Fewer Summer-Cruise Ships To Visit Auckland

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28754, 27 November 1958, Page 22

Fewer Summer-Cruise Ships To Visit Auckland

“The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND. November 26. Visits to Auckland by cmise liners this summer will fall considerably short of the record number that called in the summer of 1957-58. So far, five calls are scheduled, compared with nine last summer.

The only big ship calling will be the Swedish luxury line Kungsholm, due on a Pacific cruise on February 7. The Kungsholm called at Auckland on a similar cruise last February. Neither of the other two foreign cruise ships which called about the same time—the American liner Lurline and the Norwegian liner Bergcnsfjord-»-is scheduled to visit Auckland this summer. This alone will mean a loss of about £20.000 in tourist revenue. Poor Bookings

The Lurline. owned by Matson Lines, was to call here on a Pacific cruise in January. The cruise was cancelled last July because of poor bookings and increasing traffic on the liner’s normal route between California and Hawaii.

Bookings for the Bergensfjord’s Pacific cruise last summer were less than expectations and the liner was carrying well below her capacity when she called at Auckland. This is believed to have discouraged a similar cruise this summer.

There will also be fewer visits by Orient and P. and O. Line cruise ships. Two Orient Line ships will be calling, compared with three last year. 1000 Passengers Each

The Oronsay will be in port on January 1 and 2 after a cruise to Milford Sound and Wellington, and the Orsova will arrive on January 11 after calls at Fiji and Tonga.

Both these ships will be on cruises from Australia. They are each expected to carry about 1000 passengers.

Also in a cruise from Australia will be the P. and O. liner Himalaya. due in Auckland on Decem-

ber 18 This ship called on a cruise last year. However, no cruise has been scheduled for the P. and O. company’s Strathaird, which called last January on a cruise to Auckland and Wellington. Unusual Arrivals The only other cruise ship due to visit Auckland is the Huddart Parker liner Westralia, which will make a cruise to Milford Sound. She is due the same day as the Oronsay.

The visits of the cruise liners will be in addition to the normal service by ships of the Matson and Orient and Pacific lines. Two unusual arrivals at Auckland this summer will be the Italian liners Fairsea and Castcl Felice, due on voyages from Australia to Europe. These ships made similar visits last year.