Biggest cruise ship to South Australia
Nearly 80 cruise ships with more than 150,000 passengers and crew have visited South Australia’s shores since the return of the once $145 million cruise sector last September.
The biggest cruise ship to ever visit the state arrived at Outer Harbor today, with 4,354 passengers and 1,624 crew aboard the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas.
It is one of five visits by Royal Caribbean across this season and next, injecting an estimated $2 million into the state’s economy in 2022-23 and an estimated $3 million in 2023-24.
Helping support the local economy, the international cruise line employs South Australians among its crew and has South Australian produce onboard – including Penfolds wine and potatoes from Virginia.
Passengers this morning will disembark for onshore tours and experiences across the city, Barossa and Adelaide Hills.
South Australia’s 2022-23 cruise season runs through until early April and has seen a record-breaking total of 104 scheduled cruise visits, topping the previous high of 82 in 2018-19.
Fast facts:
- Up to 167,402 cruise passengers and 74,192 crew will visit South Australian ports and anchorages in 2022-23
- A record-breaking 104 cruise visits scheduled across the season, topping the 82 made in 2018-19 when the sector contributed $145 million to the state
- 250,000 kilograms of potatoes from Virginia, Adelaide used onboard local Royal Caribbean ships each season
- Across the two Royal Caribbean local ships, guests enjoy 8,000 bottles of Penfolds wines per Australian season
- 80 per cent of guests onboard the Ovation of the Seas today are from New South Wales, South Australia’s second largest domestic market
- Royal Caribbean visits will create an estimated $2 million injection into South Australia’s economy across the 2022-23 season, and a projected $3 million across the 2023-24 season.
Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said it was exciting to see the return of one of the biggest cruise ships in the world to South Australia.
"Hundreds of passengers are heading off to explore our city, the Hills and the Barossa, spending in our local economy and getting a taste of festival season in Adelaide and our world-class wine regions," Minister Bettison said.
"The cruise line industry is so important for bringing visitors to our shores and to supporting jobs and businesses like our potato growers in Virginia supplying a whopping 250,000 kilograms of produce to local Royal Caribbean ships each season.
"Visits by global cruise line operators like Royal Caribbean are exactly what we need to continue to grow this important sector of tourism – which is already outperforming previous seasons in our state, with an all-time high number of visits scheduled in 2022-23."
Royal Caribbean International, Australia & New Zealand Vice President Gavin Smith said: "Our guests from across the globe love to visit South Australia, enjoying the cultural sights at Adelaide’s museums, art galleries and food markets to wine tasting in the Adelaide Hills.
"A cruise is a great way for tourists to get a taste of a destination and many will return for a longer visit."