Quantum of the Seas’ maiden arrival in Darwin brings $2m boost to local economy
Luxury cruise liner Quantum of the Seas arrived in Darwin for the first time on Monday – the equal largest cruise ship to ever dock in the Top End.
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One of the world’s largest luxury cruise liners docked in Darwin for the first time on Monday, bringing an estimated $2m boost to the Territory economy in a single day.
Quantum of the Seas is the equal largest cruise ship to ever berth in Darwin, carrying 5500 passengers and crew.
The Royal Carribean-branded ship arrived from Indonesia on Monday morning, and departed for Queensland that evening, allowing thousands of visitors to disembark for a day exploring the Top End.
A ceremonial plaque exchange took place to mark the ship’s first visit to Darwin.
“We’re thrilled to welcome passengers from the Quantum of the Seas to our stunning Top End today,” Tourism Department chief executive Suzana Bishop said.
“Quantum of the Seas has 5500 passengers and crew – that’s that number of visitors coming in and doing jumping crocs, or going on the jet skis, experiencing our retail, going to restaurants and cafes – all of that during a typically low period for tourism.
“Last year we welcomed 118 ships to Darwin, and we’re expecting 127 this year. That’s a total of $181m of impact to our economy locally.”
Several onshore experiences were activated for the ship’s maiden arrival, including Tourism Top End ambassadors welcoming passengers on shore, live music in the mall, shuttle buses and decals for retail windows.
Darwin Port chief executive Peter Dummett said cruises now contributed about 10 per cent to the port’s bottom line, up four fold since before Covid.
“It’s great to have the equivalent to another suburb parked in the harbour for the day,” Mr Dummett said.
“This arrival emphasises Darwin’s growing prominence as a premier destination for world-class cruise liners.
“Having ships of this size and calibre docking in Darwin is a fantastic milestone for our port and the Northern Territory.
“It highlights Darwin’s strategic appeal as a key destination in the region, capable of hosting some of the world’s largest and most luxurious cruise vessels.”
The German-built Quantum of the Seas launched in 2014 and was at the time the third largest cruise ship in the world: 41m wide, 348m long, and 16 decks.
Costing more than $1.4bn to build (USD $935m), it can host 4905 guests and 1500 crew.
On board is a casino, spa, rock-climbing wall, laser tag, bumper cars, indoor skydiving, and more than a dozen unique dining options.
TAKE A LOOK ON BOARD
Originally published as Quantum of the Seas’ maiden arrival in Darwin brings $2m boost to local economy
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