26 ships, 34,000 passengers: Townsville kicks off biggest cruise season ever

Townsville is headed towards its biggest cruise ship season ever, and the first ship has already arrived - four months earlier than normal.

Port of Townsville’s Vikki Brown, Pip Earl from Pipsilk, and TEL’s visitor director Lisa Woolfe with the cruise ship Regatta at the Townsville Port. July 3, 2025. Picture: Evan Morgan

Townsville is headed towards its biggest cruise ship season ever, and the first ship has already arrived - four months earlier than normal.

Previously Townsville only saw cruise ships during the summer; this was because the large ship’s mostly work in the Northern Hemisphere, only coming down during the northern winter to escape the cold and perform some off-season tropical tours.

But now with a deeper channel into Townsville and more interest than ever in our city from year-round Pacific cruiseliners, things have picked up big time.

On July 3 the Regatta, a 1238-passenger-strong cruise ship arrived in Townsville, signalling the start of the 2025-26 season that will run until April 2026, and is expected to attract 26 ship visits and over 34,000 passengers.

Townsville Enterprise visitor economy director Lisa Woolfe said normally Townsville hosts cruise ships in the November - April period.

Viking Orion cruise ship docks at the Port of Townsville. The Orion will stop in Townsville four times in the 2025-26 season. Photo: Cameron Laird

“But with the channel widening we’re now seeing more ships coming in, more frequently, and across the entire year,” Mrs Woolfe said.

“This is a record cruise season for us, these 26 ships will inject $9.5m dollars into the economy.”

Mrs Woolfe said at least 50 per cent of the Regatta’s 1238 passengers had booked themselves on prearrange tours for their one day in Townsville - catching buses out to Billabong Sanctuary, Jezzine Barracks, and even Ingham.

Markets are also hosted at the Quayside Terminal for every ship, staffed by local crafters and makers such as Mater Hospital nurse Pip Earl, who sells scarfs, dresses and kaftans.

Pip Earl from Pipsilk with the cruise ship Regatta at the Townsville Port. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I paint the designs and my friend sews them so they are very much locally made,” the stall holder said.

“People like to buy them because they are polyester and don’t need to be ironed, and go great over your togs.”

The first ship, the Regatta, is “mostly filled” with Americas and will spend just one day in Townsville before steaming off to Vanuatu.

Port of Townsville’s GM Vikki Brown said the channel upgrades were completed by the Port on April 1.

“This means we can bring larger class vessels to the Townsville region,” she said.

“It helps us triple the size of tourists who can visit this location.”

The largest single ship in the 2025-26 season will be the MSC Magnifica in March which travels with 3223 passengers, and the most interesting will be ‘The World’ in December, which contains 200 passengera who all own permanent apartments on-board the vessel.

Originally published as 26 ships, 34,000 passengers: Townsville kicks off biggest cruise season ever