Dunedin a hot holiday cruise destination

Cruise ship passengers are expected to spend $66 million in Dunedin during the next three months, about 12% of the $569.8 million generated by cruise ship arrivals in New Zealand. GRAPHIC: MATHEW PATCHETT
Cruise ship passengers are expected to spend $66 million in Dunedin during the next three months, about 12% of the $569.8 million generated by cruise ship arrivals in New Zealand. GRAPHIC: MATHEW PATCHETT
Dunedin's attractions seem set for gridlock — six cruise ships are scheduled into port by Christmas, and 14 by New Year’s Day.

It could also be inconvenient for those leaving their Christmas shopping until the last minute, as there will be an influx of 10,000 guests arriving on a trifecta of princesses — Ruby, Majestic and Golden — over the three days before Christmas.

City retail and hospitality will be even more packed on Boxing Day, when there will be three ships in: Norwegian Jewel (2376 passengers), Explorer Dream (1856 ) and the smaller Caledonian Sky (114).

That equates to total visitor numbers of almost 30,000 guests, excluding crew.

"Our only actual break is on the weekend of the 28th and 29th and then we are full on again," Dunedin i-Site visitor chief executive Louise van de Vlierd said.

Ms Van de Vlierd, who manages the two i-Site locations in the city and at Port Chalmers, said she had doubled the staff roster to 16 people to cater for the seasonal surge in visitors.

Many of her staff were either tourism graduates or people coming through the industry.

Port Otago cruise manager Carolyn Bennett said the port had geared up for what would be the busiest season in its history.

It was expecting 128 cruise ships this season, following the cancellation of two visits from the 5500-person Ovation of the Seas, she said.

That was still well up on the 115 which visited last year.

"We’ve made some changes over the off season to ensure we can handle ever-increasing numbers, including the appointment of a cruise and seasonal co-ordinator to help manage the influx," she said.

Ms Bennett (36) who has been in the role for little over a year, is in charge of the second-busiest cruise terminal in the country and the only one with a dedicated cruise facility, although it doubles as a space for fertiliser storage in the off season.

"The new multi-purpose wharf, and improved connections to private tour operators and train services, has made an immediate difference."

The cruise team at the terminal expands by about 30 people during the season, who work closely with the i-Site team and tour operators to ensure the visitors get the "best xperience possible".

They are also part of the Cruise Action Group, along with the Dunedin City Council, the Otago Chamber of Commerce, the DunedinHOST operators’ group and the University of Otago.

The action group’s core aims include ensuring that more than 90% of passengers disembark the ship on arrival, and to increase their average spend.

Ms van de Vlierd, who has been with i-Site for 23 years said visitor decisions were "highly subjective" depending on lots of variables, including the nationality of the visitor and whether Otago was first or last on the trip calendar.

Ms Van de Vlierd said no two days were the same.

The New Zealand Cruise Association estimated the economic value of cruise ships to Dunedin at $66 million for this season, up 10% on last year and representing about 12% of the $569.8 million to the overall New Zealand economy.

Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan said many of the benefits were not obvious.

"For the local retail and hospitality market, it represents additional income during what is potentially a slower period with people traditionally on holidays and not in the city."

Mr McGowan agreed that buying patterns of passengers could be different depending whether it was their first or last stop on the itinerary, and said an additional spin-off was the "unseen economy" of ship supply.

"Ships need to be supplied with things like fresh produce, so that element also provides a stimulus to local business."

He said the chamber had also been in dialogue with the council over a proposed closure of the Octagon.

"Ultimately, we need to focus on ensuring that visitors to the city and the area have the best experience possible, from arrival to departure."

Vault 21 owner Andre Shi said the council did not do enough to ensure businesses were able to cater for the increased foot traffic during the height of season.

"For example, I think the intention of closing the Octagon is right, but consultation with local businesses has been poor.

"For example, we have no clarity as to how far out we can go with our outdoor seating, which, if we are going to close the Octagon to traffic, could extend into the road," he said.

brent.melville@odt.co.nz


 

Comments

Good new story, spoiled only by the whinging bar owner who wants to use the road to make more money.

Emergency services need to use the road if there is an emergency.

An elephant in the room for our Mayor. So I ask this about the cruise ships. On the one hand our Mayor and the greenie protestors he appears to side with, don't want oil and gas exploration. If they are so serious about climate change, why does he welcome cruise ship tourism? These ships burn heavy fuel oil, up to 250 tons of it per day, with no particulate filter as we have on vehicles. Heavy fuel oil contains 100's of times more sulphur than the diesel we use in cars and trucks. They sit in OUR harbour all day puffing this stuff into our air. These cruise ships burn up to $2millon worth of fuel every day, and the business is booming, more ships every year are being built and coming to our shores. So why do we welcome so many of them to our supposed, 'clean and green' New Zealand? Drilling oil and oil use goes hand in hand with everything else we are dependent on in a modern economy. What decisions are we actually prepared to make in regard to climate change? We can celebrate our tourism, we can celebrate our city, we can protest exploration drilling, but to what cost Aaron?