Records aside, we’re cruising for a bruising if berths aren’t built

Cruise bosses warn the industry will not meet targets by 2020 unless governments act on the lack of cruise berths.

Australian appetite for leisure cruising continues to grow at ­record levels but cruise bosses warn the industry will not meet self-­imposed targets of two million passengers by 2020 unless state and federal governments act on the lack of cruise berths.

New figures reveal 1.281 million Australians — or one in 19 — cruised last year,well up on 2015 and the highest per capita ratio in the world. But as Asia builds cruise ports to satisfy demand the NSW government’s 25-year cruise plan is six months late.

Cruise Lines International Association Australasia managing director Joel Katz said Australia had the highest population penetration in the world for cruising at 5.3 per cent while the most popular cruise itineraries were Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, which accounted for nearly 77 per cent of Australian cruise passengers.

Overseas destinations such as Alaska jumped 25.5 per cent last year, but the popularity of European cruising dropped nearly 12 per cent and Asia fell 10 per cent, according to data collected by CLIA members including Seabourn, P&O and Royal Carib­bean International.

Mr Katz warned that while NSW had been discussing cruise infrastructure for 10 years, Hong Kong and Shanghai had built cruise terminals, while Auckland was looking at whether the city could attract some of the cruise ships Sydney can’t accommodate.

NSW Maritime Minister Melinda Pavey yesterday “acknowledged there was a capacity issue so we are hopeful we can sit down with the government in the near future to work through what the options are”, Mr Katz said.

Meanwhile, CLIA chairman Steve Odell said the only way the big numbers of cruise passengers would continue was to have more home-ported ships, but that was being stymied by the government’s delay in approving more cruise infrastructure. “If you look at the growth last year of some 220,000 extra passengers, 80 per cent of that growth comes from home-based ships,” Mr Odell said.

“We are doing fantastically and everyone is benefiting throughout the economy but we still don’t have a decision whereas Asia and New Zealand … are all dedicating more resources to cruise structure and Sydney is still is talking about it.

“We are in a holding pattern. Royal Caribbean and Carnival have an established footprint here and they want to grow, but everyone has the same problem — the ‘full’ sign is up on the Overseas Passenger Terminal.”

Meanwhile, the cruise industry awaits the release of the NSW government’s long-awaited 25-year cruise plan that was due in December.