A cruise ship berthed off the coastline at Kaikōura. Photo: LDR / David Hill / North Canterbury News
Economic uncertainty and rising costs have been cited as reasons for fewer cruise ships planning to visit Kaikōura this summer.
Just five cruise ships are scheduled to visit Kaikōura during December, January and February, down from 11 last summer and 16 in summer 2023/24.
"There's lots of reasons. Global uncertainty, Government changes and it has led to less cruise ships planning to come this season," Destination Kaikōura manager Lisa Bond said.
"But everything has a cycle. This year we are down to five, but in two years we might be back to 13."
She said cruise ship companies planned their schedules 18 months or two years ahead, so the global uncertainty was big a factor.
But she noted cruise ship schedules are subject to change, depending on weather and other factors.
Destination Kaikōura deputy chairperson Lynette Buurman said the ability to attract cruise ships has not been helped by Environment Canterbury increasing its berthage fees.
As Kaikōura has small wharves, cruise ships anchor off the coast and bring tourists into the wharf by tender boats.
An Environment Canterbury spokesperson said berthage fees depend on the size of the ship, ranging from $7666 for ships less than 100 metres to $16,866 for ships 200 metres or more. Cancellation fees also apply.
Kaikōura’s pristine coastline. Photo: LDR / David Hill / North Canterbury News
It covers the costs of chart updates, operation and maintenance of navigation aids, and operation and maintenance of safety management systems.
The berthage fees have not changed in the last 12 months, the spokesperson said.
Other tourist hot spots are also experiencing sharp declines in cruise ship bookings.
Bay of Islands' cruise ship bookings for the 2025/26 season have almost halved from their peak two years ago, from 92 to 47.
A cruise ship representative told Local Democracy that cost increases had contributed to the drop.
Bond said Kaikōura enjoyed a busy summer and autumn, while King's Birthday weekend, Matariki weekend and the July school holidays brought strong numbers of visitors to the town.
April was a particularly strong month, with the spend from domestic visitors up 15 percent compared to last year, while accommodation bookings were up 7 percent.
Strong domestic support continued in May, with the spend up 13 percent and guest nights up 14 percent compared to May 2024.
Bond said the bulk of domestic visitors come from Canterbury, with visitor numbers from Auckland and Wellington also up.
There has also been growth in international visitors, according to visitor data.
International visitor spend, excluding accommodation (which is now pre-paid), is up 13 percent, which suggests either a higher average spend or an increase in day visits.
A busy few months are expected, with the Kaikōura Whale Run and the Kaikōura Hop in September, followed by the school holidays, the Mountains to Sea Marathon and Labour Weekend in October, and the Kaikōura Trotting Cup in November, before summer gets into full swing.
Destination Kaikōura is a partnership between the Kaikōura District Council and local tourism operators.
