MEDIA RELEASE  

January Marks Mid-Season Milestone for Cruise in Marlborough

The arrival of Anthem of the Seas in Picton earlier this summer marked the opening of the 2025/2026 cruise season. As the season reaches its midpoint, Port Marlborough has now welcomed 10 cruise ships, with 14 visits still to come from a total of 24 scheduled calls this season.

While the number of cruise ship visits this season represents a reduction compared with last year’s record programme, volumes are broadly in line with pre-Covid seasons and reflect wider national and global trends.

Cruise tourism continues to deliver significant value for Marlborough. The sector contributes approximately NZ$36.4 million in economic output to the region each year and supports around 246 local jobs across tourism, hospitality, retail and transport.[1]

Port Marlborough works closely with Destination Marlborough, The New Zealand Cruise Association, and local businesses throughout the season to ensure coordinated planning and well-run visitor experiences on cruise days. This collaboration remains central to maintaining Marlborough’s reputation as a high-quality cruise destination.

Port Marlborough Chief Executive Rhys Welbourn said the season to date has reinforced the importance of cruise to Marlborough’s visitor economy.

“Cruise continues to deliver tangible economic benefits for Marlborough. While overall numbers this season are lower than last year, our focus remains on safe, efficient operations and delivering a positive experience for cruise lines, passengers and the community. That focus is reflected in strong experience ratings from cruise lines and supports Marlborough’s international reputation as a welcoming cruise destination.

Cruise ships visit destinations, not ports. Port Marlborough plays an important role, but the visitor experience extends well beyond the wharf. Cruise lines choose destinations that perform across the entire journey, which is why collaboration across the region matters. Working alongside local businesses, Destination Marlborough, council and industry partners helps position Marlborough as a must-see stop on South Pacific cruise itineraries and ensures Marlborough continues to benefit from passenger spend over the long term.”

Proactive work by Port Marlborough includes direct engagement with cruise line customers in Australia, ongoing support for the New Zealand Cruise Association, and backing the Association’s presence at Seatrade in Miami in 2026 to directly promote Marlborough to international cruise itinerary planners.

Port Marlborough’s investment in people, infrastructure and marine fleet continues to underpin successful cruise operations. Seasonal staff are recruited and trained for summer, and the marine team has expanded capability with four permanent Tug Masters trained in azimuth stern drive (ASD) operations, supported by two relief Tug Masters to provide resilience during peak periods and weather-related diversions. The port’s modern towage fleet includes ASD tugs designed to support a wide range of vessel movements. The arrival of the ASD tug Kaiana in 2024 marked a significant upgrade in capability, with a second purpose-built ASD tug scheduled to join the fleet in March 2026. The new towage fleet will enhance safety, efficiency and flexibility across cruise and commercial operations, ensuring the port is well equipped to meet current and future demand.

Infrastructure improvements are also supporting the cruise experience. New gangways requested by cruise line customers are operational, and the $11 million Roller Compacted Concrete upgrade project at Shakespeare Bay has delivered a cleaner, more efficient environment on cruise days, alongside improved outcomes for forestry exporters.

With 14 cruise visits still ahead this season, Port Marlborough remains focused on supporting a safe, well-managed cruise season and positioning Marlborough strongly for the future.

Port Marlborough’s Cruise schedule can be found here: https://portmarlborough.co.nz/cruise-ship-schedule/

[1] https://newzealandcruiseassociation.com/the-value-of-cruise-tourism-2024-25/