Celebrity Edge, which has capacity for 2900 passengers and 1300 crew, arrived in Port Chalmers just after 7.30am yesterday.
About 12 Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters met the passengers as they got off the ship in Port Chalmers.
Climate Liberation Aotearoa spokeswoman Annabel Hankin said the protesters wanted to "connect" with the passengers.
They wanted to put pressure on the cruise industry.
The ship left at 5pm, bound for Fiordland.