Princess Cruises is planning to double its port calls in New Zealand from the 2028-2029 season, with calls at 9 destinations across the country. The announcement was made as Crown Princess arrived in Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a relatively subdued 2026-2027 cruise season.
The planned increase represents a significant commitment to the New Zealand market, particularly given that cruise lines typically determine ship deployment 18 to 24 months in advance. Princess Cruises’ expanded programme therefore reflects a longer-term assessment of the country’s potential as a cruise destination.
The current season remains well below pre-pandemic levels. The New Zealand Cruise Association expects ~660 cruise ship calls in 2026-2027, while NZ Customs has forecast a 19% decline in cruise passenger volumes for 2025-2026, following a 28% reduction the previous year. Ship deployment levels were still more than 40% below their peak as of April 2026.
Industry representatives have attributed much of the decline to operating costs and regulatory requirements rather than weaker passenger demand. New Zealand Cruise Association chair Tansy Tompkins has previously pointed to high port charges, biofouling requirements, visa fees and border clearance costs as factors that have reduced the country's competitiveness for cruise operators. Infrastructure limitations, including hull-cleaning facilities and shore-power availability, have also affected deployment decisions.
Measures to improve the operating environment are now being introduced. Cruise has been incorporated into the Tourism Growth Roadmap, while a Cruise Forum has been established to improve cooperation between government and the industry. Tompkins has said that cruise lines require certainty, competitiveness and trust when deciding where to deploy ships.
Princess Cruises’ decision to expand its New Zealand programme provides an indication that conditions are becoming more favourable. The 2028-2029 deployment will cover Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, Napier, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Picton, Timaru and Fiordland, extending the economic impact of cruise activity beyond the country's principal gateways.
The regional significance of the programme is considerable. Crown Princess, for example, can accommodate ~3,080 guests, meaning calls at smaller ports such as Timaru and Picton can generate additional demand for local transport, hospitality, retail and shore excursions. Industry representatives have also highlighted the wider economic effect of visitor spending, as businesses subsequently purchase goods and services from other local suppliers.
The scale of New Zealand’s cruise economy before the recent downturn illustrates the potential. MBIE research found that the 2023-2024 cruise season generated ~NZ$648 million in cruise-related spending, supported 8,790 jobs and contributed NZ$572 million to GDP.
Tourism more broadly has continued to recover. International tourism expenditure reached NZ$18.1 billion in the year ended March 2025, an increase of 7%, while tourism accounted for 7.7% of national GDP. Cruise recovery, however, has been slower, although Auckland is still expected to receive more than NZ$200 million in cruise-related economic activity during the current season.
The additional capacity planned from 2028-2029 gives regional businesses time to prepare for higher passenger volumes. Shore excursion operators, hospitality businesses, retailers and transport providers will need to establish capacity and partnerships ahead of the increase rather than waiting until ships return at higher frequency.