Ocean cruise liners welcomed back to NT with arrival of the Coral Princess
- 26 October 2022
The Northern Territory welcomed ocean cruise liners back to Territory waters with the arrival of the Coral Princess cruise ship on 20 October, a major boost for our tourism and hospitality industry.
With capacity for 1,970 passengers, the cruise liner received a warm Darwin welcome for its maiden visit, which included an official plaque exchange between the ship and Darwin Port.
Coral Princess passengers were greeted by Tourism Top End visitor information ambassadors, a performance by didgeridoo artist eMDee at the Port, live music in the Mall from 11am-2pm, Larrakia Nation performing Welcome to Country ceremonies in Smith Street Mall, and Darwin CBD retailers also offering late trading for passengers.
The arrival of the Coral Princess marked the recommencement of ocean cruise liners into Territory waters post COVID-19 pandemic, with smaller expedition ships allowed back in the Territory since April.
Visiting Darwin as part of a 28 day round Australia trip, the Coral Princess passengers got to spend a day in our vibrant capital city, exploring the region through organised tours, shopping at Darwin’s retail outlets and dining at our hospitality venues.
Large cruise liners provide a financial injection into the Territory’s economy during our low tourist season, with Darwin set to host a total of 37 cruise ships with a combined capacity of 44,130 passengers this season.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ships generated around $60 million of annual expenditure within the NT.
The Northern Territory Government is committed to increasing the benefits Territorians see from both cruise liners and expedition ships over the next 3 years.
To view the upcoming cruise ship arrivals to Darwin Port visit darwinport.com.au or to learn more visit Cruise Tourism Strategy