Brisbane International Cruise Terminal celebrates incredible milestone of two million passengers

Covid left the cruising industry on its knees but it’s officially back in a big way.

Glenn and Kelly Pearse with their four daughters Kaleisha, 24, Shaylee, 21, Brielle, 18, and Talisse, 16, at the Brisbane Cruise Ship Terminal, Pinkenba. Picture: Liam Kidston

Brisbane’s international cruise ship terminal has welcomed its two millionth passenger in just over two years as the industry continues its extraordinary renaissance.

The $180 million terminal only opened in May 2022 after years as a virtual ghost town during the coronavirus pandemic, but Saturday’s port visit from P&O’s Pacific Encounter is the 346th stop from a cruise ship.

Those heady numbers are in contrast to the defunct cruise terminal upstream at Hamilton, which took seven years to chalk up one million passengers in 2013 before eventually closing permanently in 2022.

Cruising has become big business in Queensland, with the industry contributing an estimated $168m to the state’s economy in the 2023-24 season, according to data from Deloitte Access Economics.

Each port visit is also worth approximately $1m, with the industry predicted to be worth $1.5 billion to the Queensland economy over the next decade.

Glenn and Kelly Pearse with their four daughters Kaleisha, 24, Shaylee, 21, Brielle, 18, and Talisse, 16, at the Brisbane Cruise Ship Terminal, Pinkenba. Picture: Liam Kidston

Talk has already turned to delivering a second berth at the terminal to allow more than one ship per day to dock, but no plans have been formalised.

Port of Brisbane CEO Neil Stephens said it was a remarkable achievement to reach two million passenger movements in such a short space of time.

“Achieving two million passenger movements through our world-class terminal highlights the integral role of the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal to Queensland’s cruise tourism industry,” he said.

“We’re grateful for the ongoing support of our cruise industry partners and Queensland’s cruising community, which is key to the BICT’s success.”

Carnival Corporation & plc Senior Vice President and Country Manager Peter Little said the company was ecstatic with the success of Brisbane’s cruise terminal.

“Carnival’s long-term partnership with the world-class Brisbane International Cruise Terminal has helped in the success of Queensland’s growing cruise industry,” he said.

“We can’t wait to continue to deliver our guests unforgettable holidays from Brisbane, all year round.”

Kelly Pearce and her Gold Coast family were among the passengers returning from a seven-night voyage around the South Pacific on Saturday and she said was not surprised at cruising’s booming popularity.

“It’s becoming more popular than ever,” she said.

“On a cruise people can see different destinations in a short space of time and that’s really appealing.”