New Zealand celebrates return of cruising
New Zealand has welcomed its first big cruise ship call in nearly two and a half years.
The P&O Pacific Explorer docked at Queens Wharf in Auckland and, an occasion hailed by New Zealand Cruise Association CEO Kevin O’Sullivan.
“It’s going to be a very exciting day and it will be very exciting for the guests coming ashore as well,” O’Sullivan said
“We’re last really to get cruise ships back so all the hard work’s been done on the cruise ships a long time ago and we’re getting the benefit of it.”
P&O spokesperson David Jones said calls to New Zealand would be ‘ramping up over the coming months.’
Twenty port calls are before Christmas, Jones said.
Pacific Explorer had 1,200 guests aboard.
It arrived from Sydney and is now on its way to Fiji.
“Health protocols are probably tighter than any land based environment,” Jones added.
Passengers and crew must be fully vaccinated, and don masks when embarking and leaving the ship.
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