Darwin to welcome luxury cruise ship Queen Mary 2

As part of changes to the Queen Mary 2’s schedule due to new cruise sector protocols in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, the luxury liner will overnight in Darwin on 24th February, estimated to deliver a $700,000 boost to local businesses.

Darwin is also set to welcome a number of additional cruise ship arrivals as companies adjust their schedules to address current restrictions.

The cruise liner will arrive from Fremantle at 6.30am on Monday 24th February and depart at 5pm the next day with up to 2,620 passengers expected to visit cafes, restaurants, bars and shops.

Cruise guests will also have the opportunity to experience the Bruce Munro: Tropical Light art trail and take advantage of Tropical Light tours and experiences on offer from local businesses.

It is one of 80 cruise and expeditionary ships scheduled to stop in Darwin this season carrying a total of 74,434 passengers and providing a welcome boost to the economy.

Radiance of the Seas will dock in Darwin today Monday 17th February, carrying up to 2,496 passengers, before departing at 6pm the same day.

Northern Territory Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, Eva Lawler advised that as tourism is essential for NT’s economy, the Territory Government is working to minimise the impacts of the Australian bushfires and the coronavirus outbreak on the local tourism industry.

Minister Lawler noted “we’ve rolled out a $2 million Immediate Tourism Resilience Plan geared at attracting visitors right now through our Holiday Here This Year campaign, supporting local tourism businesses and making sure people have a great time while they’re here, including our cruise ship visitors.

“We have many challenges ahead, but it is heartening to see our cruise ship sector going strong.”