Cruise liner to call at N.Z. ports

Press, 21 October 1986, Page 8

Cruise liner to call at N.Z. ports

PA Auckland Threat of terrorism in the Mediterranean has brought a multi-million-dollar tourist gain to Auckland — the 25,500ton cruise liner Royal Odyssey will be based in the South Pacific.

The Royal Odyssey will arrive at Auckland on November 12 and will make seven calls at the port between then and February 25. The ship can carry up to 1816 passengers and her ports of call will include the Bay of Islands, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Milford Sound. The New Zealand operations manager of Gateway Cruises, Mr Murray Beck, said yesterday that thousands of American tourists would pass through Auckland as a result, joining or leaving cruises and spending an

average of one or two nights in city hotels.' “She is coming to New Zealand mainly because of the downturn in the number of Americans wanting to go to the Mediterranean. The repositioning is due to the threat of terrorism,” Mr Beck said. “There will be big change-rounds of passengers at Auckland, about 500 or 600 leaving or joining the vessel, and that should be good business for city hotels.” If the present South Pacific cruise season proves successful there could be bigger things to come — the company has ordered two new ships for delivery in 1988. About a month ago the P and 0 Line said it would send its newest liner, the 45,000-ton Royal Princess, to Auckland in May.