Cruise Ship Passengers to be Welcomed Properly

Cruise ship passengers will be properly welcomed to Wellington with the installation of a new gateway and better access to the city, Mayor Kerry Prendergast says.


"The view of Wellington from the railings of a cruise ship on a fine Summer's morning is stunning. Passengers do, however, have to disembark at a working port which understandably is not quite as stunning or visitor friendly. We need to improve that so those visitors enter and leave Wellington on a high note," she says.

The improvements include the installation of a portal, or gateway, on the wharf and improvements to the walkway along Waterloo Quay to Bunny Street. A new asphalt footpath will be laid and three attractive shelters will be built along the walkway where visitors and passengers can rest and get their bearings from information and interpretation panels. The area around the shelters will be enhanced with plants. There will be interpretation panels and maps on the Wharf and at each of the shelters. The improvements will cost approximately $50,000 and will be completed by October. They are the beginning of a $1.5 million improvement to Waterloo Quay over the next three years.

"These improvements will make our visitors feel much more welcome and easier for them to walk into the city. With the increasing number of cruise ships entering our harbour – 77 arrivals are expected in the 2008/09 cruise ship season – doing nothing is not an option," Mayor Prendergast says.

Mayor Prendergast says the arrival of the Queen Victoria cruise ship at the weekend highlighted the need for improvements.

"For Wellington to be chosen as part of an inaugural world cruise is fantastic, but we need to make sure we are on their next schedule and these improvements should help ensure that happens."

The rest of the work in the $1.5 million project will be carried out over the next three years and involves traffic and road improvements. Trees will also be planted along the sides of the Quay, as part of the Greening of the Quays project.