Cruising for another bumper season

Almost 130,000 passengers are expected in the Bay of Islands next summer courtesy of 70 cruise ship visits scheduled through to May 2025.

The official schedule detailing the who, what and when of the cruise ship calendar is now available at Cruise Ships NZ | Far North Holdings Ltd.

The cruise season goes full steam ahead in October, when passenger numbers for that month click over the 12,000 mark. The monthly visitor tally builds in the following months to peak in February at over 30,000 passengers and tapers in March to around the 27,000 visitors. Passenger numbers dip back in April to around 5000, with only a few thousand expected during May.

One cruise ship is on the schedule for August this year but passenger numbers are yet to be confirmed for this voyage.

While cruise ship visits for the coming summer are down on last year’s bumper 92 ships and over 150,000 passengers, the season will still have a significant impact on the local economy. Cruise season in Paihia will see the popular artisan market return to the village green, and accents from all over the globe will once again create Paihia's unique summer vibe.

Want to know more about how cruise ships contribute to our local economy? Watch our video below.

Our isite visitor centres provide crucial support to the community, promote local businesses, and provide an information hub to cruise ship visitors. Find out more in the video below.