Wellington Harbor, New Zealand, welcomed the Celebrity Solstice as its first cruise vessel of the new season on October 25.

The port will see 54 cruise calls between October 2026 and March 2027, bringing more than 76,500 passengers to Wellington when ships are full.

Like other New Zealand ports, ship numbers are lower than last season, but forward bookings are showing strong growth, CentrePort Wellington noted in a press release.

Current bookings indicate 68 cruise calls carrying a maximum of 122,000 passengers in 2027-28, rising to 72 cruise calls and a maximum of 154,000 passengers in 2028-29.

Mark Oldershaw, CEO of WellingtonNZ, the region’s economic development agency, said the promising numbers show a cruise industry that continues to rebuild following global and domestic challenges over recent years.

“Cruise remains an important contributor to Wellington’s visitor economy, and while we’ll welcome fewer ships this season, we’re encouraged by the strong growth already booked for the next two years,” he added.

“The recovery journey for cruise has been challenging, but we’re seeing increasing numbers reflecting a growing confidence from cruise lines in Wellington as a destination.

This season, CentrePort will be trialing a new inner harbor berth adjacent to the Bluebridge ferries’ berth for selected expedition-sized vessels during the season, starting with the Heritage Adventurer, which is scheduled to arrive on November 15, 2026.

CentrePort CEO Anthony Delaney said that the trial will help inform future cruise development opportunities and support Wellington’s long-term cruise strategy as it offers a walk-off/walk-on opportunity bringing passengers and crew directly into the city and along the waterfront.

“We’ve worked hard together to promote New Zealand, Wellington in particular, as a destination. The bookings that continue to come in demonstrate that the Capital City remains a compelling port of call, offering visitors world-class attractions and experiences, culture, fantastic food, nature, and a compact, walkable city experience,” added Delaney.