The Crown Princess will dock in Hobart tomorrow morning, just a day after the Disney Wonder arrived to launch Tasmania’s cruise season.
The Princess Cruises ship is scheduled to berth at 6am on Wednesday and depart at 4pm, bringing around 3,000 passengers and 1,200 crew members to the city.
Tourism Minister Jane Howlett this morning welcomed passengers and crew from the Disney Wonder, which arrived in Hobart today carrying 2,400 passengers and 950 crew.
“It’s wonderful to see cruise ships returning to our shores and bringing thousands of visitors eager to experience everything Tasmania has to offer,” she said.
The back-to-back arrivals mark a strong start to what’s expected to be a busy season, with 114 cruise ships scheduled to visit Tasmania across Hobart, Burnie and Port Arthur.
Howlett said cruise ship visits make a significant economic contribution to the state.
“Last season, cruise ship visits contributed an estimated $140 million to Tasmania’s economy through ship provisioning, direct spending from passengers and crew, port charges and other services,” she said.
Those benefits, she said, flow through to tour operators, retailers, food producers and shipping services right across Tasmania.
“It’s a great time of year when thousands of travellers arriving to Tasmania on a cruise can experience our island at its best through shore excursions, meeting our wonderful people and enjoying our fine produce,” she said.
The Crown Princess will return to Hobart on November 1, while the Disney Wonder has multiple visits scheduled throughout next month.
Both are some of the 104 vessels visiting the state from October through to April, with eight making their first ever visit to Tasmania.
