First ships mark start of cruise season in South Australia

The first cruise ships have docked at Adelaide's Outer Harbor today, marking the beginning of the 2024 cruising season.

For the first time in over ten years, ships will visit some of South Australia's most iconic locations. 

"It's a fantastic way to see Australia, it offers tremendous value to our guests and it's fantastic for the South Australian economy," Megan Koffel from Princess Cruises said. 

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This season, over 20 first-time voyages are set to visit the state's shores, including both luxurious cruise liners and family-friendly options.

"There's expedition ships if you want a bit of a smaller, more intimate experience and then the really large ships here that have more value for money," Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said.

For the first time in 15 years, ships will visit both Victor Harbor and the Fleurieu Peninsula on luxury French cruise line Ponant.

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Last cruise season brought in $215 million into the South Australian economy, and this season could generate even more with nearly 300,00 passengers expected to visit the state.

Cruise season will run until June 2025.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.