First cruise ship returns to Auckland after international borders reopen

The first cruise ship to enter New Zealand waters since borders closed due to Covid-19 has docked in Auckland this morning, with a fanfare welcome.

P&O's Pacific Explorer entered Auckland harbour at around 7.30am, after sailing across the Tasman from Sydney. The ship was met by support vessel Peretu, and tug boat 'Sparky', which gave a water cannon salute greeting.

Pacific Explorer will be docked at Queen's Wharf for eight hours, before setting sail for Lautoka, Fiji.

P&O's Pacific Explorer is the first cruise ship to visit New Zealand in two and a half years. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Festivities included a private pōwhiri, kapa haka performance, and speeches from officials including the president of P&O Cruises Marguerite Fitzgerald, Auckland mayor Phil Goff, and P&O Cruise Director Julie McEwen.

The Pacific Explorer, the first cruise ship in two and a half years into the Waitematā Harbour, received a warm welcome to Auckland including a tugboat water salute. Photo / Brett Phibbs

"It's been a hell of a ride the last couple of years, hasn't it," Goff told the crowd of invited guests. He said he was looking forward to the "sheer joy" of having cruise tourists back in the city.

Pacific Explorer has 999 guest rooms and 11 guest decks, with a maximum capacity of 1998 passengers.

On July 31, New Zealand's borders fully reopened to include cruise ships for the first time since March 2020.

The next ship due to visit Auckland is Majestic Princess, which arrives in October, kicking off the busy summer cruise season.

Pre-Covid, the cruise ship industry brought around $500 million of revenue into the New Zealand economy.