About 2000 cruise ship passengers spent the night in Tauranga after high winds delayed the ship's arrival and departure at the weekend.
The Sea Princess is the first ship to berth at the Port of Tauranga this summer season and was scheduled to arrive at 6.45am with a departure time of 7.30pm on Saturday, October 12.
The Sea Princess berthed at the Port of Tauranga after high winds delayed the liner. Photos: Tracy Hardy.
But the ship was delayed arriving at 8.15pm on Saturday and departing 24hours later at 8.15pm on Sunday.
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Rhys Arrowsmith says the delay was due to high winds making it unsafe for the ship to berth at its scheduled time.
'When the ship catches high wind it can be difficult for the ship to get into some areas safely.”
The Sea Princess, carrying a maximum passenger capacity of 2000 people, arrived from Auckland after visiting Australia.
Rhys says unfortunately the delay means the passengers will miss a port call in Fiordland.
But the overnight-stay in Tauranga meant passengers were able to spend more time enjoying the sights and sounds of the city.
'It gives us an opportunity for those ship guests to spend some more time in our port.”
He says a lot of the crew and passengers disembarked in the port and enjoyed some light entertainment in downtown Mount Maunganui for the night.
'For our first cruise ship for the season – other than the delay in docking – it was extremely successful.”
According to Stuff.co.nz high winds delayed the Sea Princess arriving in Wellington this morning. It is now due to arrive tomorrow.
But New Zealand Herald is reporting tomorrow's scheduled arrival of the ship into Akaroa Harbour has also been pushed back until 6am on Wednesday.
The next cruise ship scheduled to berth the Port of Tauranga is the Sun Princess due at 5am on Monday, October 21.
6 comments
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Posted on 14-10-2013 15:55 | By maildrop
It would be a much better experience to visit Fiordland rather than some shops at the Mount. I'd want a refund.
Negative
Posted on 14-10-2013 19:31 | By Johnney
Can I suggest to maildrop to go and live in Fiordland. We don't need negative morons in our city.
I reckon
Posted on 15-10-2013 08:50 | By bushman
With you Pietro would have been different attitude if maildrop had a shop in down town Mount.
Fiordland vs Mount?
Posted on 15-10-2013 10:40 | By southmark
Maildrop is dead-right in this instance: it was a horrible day, high wind and regular rain squalls: hardly the weather to welcome guests (many of whom were huddled in bus shelters close to the port). Loyalty is one thing, but don't let it cloud good judgement: it was a horrible day to visit!
@morons
Posted on 15-10-2013 13:28 | By maildrop
Fiordland would be a great place to live. Sadly, even fewer jobs than here. As I was empathising with cruise tourists who only have brief contact with the country, I was suggesting Fiordland would be a better stopover to get a taste of clean green NZ, in my opinion. People who cannot empathise with others because of their blinkered insular views, and call others morons who express an opinion, really should go and live elsewhere.
More to it
Posted on 15-10-2013 21:20 | By bushman
The cruise ship had to refuel before it could carry on if it did not have to it probably would have given the Mount a miss.
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