Cruise ships to bring thousands to the Top End

MORE than 25,000 cruise ship passengers will land in Darwin over the next two months, potentially bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Territory economy

Darwin is set to see a massive cruise season this year. PICTURE: Anna Rogers

MORE than 25,000 cruise ship passengers will land in Darwin over the next two months, potentially bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Territory economy.

The Norwegian Star luxury liner carrying 2300 tourists slipped into Darwin today in what is the precursor to a busy two months of cruise ship visits. The liner is here for 12 hours and leaves at 6pm today.

Over the next eight weeks our port will host 21 cruise ship visits.

Eight cruise ships will visit Darwin in February, bringing almost 14,000 tourists and 12 ships in March will carry an estimated 11,600.

The Northern Territory’s Chamber of Commerce says Darwin’s tourism and retail sector needs to be ready to cash in.

The Chamber said of particular importance was the fact the majority of the liners were in Darwin during normal Monday to Friday working hours.

The first of the ships to arrive is the boutique vessel the Azamara Journey, carrying 694 passengers on Wednesday, February 8. This is followed less than two days later, on Friday, February 10, by the Pacific Dawn with more than 2000 passengers.

On Monday, February 13, the Seven Seas Voyager arrives with 700 passengers and then on the Friday of the same week the Radiance of the Seas with around 2500 travellers docks. The Crystal Symphony (940 passengers) ends that week with a Sunday visit.

The following Thursday the Albatros, which has 812 passengers, arrives. On the Sunday of that week the Legend of the Seas, with 2076 passengers, docks.

February is capped off with a visit by The Ovation of the Seas, the largest cruise ship Darwin and Australia has seen.

The 384m megaliner has 18 floors, is 168,666 tonnes and cost $1.3 billion to build.

It is the fourth largest cruise ship in the world and can accommodate almost 6500 passengers and crew.

The Ovation of the Seas is expected to attract plenty of interests from locals, with it towering over the wharf.

Cruise ships in March are the: Norwegian Star (March 6); Seven Seas Navigator (March 9); Pacific Dawn (March 10); Black Watch (March 10); Insignia (March 13); Coral Expeditions 1 (March 15); Coral Discoverer March 15); Seabourn Encore (March 17); Sirena (March 17); Sun Princess (March 25); Coral Princess (March 30).

Originally published as Cruise ships to bring thousands to the Top End