These bowlers, mainly from Queensland, Australia, arrived aboard Sea Princess, which carries 2016 passengers and has a crew of 850.
After a morning bus tour of the city, the keen bowlers arrived at the bowls stadium, in Tainui, as part of a bowls travel package — they will next play today in Akaroa, and then at the four other ports on their New Zealand cruise.
Former stadium secretary Bruce Hendry helped organise the competition, in which eight Dunedin bowlers were added to the composite teams.
Stadium vice-president John Latimer said the bowls visit was mutually enjoyable and beneficial.
"These people are absolutely full of compliments for the stadium."
The stadium gained some income, including from the lunch provided, and the event generated positive publicity for Dunedin.
"It’s a great start to their tour of New Zealand," he said.
A Queensland bowls enthusiast had previously organised a similar annual cruise ship visit to the stadium, which had run for about six years, and yesterday’s visit was from another group of mainly Queensland bowlers, who were making their first visit. Yesterday’s group was led by former international lawns bowler Bill Cornehls, who won a gold medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Victoria. Bowlers enjoyed "friendly fellowship" with fellow bowlers wherever they were and this event was "more about meeting new friends", he added.
A small ice-strengthened cruise ship, Spirit of Enderby, which carries 50 passengers, was also in Dunedin briefly yesterday, having arrived on Thursday. The cruise ship Majestic Princess, which carries 3560 passengers, is due to arrive at the Beach St wharf at 6.30am tomorrow.
Several more cruise ships will visit next week, culminating in the rare arrival of three cruise ships on one day, next Saturday, when the Golden Princess, Caledonian Sky and Ovation of the Seas will come into port between them carrying nearly 7000 passengers.
