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The Bay of Islands’ $23.34 million cruise ship industry will be hit hard next season with the number of visiting ships set to plummet.

Bookings for the tourist destination’s 2025/26 cruise season have almost halved from their peak two years ago.

A cruise ship representative blamed the decline on a number of factors affecting New Zealand’s cruise industry, including tougher biofouling rules and compounding cost increases from central government, ports and regional authorities.

However, a Ministry for Primary Industries spokesman said the main drivers of the downturn appeared to be rising operational costs and global economic factors, rather than biofouling regulations.

There are 47 cruise ships scheduled to visit the Bay of Islands for the coming season.

This compares with 92 cruise ships booked for the peak 2023/24 season.

The coming season’s numbers continue an annual decline in bookings for the Bay of Islands since their peak.

Bookings for the 2024/25 season were almost 20% down on 2023/24 as 74 ships were booked.

New Zealand Cruise Association chairwoman Tansy Tompkins said the drop in numbers had many in the industry concerned about the future.

“New Zealand’s booking momentum has slowed significantly, and while final itineraries are still being confirmed, current projections indicate a major downturn,” Tompkins said.

The decline from the peak was “sobering” and she said the forecast for the coming season put New Zealand back to 2017/18 season levels.

Tompkins said the risk of cruise ships being refused entry into New Zealand because of dirty hulls was one of several key reasons for the decline.

The risk threatened the New Zealand cruise ship destination brand.

Tougher biofouling rules were introduced for New Zealand in October 2023, just as the 2023/24 season began.

Eighty-seven cruise ships arrived in Bay of Islands’ 2023/2024 season, meaning five scheduled vessels did not turn up.

Four cruise ships did not turn up in the 2024/2025 season – including the last two for the season due on May 30 – because of weather, according to Far North Holdings chief operating officer Robert Binney.

All cruise ships entering New Zealand must have no more than a thin layer of slime and goose barnacles on their hulls when they arrive.

Biofouling can introduce foreign marine species, which can threaten the environment, economy and cultural values. It happens when too much sea life – including foreign algae, barnacles and other marine growth, such as shrimps and crabs – builds up on ship hulls.

Tompkins said unpredictability around the introduction of new regulations also contributed to the decline. Cruise companies had to deal with the outcome of this when passengers booked up to two years in advance.

In addition, New Zealand was now the world’s most expensive place for cruise ships to visit, with significant compounding cost increases including from central government, ports and regional authorities.

This was putting New Zealand at a competitive disadvantage.

She said senior cruise line executives had a perception New Zealand was difficult to operate in and an unwelcoming destination.

Paul Hallett, Biosecurity NZ’s implementation and approvals manager, said biofouling requirements are in place to protect the environment and economy.

No cruise ships were stopped from entering New Zealand waters during the 2024/25 summer season and the vast majority of vessels were highly compliant, Hallett said.

The 2025/26 cruise season is forecast to feature 40 vessels – a small drop from the previous season, he said.

“Our figures are based on the currently planned number of cruise vessels visiting New Zealand for the coming season.

“Those cruise vessels may have multiple port visits and may visit a port more than once in each trip.”

Biofouling regulations were developed in consultation with industry. The revised standard was designed to provide greater clarity for all vessels, including cruise ships – not to introduce new barriers, he said.

“Our key biofouling requirements have now been in place for several years.

“Rather than biofouling regulations, the main drivers of the [cruise ship] downturn appear to be rising operational costs – including port fees and fuel – and global economic factors such as inflation and exchange rates.”

Biosecurity New Zealand remains committed to safeguarding the marine environment while supporting a thriving cruise sector, he said.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.