Australia is producing record numbers of cruise passengers while becoming a more difficult place for cruise lines to deploy ships, according to new reporting from The Australian and previously released industry data.
The Australian reported September 6 that Cruise Lines International Association President and CEO Bud Darr pointed to high port and terminal costs, biosecurity requirements and regulatory uncertainty as factors making Australia less competitive for cruise deployment. The concern comes despite record consumer demand: CLIA data shows 1.45 million Australians took ocean cruises in 2025, up 9.5% year over year.
Australia’s cruise-tourism economic output, meanwhile, fell 13.2% to A$7.32 billion in 2024-25, according to an economic-impact assessment commissioned by CLIA and the Australian Cruise Association. The same report recorded 1,700 ship-visit days, down 2.7%.
Source: The Australian
