Port Celebrates 1,000th Cruise Ship Visit 

Napier Port, nestled in the picturesque Hawke’s Bay of New Zealand, proudly welcomed the Silver Muse, marking the 1,000th cruise ship to call at the port in its 30-year history.

Milestone Achievement for Napier Port

In a February 26, 2024, ceremony, Napier Port commemorated the arrival of Silversea Cruises’ Silver Muse to 2 Wharf as the port’s 1,000th cruise ship to call on the charming coastal city on the North Island of New Zealand.

Sailing on a 32-night route from Melbourne, Australia, to Benoa, Bali, Silver Muse arrived in Napier for an extended call, from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., to allow for a full celebration of the maritime achievement.

Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson highlighted the significance of the event, stating, “This cruise season is set to be the port’s busiest yet with 72 cruise visits already and another 17 bookings through to early April.

“We’ve had more than double and triple ship stays than ever before, and also welcomed a number of maiden cruise line calls,” he continued.

Napier Port’s current season, unprecedented in its volume, has brought more than 130,000 cruise visitors to Hawke’s Bay. The spur in cruise visits is a direct result of the addition of Te Whiti (6 Wharf), completed in late 2022. The expansion allows Napier Port to accommodate some of the world’s largest cruise vessels, including the Oasis-class liners, bringing in a 94% increase in cruise traffic.

Ovation of the Seas, the largest vessel to call at Napier Port, is scheduled for six visits this season, each bringing close to 5,000 passengers.

“The recent addition of Te Whiti as a multi-purpose berth has boosted the port’s wharf capacity,” said Dawson, adding, “We are well-placed to welcome even more cruise ship calls next season.”

Cruise Season Highlights

Visiting Napier in 2024 are some of the world’s largest cruise lines, many of which are including New Zealand on world cruises.

In February, Viking Ocean brought Viking Sky to Hawke’s Bay on its 137-night “World Cruise,” Viking Neptune during its 120-night “World Journey,” and Viking Orion for its 92-night “Grand Pacific Explorer.”

Oceania Cruises also arrived in Napier in February with Insignia calling at the port during its 196-Night world cruise, the “Continental Majesty Miami to New York,” as Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ introduced Seven Seas Mariner to Napier Port during its 132-night “Navigate the World” roundtrip cruise from Miami.

Read Also: New Zealand Port Sets Record with Three Cruise Ships in One Day

Earlier this month, Holland America Line’s Voldendam made its call during its 94-night “Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage,” which also traveled to Fjordland National Park, Dunedin, Timaru, Akaroa, Wellington, Tauranga, Auckland, and Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

Additional cruises visiting in March include Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Spirit, Viking Voyages’ Resilient Lady, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge, and P&O Cruises’ Pacific Adventure. Next month, Carnival Cruise Line will join in the fun with Carnival Splendor arriving at the start of the month.

Widely recognized for its stunning Art Deco architecture, a result of the city being rebuilt in the 1930s following a devastating earthquake, Napier sits on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and is a gateway to Hawke’s Bay wine region, one of the nation’s oldest and most renowned wine-producing areas.