A Royal-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises sailed in to Darwin today on her maiden voyage to our tropical city, bringing more than 3,500 passengers for a one day stopover.
The Royal Princess is the largest ship to grace our shores this cruise season with her visit estimated to contribute between $1.5 to $2 million in direct spend in Darwin's CBD.
Sailing in from Brisbane en route to Hong Kong, passengers were treated to a beautiful dry season breeze as they disembarked the ship to explore Darwin and surrounds with tourism ambassadors welcoming passengers with local tips and tourism offerings to make the most of their time in Darwin.
Today's arrival will provide a boost for Darwin tourism operators, retailers and hospitality businesses as we head into our peak tourist and events season.
In the coming weeks local tourism businesses will have the opportunity to connect with cruise line representatives from around the world at the 2024 Northern Territory Cruise Forum to be held on Wednesday 8 May at the Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront.
The forum theme, A sea of opportunity, will feature presentations from the Australian Cruise Association, cruise line representatives and inbound tour operators specialising in shore excursions, overland and pre and post cruise itineraries.
This is an unmissable opportunity for local businesses to make the most of the Territory's growing cruise sector. To find our more and register head to tourismnt.com.au/industry-events
Quotes to attribute to Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Joel Bowden:
"We're thrilled to welcome the Royal Princess on its maiden voyage to Darwin and have no doubt passengers will have a wonderful time immersing themselves in our rich Aboriginal culture, military history and breathtaking national parks and landscapes.
"This ship alone will inject approximately $1.5 -$2 million into the local economy with over 3500 passengers expected to spend big across the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors.
"The cruise ship industry is expected to inject a total of $65 million to the Territory's economy this year, creating jobs and supporting local tour operators, retailers and the hospitality industry."
Quotes to attribute to Princess Cruises Senior VP Asia Pacific, UK & Europe Stuart Allison:
"We are delighted Princess Cruise's Royal Princess has arrived on its maiden voyage to Darwin. The warm welcome from Tourism Top End ambassadors, Darwin City activation and helpful advice from Tourism NT reflect the vibrancy and friendliness of the city.
"I am sure our Australian and International guests will enjoy the unique tourist attractions and friendly hospitality during their time in Darwin.
"We look forward to welcoming more Princess ships later in the year with Coral Princess visiting in August and Crown Princess making her maiden port call in November as part of her debut summer season in Australia."
