Port of Townsville is celebrating its most successful cruise season yet, with 21 ships bringing more than 30,000 visitors to our city.
The passengers and crew provided a welcome economic boost to the region, spending almost $7 million on experiences, retail and food and beverage outlets.
Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said she was thrilled to welcome five vessels on their maiden voyage to the city, including visits by three-large class cruise ships which were able to access the Port for the first time since the completion of the $251 million Channel Upgrade project.
“We are delighted to welcome Norwegian Sun back to our Port today, following her maiden voyage to the city on Easter Monday,” Ms Crosby said.
“She is carrying up to 2400 passengers and 900 crew who will spend the day exploring the best our region has to offer.
“The Norwegian Cruise Lines ship is one of three large-class cruise vessels which have been able to access our Port for the first time this season, bringing triple the number of passengers that had ever arrived on any one ship.
“To facilitate the increase in passenger numbers on the large vessels, Port of Townsville recently completed a $5.9 million upgrade to our Quayside Terminal bus and taxi rank to allow our guests a seamless experience from ship to shore.
“With 21 vessels visiting our city between November 2024 and April 2025, we are pleased to be able to facilitate a welcome boost to our tourism industry for what is typically a quieter time for operators.”
Townsville Enterprise Director Visitor Economy and Marketing Lisa Woolfe said cruise passengers had delivered a welcome economic boost to the city.
“The cruise season is critical for our region; it provides a welcomed boost to our tourism economy during what is traditionally a low season,” Ms Woolfe said.
“This year given the flooding and rain we have had it has been more important than ever.
“Our cruise season has been an absolute lifeline for some tourism operators at the start of this year, contributing almost $7 million to the economy across in the last six months.
“We consistently receive very positive feedback from our cruise guests, with an average of 4 out of 5 score in our surveying.
“The passengers truly are ‘up for unexpected’ and have been delighted to explore the natural beauty our region has to offer, from reef to outback and everything in between.
“Day trips to Magnetic Island, Charters Towers and Hinchinbrook have been favourites and attractions like Billabong Sanctuary and The Strand remain as popular as ever.
“We know that cruise passengers have a high propensity to be return travellers to the regions they enjoy, so these cruise ships aren’t just a positive economic boost, they are a billboard for future travel from visitors across the world.”
Ms Crosby said Townsville was cementing itself as a must-cruise destination with 26 ships booked for the upcoming 2025/2026 season.
“As more cruise lines are looking to visit our city, the seasons are getting longer and this year we will welcome our first cruise passengers in early July, a time of year when Townsville really shines,” Ms Crosby said.
