MEDIA RELEASE 9 December 2008

Cruise season in full swing

The cruise season is in full swing with three ships berthing on consecutive days at Ports of Auckland next week.

The Dawn Princess will arrive on Sunday 14 December, followed by the Bremen on the 15th and the Pacific Sun on the 16th.

All three ships will berth at Auckland's Princes Wharf.

Ports of Auckland Managing Director Jens Madsen said his team was well prepared for the influx of visitors.

The Bremen is on a 19 day cruise from Hobart stopping at seven New Zealand ports, as well as visiting Milford Sound, the Chatham Islands and White Island. The vessel, which carries predominantly German passengers, will take a new group on board at Lyttelton before heading off for a 28-day Antarctic exploration cruise.

The Dawn Princess and Pacific Sun are both travelling around New Zealand on voyages from Australia.

Cruise ships expected in early 2009 include the Queen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner to visit New Zealand.

Ports of Auckland, New Zealand's premiere exchange port for cruises, is expecting 70 cruise ships to visit in the 2008/09 season.

Mr Madsen said bookings for the current season had held up well although the outlook for 09/10 had softened.

Ports of Auckland is currently participating in an Auckland Regional Council-led study into whether a cruise ship terminal could be developed on Queens Wharf, alongside other port operations.

ENDS

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