Napier is set to play its part in a unique cruise ship visit which could end up staking a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
The Viking Cruises luxury liner Viking Sun has arrived in New Zealand waters on what the company is hoping will rewrite the record books for the longest continuous passenger cruise and is set to arrive at Napier Port, from Tauranga, at 11.45am on Friday.
It will be on the 153rd day of the scheduled 245-day world cruise when it enters Hawke Bay, and for 56 of the 930 passengers aboard it will indeed be their 153rd day aboard — with another 92 to go.
Those passengers, 40 from the USA and Canada, 12 from Australia and four from the UK, signed up for the whole package, and those sort of circle-the-world packages do not come cheaply.
For the fares start at a mere $121,825 for the lowest cabin category aboard — the Veranda Stateroom.