The 2025-26 cruise season got underway this week, with the Crown Princess sailing into Fremantle.
The vessel is the first of 26 cruise ships scheduled to visit Fremantle this season and it's also the largest. Twelve of the ships arriving this season will stay overnight, and eight of them are on their maiden call to Fremantle.
The City of Fremantle's friendly Tourism Ambassadors will again volunteer their time to provide a warm welcome to passengers and crew, as they disembark, at the Fremantle Visitor Centre and roving around the city centre.
The City will offer complimentary shuttle bus services, operating between the Fremantle Passenger Terminal and the Fremantle city centre each time a ship is in port.
In partnership with Tourism WA, the City will also hold Woola Walyalup welcome ceremonies in Walyalup Koort, featuring indigenous music, smoking ceremonies, and dance performances. This season, these will be reserved for ships carrying significant numbers of international passengers.
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said she was excited for the start of another cruise season.
"Cruise tourism is hugely valuable to local businesses in Fremantle. It's not just the passengers buying a lunch here or a souvenir there, but also the crew stocking up on personal items while in port.
More than 3,000 Crown Princess passengers came through Fremantle this week.
On average, domestic passengers spend $198 per day while in port and international passengers spend $283 per day.
"Fremantle is busy with visitors all year round, but Spring is a particularly nice time of year for tourists to stroll through the hidden laneways, browse in boutique shops, have an al fresco meal on the Cappuccino Strip or head to one of our beautiful beaches or parks for a sunny picnic.
In 2023-24, the cruise industry generated an economic impact of $289.5 million in Fremantle, supporting 925 full time jobs.
"Fremantle is one of WA's must-visit destinations. Consistent visitation through cruise season, along with word-of-mouth promotion and social media exposure from these visitors, strengthens this profile and increases our ability to attract more investment in tourism infrastructure, events, and cultural experiences," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
Last month, Fremantle hosted the Australian Cruising Association's annual conference, which brought together 150 cruise industry leaders from around the country to discuss cruise and tourism opportunities across the three-day event.
During the conference, it was announced that Fremantle will be the home-port for the Sapphire Princess from 2027. The vessel will undertake nine itineraries over the season, beginning and ending in Fremantle, and is expected to generate $142 million in economic impact, with Fremantle capturing a significant share.
