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Cruising

Sydney Harbour is Australia's premier cruise ship destination and the only port in Australia with two dedicated cruise-passenger terminals. The Overseas Passenger Terminal located at Circular Quay and Wharf 8 Passenger Terminal located at Darling Harbour. Both are situated in the heart of the city and close to major tourist attractions.

The cruise industry is seen globally as the fastest growing segment of the tourism market, with the Australian cruise sector having grown by 35 per cent over the past two years.Through a combination of passenger spend, crew spend and vessel-related costs, the cruise industry in NSW contributes in excess of $150 million annually to the State’s economy.

Sydney is now host to approximately 120 cruise vessel visits each year, split between the year-round domestic sector and the seasonal international sector. On the domestic front, Sydney is the “home-port” to P&O Cruises Pacific Dawn, Princess Cruises Dawn Princess and the Sun Princess. Annually these three vessels make approximately 60 visits to Sydney.

The international cruise season now extends from mid-October through to mid-April. Each year Sydney receives around 30 visits from vessels undertaking Round-The-World cruises, with Sydney often the mid-point.

Regular visitors now include Cunard Lines', Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria; P&O Cruises', Aurora, Oriana and Arcadia; as well as Silversea Cruises', Silver Whisper and Silver Shadow; Regent Seven Sea's, Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager.

The Queen Mary 2, is the largest cruise ship to visit Sydney - at 148,528 gross tonnes and 344 metres in length it is 40 metres longer than the Sydney Tower.

During the international season, Sydney has seen the number of international vessels temporarily "home-porting" in Sydney, increase to a record four this year - Princess Cruises Diamond Princess, Holland America Lines' Volendam, Royal Caribbean Internationals' Rhapsody of the Seas and Celebrity Cruises Millennium. Collectively these seasonally deployed vessels made some 30 visits.

2008/09 International Cruise Season Facts

  • In 2008/09 an estimated 250,000 cruise passengers visited Sydney.
  • The Australian cruise market has grown by 35 per cent over the past two years.
  • Queen Mary 2 is the largest passenger vessel to visit Sydney at a length of 344m, 72m in height, and 19 decks with a passenger capacity of 3,090.
  • Approximately 13 million people globally took a cruise in 2008.
  • Average passenger numbers have grown +7.4% per year during the last 28 year period.
  • The cruise industry is valued globally at over US$20 billion (2008)
  • By the end of 2009 a total of 215 cruise ships will be serving the industry globally

** Information supplied by Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) and International Cruise Council of Australia (ICCA) and Sydney Ports**