Ships Lavish Attention

Newcastle Herald

Saturday November 25, 2006

By JASON GORDON Civic Reporter

NEWCASTLE is cementing itself as a high-quality cruise destination with one of the world's most lavish ships confirming it will make three visits from late next year.

At 264 metres long, and carrying more than 2800 passengers and crew, the luxurious Mercury will enter the Port of Newcastle for the first time next December.

It will return in January and February of 2008, collectively injecting several million dollars into the region's economy.

Cruise Hunter and Newcastle Port Corporation have held discussions about accommodating the ship at Dyke Point because it is too big to be docked at Throsby Wharf.

The discussions have included plans to move an estimated 1870 passengers and up to 1000 crew by ferry to Queens Wharf.

Cruise Hunter manager Nerida Worboys confirmed the planned visits yesterday, revealing that about 60 per cent of the Mercury's passengers are likely to be international tourists, mainly from the US, with the remaining 40 per cent domestic tourists.

About half of the ship's passengers are tipped to take tours of the Hunter vineyards and of Port Stephens with the other half expected to "do their own thing" in the city, Ms Worboys said.

"A ship like this doesn't normally go to regional destinations like Newcastle so this is a big win for us," she said.

"Port costs in Newcastle are a lot cheaper than they are in Sydney and we've been using that to convince the cruise companies to stop in Newcastle for provisions.

"We've had some great support from the Port Corporation this is the biggest cruise ship we've been able to attract to Newcastle."

The Mercury was ranked second among the world's best ships by readers of the prestigious travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler.

It weighs 77,713 tonnes, is 264 metres long, has 935 cabins and features two-storey dining rooms, cigar rooms, martini bars, nightclubs, casino and a private art collection of 450 contemporary works by the likes of Christo and Jasper Johns.

Two other boutique cruise ships, the Silver Cloud the Silver Shadow, will visit the city in January and March.

© 2006 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home