The New Zealand cruise season got off to a slow start, but from Boxing Day until January 5th over 50 cruise ships will dock in across the country bringing a boost to local economies.
Although, NZ Cruise Association CEO Jacqui Lloyd told Andrew Dickens that eco-regulations and increased costs have slowed the industry.
"While it's great to have the ships in port, it is disappointing in the numbers that are coming in," Lloyd said.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
The Crew season has well and truly kicked into high gear.
There have been worries that this year might be a
bit of a dud, but fifty two ships will port
in New Zealand before the fifth of January. Fifty two
ships with a couple of thousand people each, maybe more.
That is a big boost to local economies. Jackie Lloyd
is the CEO of the New Zealand Cruise Association and
(00:37):
joins me. Now, how about.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Jackie, good morning, How are you very good?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
We had headlines before the season started that this season
was going to be bad for many reasons. Has it
been disappointing?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Look, while it's great to have the ships import, it
as disappointing in the numbers that are coming in. So
we are still considerably down on where we were two
or three years ago. But at the same time we're
just welcoming the ships and being really happy to have
them in port.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
We are we our worst own problem because because they've
the port, the companies have complained about the regulations. The
cleaning of the boats are our echo regulations just too tough,
and so people are saying we won't bring the boats
to New Zealand this year.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Look a little bit, I mean it's not necessarily eco.
I mean yes, of course, there has been some concerns
about ships being turned away if they have any small
cleaning problem. We do have a solution for that now though.
Port of Auckland has just been working with New Zealand
Dive Services to create an import cleaning solution for small
niche areas that's been approved by Biosecurity. So that's good
(01:40):
to go for the season, but it's the other areas
around our cost and the timing of cost increases, so
a cruise passenger will book their travel maybe a year,
two three years in advance. Currently the cruise lines are
selling the twenty seven to twenty eight season, and when
we as a country put our prices up two months
before a ship arrives, there's no way to pass that
(02:01):
cost onto passengers and then cuts off the cruise sides
bottom line. And that's what's made it very difficult for
cruise sides to really be sure that what they put
in the pricing is going to be what the pricing
will be in two years time, so it's made us difficult.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
So are we getting over ourselves.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
We are a little bit, yes, we are that. We've
had some great work with the Minister of Tourism Minister
up since being that I'm really engaged in this process,
talking to the cruise lines, working in with government departments
to really make sure that you know that's understood. And
we have had a joint statement by five of the
major ministers to the cruise industry to say that New
Zealand wants cruise at Welcome's cruise and we're working to
(02:41):
make the settings right for cruise operations and that's been
really well received by the cruise lines.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Here's my own personal take on one thing which is
going to make me very unpopular with some and that
is I see the big mega boats like Ovation of
the Seas. They now have to park at the Organ
Container Wharf because they can't fit into the downtown Wolves,
which for a cruise passenger not ideal. You have to
catch a bus to get into town and you're at
the end of a big industrial zone. There is an
(03:09):
answer to this, which is extending the wolves using what
they call dolphins, which is just a little peer, a
little thing where you hook up to on the end.
People object to that because they say we don't want
to give away any more of the white to matar
that is there with a change of mayor. With all
that sort of stuff, is the possibility of dolphins and
(03:30):
actually getting better birthing facilities available in Auckland coming about.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Absolutely so not necessarily dolphins, but there has been through
the fast track consent process. One of the first projects
that was consented was the extension of the Bledderslow Wharf,
so a little bit closer to town, opportunity to park
up vessels right on the wharf there still walking distance
from township and also with a dedicated cruise terminal that
(03:56):
Porter Bookland has started the work on already, so that
new birth is due October twenty sixth, with the terminal
a couple of months later, which is going to be
fantastic for the welcome to Auckland. It'll also move ships
off Prince's Wharf, which is the area where the Hilton
Hotel is around the ferry basin, and actually move the
(04:16):
ships back to Queenswarf and to Bleed a slow and
create a really good cruise and welcoming environment.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Well that is good news indeed, and in fact, let's
get into the good news. Who's getting all the love?
Which ports are getting all the love this year.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Look, we have had a reduction on a number of
our ports, which is a shame, but still obviously vessels
are coming into New Zealand. The one port that is
actually seeing an increase in cruise arrivals this year is Timuru,
which has got about last year was nine port calls
are up to fourteen this year and Timuru has been
doing a huge amount of work between the port and
(04:50):
the Regional Tourism Board to make sure that everything's welcoming
for cruise. Ninety percent of the community think that it's
a cruise is great for their community from an economic
point of view and a vibrancy point of view. It's
really really positive news coming out of beer and also
the work that we're currently doing with the cruise lines
to courage deployment for future years. You know, the messaging
(05:11):
from the BAT that's been done is really hopefully lining
us up to see an increase again from the twenty
seven twenty eight season and beyond. Come.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, good stuff Jackie or the very best, and I
thank you so much for joining us Today. That is
Jackie Lloyd, who is the CEO of the New Zealand
Cruise Association.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
For more from news talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
The Crew season has well and truly kicked into high gear.
There have been worries that this year might be a
bit of a dud, but fifty two ships will port
in New Zealand before the fifth of January. Fifty two
ships with a couple of thousand people each, maybe more.
That is a big boost to local economies. Jackie Lloyd
is the CEO of the New Zealand Cruise Association and
(00:37):
joins me. Now, how about.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Jackie, good morning, How are you very good?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
We had headlines before the season started that this season
was going to be bad for many reasons. Has it
been disappointing?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Look, while it's great to have the ships import, it
as disappointing in the numbers that are coming in. So
we are still considerably down on where we were two
or three years ago. But at the same time we're
just welcoming the ships and being really happy to have
them in port.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
We are we our worst own problem because because they've
the port, the companies have complained about the regulations. The
cleaning of the boats are our echo regulations just too tough,
and so people are saying we won't bring the boats
to New Zealand this year.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Look a little bit, I mean it's not necessarily eco.
I mean yes, of course, there has been some concerns
about ships being turned away if they have any small
cleaning problem. We do have a solution for that now though.
Port of Auckland has just been working with New Zealand
Dive Services to create an import cleaning solution for small
niche areas that's been approved by Biosecurity. So that's good
(01:40):
to go for the season, but it's the other areas
around our cost and the timing of cost increases, so
a cruise passenger will book their travel maybe a year,
two three years in advance. Currently the cruise lines are
selling the twenty seven to twenty eight season, and when
we as a country put our prices up two months
before a ship arrives, there's no way to pass that
(02:01):
cost onto passengers and then cuts off the cruise sides
bottom line. And that's what's made it very difficult for
cruise sides to really be sure that what they put
in the pricing is going to be what the pricing
will be in two years time, so it's made us difficult.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
So are we getting over ourselves.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
We are a little bit, yes, we are that. We've
had some great work with the Minister of Tourism Minister
up since being that I'm really engaged in this process,
talking to the cruise lines, working in with government departments
to really make sure that you know that's understood. And
we have had a joint statement by five of the
major ministers to the cruise industry to say that New
Zealand wants cruise at Welcome's cruise and we're working to
(02:41):
make the settings right for cruise operations and that's been
really well received by the cruise lines.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Here's my own personal take on one thing which is
going to make me very unpopular with some and that
is I see the big mega boats like Ovation of
the Seas. They now have to park at the Organ
Container Wharf because they can't fit into the downtown Wolves,
which for a cruise passenger not ideal. You have to
catch a bus to get into town and you're at
the end of a big industrial zone. There is an
(03:09):
answer to this, which is extending the wolves using what
they call dolphins, which is just a little peer, a
little thing where you hook up to on the end.
People object to that because they say we don't want
to give away any more of the white to matar
that is there with a change of mayor. With all
that sort of stuff, is the possibility of dolphins and
(03:30):
actually getting better birthing facilities available in Auckland coming about.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Absolutely so not necessarily dolphins, but there has been through
the fast track consent process. One of the first projects
that was consented was the extension of the Bledderslow Wharf,
so a little bit closer to town, opportunity to park
up vessels right on the wharf there still walking distance
from township and also with a dedicated cruise terminal that
(03:56):
Porter Bookland has started the work on already, so that
new birth is due October twenty sixth, with the terminal
a couple of months later, which is going to be
fantastic for the welcome to Auckland. It'll also move ships
off Prince's Wharf, which is the area where the Hilton
Hotel is around the ferry basin, and actually move the
(04:16):
ships back to Queenswarf and to Bleed a slow and
create a really good cruise and welcoming environment.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Well that is good news indeed, and in fact, let's
get into the good news. Who's getting all the love?
Which ports are getting all the love this year.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Look, we have had a reduction on a number of
our ports, which is a shame, but still obviously vessels
are coming into New Zealand. The one port that is
actually seeing an increase in cruise arrivals this year is Timuru,
which has got about last year was nine port calls
are up to fourteen this year and Timuru has been
doing a huge amount of work between the port and
(04:50):
the Regional Tourism Board to make sure that everything's welcoming
for cruise. Ninety percent of the community think that it's
a cruise is great for their community from an economic
point of view and a vibrancy point of view. It's
really really positive news coming out of beer and also
the work that we're currently doing with the cruise lines
to courage deployment for future years. You know, the messaging
(05:11):
from the BAT that's been done is really hopefully lining
us up to see an increase again from the twenty
seven twenty eight season and beyond. Come.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, good stuff Jackie or the very best, and I
thank you so much for joining us Today. That is
Jackie Lloyd, who is the CEO of the New Zealand
Cruise Association.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
For more from news talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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