Yesterday, the 4180-passenger capacity Ovation of the Seas arrived, while the 600-passenger Silver Muse visits today.
A Scottish tourist told the Otago Daily Times he was pleased to discover a "little bit of home" in Dunedin.
Gordy Brown, who was one of the Ovation of the Seas passengers, enjoyed visiting the city.
"It’s nice and old school and clean.
"I’ve lived in Edinburgh for years, but I have never visited Dunedin before. It reminds me of home."
Yesterday was one of the busiest days of the cruise season and Port Chalmers Markets organiser Julie Fawcett said they expected about 2000 passengers to come through their doors at the Port Chalmers Hall during the day.
"They just love the friendly vibe to the markets. Often they stake out the markets at the start of the day and then come back after they’ve explored the city and Port Chalmers."
She said of the 13 cruise ship days held already this season, more than 14,000 passengers had visited the markets.
There were about 130 stall-holders, of which about 50 or so would be present at the market depending on the ship visiting.
"We rotate the stalls. We have very strong communication links with the ships.
The market began in its present form about nine years ago, and has grown substantially ever since.
"A lot of seniors have set up stalls with us, because it generates some income for them."
Brother and sister Caitlin and Darian Naidoo, of Sydney, bought some possum fur products from Gordon Tocher.
"The level of detail and artistry is really impressive," Ms Naidoo said.
"I’ve been to Dunedin on a Contiki tour, but this is my first proper visit to the place as an adult. The coffee is great and the cheese scones are some of the best I’ve ever had."
Mr Tocher said he had been running a stall at the cruise ship markets for the past eight years.
"It’s certainly got bigger.
"I worked for New Zealand’s biggest possum furrier, and I always found possums in my backyard, so I decided to do something about it.
"The Australian tourists are particularly interested in it."
