Why Sydney’s Cruise Industry is Failing | What’s Next for Australia?

#cruise #cruisenews #sydney
Sydney’s cruise industry is facing significant challenges, from political controversies to environmental concerns. In this video, we dive into the issues plaguing Sydney’s cruise sector and explore the broader implications for Australia’s cruise industry. Will other Australian cities rise to the occasion, or will the industry suffer nationwide? Watch to find out what’s next for cruising Down Under!
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[@CruiseCrazedFam]

Another great video. I love that you are delving into the deeper issues in the industry that nobody seems to want to talk about. Look at the massive terminals they are building in the states and the ships and economy that that attracts! Our Government seem to be very short sighted… especially down here in Victoria. 😒

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Thanks so much guys!

[@diannemartin5389]

Prior to White Bay there was Pier 13 back in the early days then the ships came into Darling Harbour which is now Barrangaroo and I also remember when larger ships used to come into Garden Island. So an alternative needs to be sourced to replace these previous locations that HAVE been used in the past.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Definitely. I remember cruising from Barangaroo several times before its redevelopment. It was much easier to get to than White Bay!

[@mrscuteas]

One of the issues with Newcastle Port is that it was sold off to the Chinese several years ago by the then NSW Government to help pay for another sporting venue in Sydney

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Definitely. I feel that Brisbane has potential to become a "Miami" style cruise destination, but again, foresight, planning, partnership and investment are required and I don't know of any government that can be that well considered in its actions...

[@peterschultz6695]

Awesome vid Adrian, I’d love for Melbourne to step up as a port, but I’m happy to cruise from anywhere

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Thanks Peter!

[@heatherstroud5304]

Fly in and stay a couple of nights. Board your cruise. Stay overnight then fly out. Because not everyone lives in Sydney! So airport or rail has to be in the mix. Big opportunity here. What about Hobart or Adelaide, they would be lovely cities to add to your adventure.

[@carolyns99]

Princess, I think, has just added Hobart as a home port. Meanwhile, little Burnie rolls out the red carpet and busts a gut to attract the cruise ships - and they don't seem to mind parking next to the pile of woodchips. 😀

[@heatherstroud5304]

@@carolyns99 I saw two cruise ships together in Hobart. Lots of shopping and restaurants having an excellent time.

[@kimgibbs8186]

Having cruised to many overseas ports not all terminals are located as close to city centres as Sydney. On our world cruise we had many ports we couldn't even walk off as they were working ports. I think the government has to look at other sites including Wollongong and Newcastle

[@pab742]

All very well delivered points. This discussion has been going on for years and keeps getting placed in the "too hard" basket by those tasked with finding a solution. Look at whats now happening in Barcelona, Venice, Greece and Amsterdam re ship visits. The problem now is over tourism. Big 150K tonne ships discharging 7000-9000 passengers and crew and that's just 1 ship. In a way the cruise lines are destroying their own industry. Bigger ain't always better. It will be interesting to see if these monsters of the seas that are being built by some cruise lines last (just like the slow demise of the A380 aircraft). As I said bigger ain't always better.

[@arokh72]

I still don't understand why Newcastle isn't being utilised as a cruise terminal. It's an easy train trip from Sydney, or even flight for those so inclined. It just makes sense...which politicians in Australia, even at local council level, seem to lack.

[@jasoncarmichael4540]

Some cruises do port there

[@mrscuteas]

@@jasoncarmichael4540yes but it’s not embarkation or disembarkation port so it’s only a itinerary port and not a destination port mores the pity because us Novocastians would love not to have the debacle of trying to transfer home on Intercity rail to and from Sydney as those trains are not built for passengers carrying luggage.

[@robd2096]

@@mrscuteas Newcastle was promised a dedicated cruise terminal by the previous state government but they reneged with this and many other things affecting Newcastle.

[@sandraw8219]

@@mrscuteascertainly cruise ships embarking from Newcastle would benefit people living in Newcastle but few others. My friends and I live in another regional city and it’s hard enough and certainly costly enough to go to Sydney but Newcastle would be far more costly and definitely more inconvenient. I’m sure we would all like things that would make our lives easier but not to the detriment of everyone else.

[@roberthamilton1301]

I would never want to try and get to Newcastle to leave on a cruise...

[@MickAngelhere]

The problem with Sydney is that most Cruise ships coming in are too big to fit under the bridge, the smaller ones that can are only able to berth at White Bay. Initially there was a proposal to have cruise ships berth at Barangaroo but that was shut down by the government, at one point the State government wanted to have the navy base to put cruise ships there , but the federal government shut that down. Another problem with Sydney Harbour, there isn’t enough places in it to berth large ships , Athol Bay in Mosman is one bay that is capable of berthing large ships. But most bays are too shallow. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, you could put thousands of ships in Sydney Harbour, not anymore. The State government then said hey let’s build a cruise terminal at Botany Bay, that idea was shelved. As for foresight and vision? The only foresight and vision Australian politicians have is how much money the can get out of the trough , thus the reason for the shambles of public transport in Australia and of things in general. Time to go small with cruise ships as having up to five - seven thousand people on a ship is ridiculous

[@travelwithdebandnick]

it would make it really hard if we were to cruise out of any of the other proposed cruise terminals, with having to fly to nsw from tasmania

[@maxxpower3888]

I would love to see Newcastle steal Sydney’s thunder. Even though getting there would be a pain it’s an awesome port to sail into/out of. And at least while we were docked there cruise ships seemed welcomed, not a burden

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Truly, Newcastle could quite easily be reconfigured to allow for a full-time or even part-time cruise terminal that is better suited to modern cruising requirements. It's insane that this hasn't happened yet.

[@mattmurray426]

I appreciate the efforts by the government in putting shore power at white bay. But I think the 3rd MUST be the first priority. It would be great if the goverment could come up with some plan to have not only the 3rd port but also look into the future and think about 4th and 5th. Would be great to have something like port Miami

[@shanewortho]

I might be a bit Nieve about what is going on with ports, and i am also new to cruising but what would stop a smaller seaside town from creating a Cruise terminal hub for Australia. I get that International cruises will want to come into Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. But our local cruises leaving from Australia surely could leave from anywhere with the right facilities and the more that use the one spot should be better off. Cruise lines could package deals with airlines to bring into a port that isnt in the big cities. Jervis bay, Newcastle would be good for NSW. Hervey Bay or Mackay or Gladston for QLD. Could build nice big cruise line terminals with 3 or 4 docks where Carnival, Royal or even perhaps Virgin could all be permanently based in Australia.

[@davec1034]

It would be nice for Newcastle but this have been a sticking point for over a decade. The larger ships cannot come into port. Coral Princess and the P&O are fine but Majestic can't get in (so they say). Brilliance of the Seas was in Newy for propulsion repairs in April/May but it had no passengers.

[@davidanderson4876]

P&O is being closed down by Carnival Corporation, so you can forget them.

[@davec1034]

@@davidanderson4876 yes, we know P&O are closing down. But smaller ships like P&O can use Newcastle Harbour. It's the local authorities and political system in government that prevent it happening to some degree. It's not a large Port but very busy as a working Port for Coal and grains. There are options for a cruise terminal but a container terminal at the old BHP site is being chased by local Government as a priority.

[@dlgregory35]

Who in their right mind wants to travel all the way to Newcastle to board a cruise ship?

[@davec1034]

@@dlgregory35 maybe those who live north of Central Coast? White Bay is a horrible place to get to or from. Newcastle doesn't have anything on Sydney but if you are only taking a cruise, it is more convenient for some.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Newcastle would be a terrific option. The existing port could be expanded to cater for cruise ship turn arounds. I didn't realise there was a limit on the size of cruise ship that Newy could handle though - that would certainly be a kink in the process.

[@khardy1801]

State Government doesn’t seem to have much foresight or vision with both cruising and housing and infrastructure. The new airport is going to operate 24 hours but those that live near Kingsford smith get the luxury of a curfew even though the airport was there longer than them plus the residents complaining about white bay.

[@Jamessy65]

California has a total of 4 cruise ports... Sydney has two and one of them can't even accommodate anything bigger than 100,000 tonnes, and even then, White Bay is primarily used for domestic cruises...We need more cruise ports in/around NSW. The only other port big enough to accommodate the mega ships are Brisbane...

[@geoffreystone4849]

The navy won't move to Jervis Bay because the senior officers want to live in Sydney! Who doesn't.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Heh true. There were a lot of notes and responses I filtered through, and proximity to existing accommodation was one of the reasons quoted.

[@monty3331000]

Thanks for another great video,I have an idea they could extend the opt by getting rid of that hotel ,filling in the small bay there and building a new cruise terminal

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Thanks for watching! A double length cruise dock in Sydney's Circular Quay will never happen, but it's a good idea!

[@blacksorrento4719]

I agree with you 100% whilst bureaucracy twiddles it’s thumbs, the cruise industry will keep on making changes and yes Sydney could well lose out. Sydney OCT is handy to trains, walking or the ferry to main Sydney attractions. Yes the Randwick Mayor of the day was correct when he said that international cruise passengers want the whole Sydney Harbour experience. White Bay is NOT in the same calibre as Circular Quay. WB is difficult to get to, for passengers, it is industrial, not scenic. Taxis are expensive, the cost just adds up. I have said before in a previous video comment, that Australians will be adding airfare to their cruise package, as cruise lines seek cheaper docking and better options for their ships to home port. Australia and NSW governments short sightedness will be our loss, in its domino effect for cruisers and businesses involved in the cruise industry.

[@JohnL-mz1ks]

Great video 👍

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Thanks for watching.

[@patrickphair488]

Garden Island "Is Owned By The City Of Sydney" Not The State Government & Would Make A Wonderful Cruise Terminal....IMHO..!

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

The Navy occupies Garden Island, and therefore the federal government has a much stronger say than the a local council. National security effectively trumps local planning.

[@kengray8088]

would love to cruise but it is too expensive at the moment so hopefully the demand will eventually drop ..........also single travelers are expected to pay double on many ships.....I think things will have to change in the cruise industry for many cruise companies to survive

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Keep an eye on some solo or studio cabins - these avoid the solo surcharge. They're mostly on newer cruise ships, but NCL have (from memory) added solo cabins to all of the ships in their fleet.

[@darrell3O87OO]

There are ports in Newcastle and the illawarra. Just a short drive or train ride from Sydney.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Undeveloped ports (in terms of the cruise industry) unfortunately, but yes they do exist. More needs to be done to provide alternative cruise options from Sydney and its surrounds.

[@baobo67]

Cannot accept residential complaints at White Bay other than pollution which I thought had been sorted with ban on the type of bunker fuel used and the availability of power. The area was and is an industrial area cushioned from residential.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Agreed - shore power should soon be available which will at least eliminate those complaints fully (when ships are likewise equipped with the ability to hook in to shore power I suppose…)

[@SteveR100AU]

Yes, however. a little of it is self inflicted , one of its biggest markets (and one of the only group of people that can afford to cruise are Baby boomer pre or post pension, and many of whom are single , however, the cruise industry still insists on charging illogical “single supplements “ so we just say “bugger that for a joke” because it’s cheaper to fly and we can spend more money on a better hotel, a longer stay or have more to spend upon arrival.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Single supplements are definitely an issue in the industry. Newer cruise ships do offer studio style cabins designed for one, which avoids any surcharge but they're so limited in number.

[@TS-pq8km]

Just heard that the Phillipines is building three new cruise ports. This will be a game changer for cruises from China and Singapore. When will we see a specialist charter airline offering fly-cruise packages from Australia. At present there is simply not 5k seats available on aircraft. Mind you if we ever developed Darwin as an air hub the air travel landscape would be revolutionised. It won't happen because we would need to give foreign carriers local carrier rights

[@NoelJacobson]

Why can’t a cruise terminal be a part of an airport? Share all the same facilities? Baggage, security, border control…? Sydney has a port next to its airport… seems like a no-brainer to me. I’m on a cruise right now that left from Circular Quay. It’s a must-do, but the terminal is a very small part of the trip. I’d personally be much more inclined to fly to Sydney for a cruise from the airport.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Definitely, and that was part of the appeal of the northern end of Port Botany - while not *at* the airport, it was close enough that international visitors could easily have been ferried across by coach or taxi to the terminal that RCI at least had committed to using, assuming it had been an option.

[@Aust-NZ-SPandtheworld]

Time for Newcastle to come back on the agenda. Brisbane is another option. Regional ports are also worthy of consideration e.g. Cairns is much closer yo the South Pacific than Sydney.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Newcastle should definitely come back on the table as a viable, and proper, cruise terminal alternative. I'm all for regional ports as well. We have so much coastline - it requires investment and mindful engagement with local communities and stakeholders. No one in government seems willing or able to really see any of this through.

[@bradmack8953]

Plenty of opportunity at other ports around the country to be utilised. The cruise companies need to review their thinking on this.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Definitely - it's up to the government (state and local) as well. They need to engage with communities to build a future for regional ports that have potential to serve the cruise industry with benefits all round.

[@rasferrastfarian739]

Short sighted bull headedness by people that think only for themselves. Time for Brisbane or the other ports to step up and shame Sydney! Yes the harbour is pretty but the industry is more important than an Opera house view!

[@dlgregory35]

Why is the greedy overpriced cruise industry more important than the Opera House.?

[@rasferrastfarian739]

@@dlgregory35 I think its the greedy local/State government and harbour authorities that make the cost of cruising too expensive out of Sydney - and they feel they can because of the Opera house etc.

[@Eric-jo8uh]

Port fees in Australia are exorbitant compared to many many overseas ports. We are too expensive for cruise ships, can you blame them reducing ships itineraries.

[@MickAngelhere]

Most of the ports are now owned by China as the governments sold them all off

[@suerobinson844]

After talking to many different passengers from many countries including Australia no one wants to come to Brisbane. The Port is next to the sewage outlet and a long way from the city. We live in Brisbane. Sydney heads is spectacular , the harbour, Government House, Gardens with train trip around, train station, Bridge and Opera house and proximity to the city and airport who would not want to go there? I can't comment on Melbourne as I haven't seen it.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Sydney is definitely the star of the show, particularly for international cruisers. Brisbane could do better though, I think it has an opportunity to turn itself into a Miami of sorts and really appeal to larger cruise ships. It'll require investment and forward thinking and I don't know that anyone with the ability to make it happen actually exists in government.

[@benwilson9150]

Brisbane should be a very viable choice for cruising with I would think potential to expand to a second birth at the facility however the question needs to be answered why can a ship of a decent size not be at capacity almost 100% of the time? Melbourne is too out of date and the channel limits the size of ship. Adelaide (where I live) while it has a small outdated terminal it is linked with the city well by train but it is a long way from the airport and a lot further away from our ‘traditional’ cruise destinations and if the issue you highlighted with domestic cruising there will be no point to even considering. Then there is Sydney, it’s location for NZ and the South Pacific Islands gives great flexibility in cruising, it has the harbor, the bridge, the opera house, the OPT is well connected by transport and Sydney is very well connected with flights both domestically and internationally, it can handle all the ship types that come to Australia and it is the experience a lot of people want. I think the cruise industry is waking up to a couple different things, 1 being Sydney is never going to get another birth, 2 White Bay will become a white elephant because the bridge as ships just keep getting bigger, 3 the weather in our peak cruise season is becoming far to unpredictable meaning more cruises are turning into domestic trips and passenger dissatisfaction is increasing (people who understand cruising know they are doing this for good and right reasons), 4 and I have left this to last purposely I think they are starting to wake up to the fact they have severely limited themselves with the size of ships meaning it is hard to get a ship from the east coast of the US to the West or vice versa and they are getting too big to tender efficiently. Admittedly the war although being a convenient excuse also limits how ships can get to Australia, I think I heard the best analogy on the BTS tour of RS the ships can handle extremely poor weather but the cargo (passengers) is very fragile.

[@jazzamcc]

So many NIMBY’s around. I’ve been for the Port Botany option for years. Having cruised from New York, we actually left from Bayonne NJ which the terminal was a tent on an old naval base. Did it make or break my cruise? Nope. Don’t people go for the cruise and not necessarily for the departure port? Brisbane might steal some of the market but the terminal appears to be so far from anywhere with limited access. No idea what the solution is BUT you will never please everyone.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

I was very surprised to see that the northern Port Botany option was never investigated further. Can probably blame Carnival Corp for that one, since their response was that they only wanted to sail from Port Jackson. RCI had committed to its use, but it looks like it never went further than that, and now the northern end has been redeveloped and I'm sure that opportunity has evaporated.

[@eikoGoldstein]

Good report! What a shame the Australians and their government won't solve this problem. It's a bad case of NIMBY, not in my backyard! Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Its harbor is capacious. Its people are law-abiding, intelligent and industrious. Visitors are astounded by Sydney's beauty, cleanliness, organization and safety. Botany Bay, the urban Naval base, White Bay, Darling Harbor, The Rocks. What an embarrassment of riches! Australia was "discovered", settled and provided by sea. Its harbors have always been vital to its survival. You can solve this problem if you want to. Best wishes from America!

[@tobyweiss1010]

Great points made. I enjoyed the quoted government weasel words at the start. It's a real government talent to say so much that means nothing. With cruise companies making big dollars elsewhere I think RC and Carnival are losing interest in Australia. While other countries work to help accommodate cruise ships we seem to not care and just exploit them. It's interesting with such a massive harbour in Sydney we can't find places to a park ships. The obvious answer is to move the Navy to Jervis Bay. I can't understand why this hasn't happened. Australia is a major power in the region and yet we don't have a dedicated Navel base on the east coast. Instead we try to jam our increasing naval assets into a corner of the harbour. Sydney Harbour isn't a dedicated working harbour anymore. Time to diversify.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Heh couldn't agree more. That old political spin, say nothing!

[@moiraw9574]

This sounds similar to the Brisbane 2032 preparations for the 2x Olympics Games, all patting themselves on the back and photo opportunities with the Rings but so far no news on stadiums and venues or accommodation builds necessary.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Classic government attitude!

[@jonathanfgh1]

Will the Government charge cruise lines extra for White Bay shore power ?

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

I haven't seen any information about that, but it's a good question. It may form part of existing port fees...

[@nonacee5065]

We're catching the Royal Princess out of Hobart in Nov. woohoo! It's a pleasure not to have to fly anywhere to catch a cruiseship for once. The Crown Princess was destined for Jan2026 out of Hobart but was cancelled sadly, with Princess saying that it wasn't fiscally viable. We had already booked it as well, boohoo!

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Enjoy your cruise on Royal, she is beautiful.

[@Greg-vq1fs]

The issue is NSW Public Service. They want cruise ships to come here then presto another NSW agency jacks up the cost to dock there. White Bay is not viable as only smaller cruise ships can dock there as the larger ships cannot pass under the harbor bridge. Former NSW ports minister sold the roll on roll off docks on Hickson Rd to a private company to build a casino. The infrastructure was already there but they sold off the docks to a private developer again very short sighted no wonder Sydney has lost its title as a working port and is just a ferry service port.

[@MickAngelhere]

Well Bob Carr , when he was Premier did crow about the fact that he’s happy to see that Sydney Harbour is no longer a working harbour

[@travelwithdebandnick]

interesting video

[@jamiepeterson1981]

I see fewer cruises and more fly/cruise packages in my future.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

I think that's going to be what a lot of people consider going forward!

[@valdamarmcewan7964]

Sydney Harbour is ideal for cruises, but Newcastle was forgotten by privatisation by Liberal and Labor what things to offer.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

I agree - much opportunity with little vision to realise it.

[@MrToryhere]

It is clear that the so-called benefits of more cruise ships visiting Sydney are not as great as some claim. If they were, then the government would have been persuaded to spend the billions necessary to construct new facilities. Letting the market decide is always a good plan. In any case, for the near future fewer ships will be coming because of the problems in the Middle East.

[@hemioneclout2089]

Increase the number of cruises leaving from Brisbane!

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

I think cruise lines were hopeful (as was Brisbane) that "build it and they will come" would be true for the new international cruise terminal, but RCI had trouble filling some of its voyages from there. Probably quite the turn off for cruise lines.

[@kodiak7]

Btidvane dropped the ball big time with its stinky new terminal. Melbournes terminal is just woeful. Adelaide is too far from town. The best terminal outside of Sydney is Hobart. And that’s not very convenient to anybody. It’s really quite simple. The navy needs to leave. Garden island renovated and that could do 2 ships. It’s just bizarre that small ports in Alaska have more capacity than Australia’s 3 biggest cities combined.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Brisbane definitely dropped the ball in some respects. They invested in quite a lovely terminal but didn't consider the surrounding area, or how to better attract international visitors to it. I imagine they thought they would leave that part to the cruise lines, not realising that cruise lines will just move their ships elsewhere if they can't fill them!

[@dlgregory35]

Need the ship wanting to come to Sydney first. Carnival is wrapping up, Princess will have fewer cruises, others such as Virgin not coming next season would seem Virgin was not getting the number of passengers they wanted. Anyway about time if a cruise line wants to be operating from. here that they should register their ships here and come under Australian Law and pay Australian taxes. The US and UK should do the same make them pay what the rest of us have to pay taxes.They pay nothing in taxes, they are lawless on board the ships, and do not pay tax or duty on anything they sell such as food and drink on board about time they were looked into.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

Unfortunately, the reality is that cruise lines needing to register their ships here would completely decimate the industry. Cruisers will in no way pay the price for cruises that operate under Australian employment regulations. Sad fact, but true.

[@matthew.a4694]

Nobody could afford to cruise on a large Australian flagged ship, to best highlight the cost go checkout the cost to cross Bass Strait for 10 hours, it’s simply to expensive to do business in Australia now.

[@dlgregory35]

@@matthew.a4694 I know how much its costs and I also know they pay nest to nothing for food and drinks all drinks

[@matthew.a4694]

@@dlgregory35 that's absolutely not true about the costs of food and beverage onboard the Bass Strait ferries, they can't buy these products any cheaper than a hotel or restaurant group if anything since it's government owned organisation supplies would be more likely to charge a middle of the road price. As for cruise lines operating out of Australia do you actually think there's no tax paid on any marine supplies or hotel services products taken onboard, do you think port fees and bunkering isn't taxed? Do you think that Carnival Australia as a good example doesn't pay the same corporate taxes as any other business in Australia? 🤔 they'd love that to be true..

[@dlgregory35]

@@matthew.a4694 I do no think it I know it was my job for many many years. Bass Straight is different still in Australian waters or did you not realise that. This is similer in Hawaii that NCL ship is US registered it has to be by law in USA, and so have US crew pices slightly higher than normal but they seem to manage ok. The HAL ships are registered in Holland, and the P&O ships in Australia are registered in London so of course it can work.

[@erica-yi5fz]

Ships are too big now, get rid of them.

[@TheCruiseandTravelGuy]

🥲