The 658-passenger Azamara Pursuit made for a spectacular sight as she left Northport on Saturday night, the first cruise ship to visit Whangārei in 2025.
The 658-passenger Azamara Pursuit made for a spectacular sight as she left Northport on Saturday night, the first cruise ship to visit Whangārei in 2025.
The 658-passenger Azamara Pursuit berthed at Northport on Saturday – the first of four cruise ships scheduled to call into Whangārei in 2025, as the fledgling cruise destination grows its market.
About 540 passengers disembarked to visit Whangārei’s Town Basin, Marsden Cove Marina or experience some of the region’s other attractions, guided by Whangārei District Council’s cruise ambassadors and its i-Site team.
It was the first Azamara cruise ship to visit the city, and the first organised in conjunction with destination management company IDNZ.
Since 2018, stakeholders like Northport, regional tourism organisation Northland Inc, the Northland Chamber of Commerce, the council, cruise lines and the New Zealand Cruise Association have been working to bring cruise ships to Whangārei.
Three cruise ships docked at Northport in 2024, starting with M.S. Regatta on February 4. Four cruises are scheduled in 2025 and two bookings have already been made for 2026 and 2027.
Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said there was a strong focus on how the city could make the most of the economic opportunities presented by cruise ship visits in a safe and sustainable way.
“Welcoming cruise ships to the district provides an opportunity for Whangārei to share its history and culture with international and domestic visitors through visitor experiences, great products and services, and local food and beverages.”
Cocurullo said the economic benefits would be limited to start with and would grow as the destination became more popular and the number of ships increased.
“[The cruise industry] contributes to keeping visitor attractions in operation, with economic benefits having positive flow-on effects to the wider community.”
A report by Cruise Lines International Association showed cruise ships poured almost $70 million into Northland’s economy in 2024, from the 88 cruise ship visits to the Bay of Islands and three visits to Whangārei.
As part of a maritime tradition, Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo and Northport commercial manager David Finchett (right) present a Northport plaque to the Azamara Pursuit’s master, Captain Mikael Palmroos, to mark the ship’s first visit.
Northport chief executive Jon Moore said being able to start small and build to manageable levels in years to come is a great option for Whangārei.
“There are several different organisations working together to make this happen for the benefit of our district.
“From Northport’s perspective, the first few seasons are about finding our feet and getting great systems and processes in place.”
The organisations promoting Whangārei as a cruise destination say it complements Northland’s other cruise destination, the Bay of Islands, rather than competing with it, Moore said.
“It gives cruise lines even more Northland product options to consider when they are building their itineraries – there are products and destinations available here that can’t be replicated elsewhere."
Three of the four cruise ships coming to Whangārei in 2025 are scheduled to visit the Bay of Islands as their next stop.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
