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 the only Australian city with two world-class cruise terminals. The cruise industry has consistently reaffirmed Sydney's reputation as a world leading cruise destination.
Sydney Ports has been consistently recognised by the industry as having the world's 'best turnaround port operations' and in December last year, Sydney beat Venice and Vancouver for the title of 'Best Cruise Port in the World', as voted by Cruise Passenger Magazine.
With a reputation like this, it's no wonder the cruise industry is booming in Sydney, with continued year on year growth.
During the 2009/10 cruise season, over 120 ships with over 250,000 passengers visited Sydney.
The 2009/10 cruise season also saw a number of new vessels make their inaugural visit to Sydney: the Pacific Jewel on 12th December, the Seabourn Odyssey on 24th February and The Balmoral on 3rd March.
Sydney Ports Corporation continues to work with industry to provide the right services and infrastructure to support growth in cruise shipping.
Sydney Ports also welcomes the announcement by Cunard Line that The Queen Mary 2 will be based in Australia in 2012 for a history-making 28-day circumnavigation which will see her visit five states and the Northern Territory. Queen Mary 2's "Royal Circumnavigation of Australia" is a first for Cunard.