The departure of Sea Princess yesterday marked the end of Dunedin's 2011-12 cruise ship season. Next season is set to be bigger.
Carnival Australia chief executive Ann Sherry, whose company represents P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, and P&O Cruises World Cruising in New Zealand, said the country was on a "cruising boom".
"New Zealand and Australia are the fastest-growing and most exciting cruise markets in the world.
"New Zealand is not only an extremely attractive destination for our international cruise passengers, particularly those from the northern hemisphere, but more Kiwis than ever before are discovering cruise holidays."
The Sea Princess visit yesterday was one of nearly 400 to 12 New Zealand ports for the Carnival company, double the previous season and five times as many as three years ago.
"As well as the obvious economic benefits from things such as port fees and providoring, tourism operators and local businesses have seen a constant stream of ships over the summer months and I am delighted they took full advantage of this captive audience and showed our passengers what their local areas are all about," Ms Sherry said.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said retailers and the tourism sector were certainly "upping the ante in what they are delivering by way of services to the cruise market.
"We want to see cruise ships coming here for a long period of time, and providing a real contribution to the city and region."
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said non-Dunedin businesses were involved during each cruise ship season.
"Private enterprise will most definitely be looking at Dunedin and the success the city has had out of passenger and crew volumes coming here."
The 2012-13 season, which starts on October 14, is expected to bring a record 86 cruise ships, with a total capacity of 154,000 passengers and 68,000 crew.
