A RECORD 2025-26 cruise season reflects increased demand to experience North Queensland, Port of Townsville chief executive Ranee Crosby says.
The port is celebrating a season that saw 23 cruise ships carrying more than 27,000 passengers and 13,000 crew visit Townsville.
The last cruise ship for the 2025/26 season, Vista, visited Townsville on Tuesday 14 April with about 1200 passengers on board.
Port of Townsville chief executive Ranee Crosby said the record season reflected increasing demand to experience the Townsville region.
“We work incredibly hard with our cruise partners in Townsville and within the cruise sector to make the seasons the best they can be, offering a welcome dose of energy to the city’s vibrant tourism sector,” Ms Crosby said.
“It’s exciting to see cruise ship companies visit Townsville for the first time with the port and cruise liners celebrating many ‘maiden’ voyages this season.
“We also had the pleasure of welcoming several residential cruise ships, where residents on board were able to enjoy the city and region for a number of days.”
Ms Crosby said the cruise ship season usually ran from November to April, but this year’s season had been extended, with cruise ships booked to dock in June and July in 2027.
Member for Townsville Adam Baillie said the growing cruise trade was delivering solid benefits.
“Cruise ships are now becoming a reliable part of Townsville’s local economy, supporting cafes, shops and tourism operators as our city continues to evolve in the lead up to the 2032 Games,” Mr Baillie said.
Townsville Enterprise director of visitor economy Lisa Woolfe said the region’s cruise sector continued to strengthen.
“It’s fantastic to see Townsville’s cruise industry continuing to grow and break records,” Ms Woolfe said.
“These visits deliver a significant boost to our local economy, particularly during the traditional off-peak season, providing greater year-round certainty for tourism operators.”
According to Port of Townsville, cruise tourism boosts the local economy with each passenger spending about $200 a day exploring the region.
The 2026/27 cruise season is to begin in November 2026, with the first cruise ship, Riviera, due to dock on Saturday 7 November.