October-March season.
More than 2000 passengers were expected in two more arrivals later in the week, with the biggest influx being about 4900 on the Quantum of the Seas on March 20.
Napier's 2024/25 cruise season. Graphic / NZME
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
