24 November 2015

NEWS RELEASE: FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR MARLBOROUGH

One week after the earthquake in neighbouring Kaikoura, nothing says Marlborough is full steam ahead like a big cruise ship arriving into town.

On 21 November 2016 the 3000 passenger cruise ship Emerald Princess arrived into Picton for the first of six visits over the 2016/17 cruise season.

The weather was Brilliant, and the region was buzzing with passengers excited to come ashore and visit Marlborough.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett joined the Captain on-board for an exchange of plaques to mark the visit.

Captain Martin Stenzel said he "received very positive feedback from the passengers … they loved the drive in ... I think for our passengers it was an amazing arrival, beautiful scenery and weather… even I was blown away."

Marlborough is geared up for a record season with cruise ships scheduled to make 43 port visits carrying over 112,000 passengers and crew, including the arrival of a ship carrying more passengers than the population of Picton.

Port Marlborough CEO Ian McNabb confirmed all the Port’s cruise facilities are fully operational saying “We’re looking forward to hosting the vessels already booked and have capacity to accommodate others should the need arise.”

Royal Carribean’s Quantum Class Ovation of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever to visit New Zealand, will make three scheduled visits, the first on Christmas Eve with her complement of 4,900 passengers on-board.

Marlborough has rolled out a number of new facilities and initiatives to ensure the region is well placed to deliver a quality visitor experience for passengers.

As a result of Port Marlborough’s investment in facilities, Ovation of the Seas at 350 meters long can now berth and disembark passengers at Waimahara Wharf.

This means passengers can spend more time enjoying Marlborough on the ground, rather than being ferried on small tender vessels, as required in some other New Zealand ports.

The designated cruise shuttle stop will move to the Auckland Street bus stop outside the Picton i-SITE to speed up the return journey between the ship and Picton.

Toilets are being built adjacent the shuttle stop and a new sign-posted walking trail of Picton starting and ending at the shuttle stop has been developed to guide passengers along the foreshore and through the town.

The Picton flower ladies, a group of volunteers who are now internationally recognised in cruise circles, have put the call out for new sources of fresh flowers to meet demand for their handmade button holes to hand out to passengers on the wharf as they disembark.

Destination Marlborough’s trained, clearly identified Cruise Meet and Greet team will be stationed at the Picton

Shuttle stop to assist passengers and crew with directions and distribute the dedicated Brilliant Day Ashore brochure that will feature the new Picton Walking Trail map.

Destination Marlborough General Manager Tracy Johnston said cruise passengers are a welcome addition to Marlborough over the summer months and the region embraces the opportunity to host them.

“With an average time ashore of between 4 and 5 hours we only have a short time to impress visitors so there is a lot of effort being put in to ensure that cruise passengers have a Brilliant day in Port”.

ENDS

For the latest video on Marlborough as a Brilliant cruise destination: click here

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