Sunday, January 26, 2025 Melbourne’s cruise industry is bracing for a significant downturn, with the city projected to lose $130 million in cruise-related revenue by the 2025/2026 season. This decline, as highlighted by Visit Victoria and other industry sources, stems from reduced cruise ship visits, a sharp drop in homeporting ships, and diminished turnaround cruises, leaving the city to rely primarily on transit visits. According to Tourism Australia , Melbourne’s cruise capacity is expected to shrink by 30% , with total ship visits decreasing from 103 in 2024/2025 to 80 in 2025/2026.
More critically, turnaround cruise visits—where passengers embark and disembark—are forecasted to plummet by 70% , from 43 to just 13. This reduction in high-spending passengers could severely impact Melbourne’s economy. Cruise passengers spend significantly more in turnaround ports compared to transit ports.
Domestic passengers in turnaround ports spend an average of $507 per day , while international passengers spend $660 per day . In contrast, transit port spending drops to $197 and $283 , respectively. Additionally, approximately 75% of turnaround passengers extend their stay by an average of 5.
2 nights , further boosting local tourism. In the 2024/2025 season, Melbourne’s 91,190 turnaround passengers are estimated to generate approximately $180 million in spending. However, with a projected 72% drop to just 25,217 turnaround passengers in 2025/2026, this figure is expected to .
