The arrival of the Sea Princess on Thursday marks the beginning of a record-breaking season, with 84 visits expected.
In preparation, the Dunedin City Council, Otago Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin Host and Tourism Dunedin have produced a suggested code of conduct for retailers.
Those suggestions include greeting visitors in a warm and friendly manner, avoid pressuring visitors with marketing material, and making false claims about your products.
Retailers have also been offered 12 tips for dealing with the 135,000 passengers and 60,000 crew expected.
They range from knowing which ships are in town, cafes to recommend and not making inappropriate jokes about other nationalities.
DCC economic development unit destination management business development adviser Sophie Barker said the code of conduct was requested by businesses following the conclusion of last season.
"As a city, we all want to extend a good welcome and have certain standards."
Cruise shuttles would drop passengers off in the central carriageway of the Octagon, and outside the Municipal Chamber in the event of two ships arriving, she said.
Already staff at the iSite were collating a list of which businesses would be open on Christmas Day as two ships and nearly 5000 extra visitors were expected to be in the city.
Cruise ships would continue to be farewelled by either a piper or a full pipe band, Ms Barker said.
Research by the University of Otago indicated that an estimated 80% of all cruise ships' passengers would disembark in Dunedin during the period, with the rate higher than other centres due to the city being either the first or last port of call in New Zealand.
The 2011-12 season was expected to pump $40 million in the Dunedin economy, according to a 2010 forecast by Cruise New Zealand.
