Melbourne is set to welcome its largest cruise ship visitor this weekend when Royal Caribbean’s vessel, Voyager of the Seas, calls at Station Pier on Sunday morning on its maiden visit, Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) announced today.
With almost 4300 passengers and crew, Voyager of the Seas is the largest cruise ship to ever berth at Station Pier by capacity and is over 310 metres long.
Voyager of the Seas also boasts ten pools and whirlpools, a rock climbing wall and ice skating rink, together with a mini golf course and basketball court across its fifteen decks.
PoMC Harbour Master, Captain Gary Wilson, will mark the occasion with a plaque presentation and exchange with Voyager of the Seas’ Captain Charles Teige as part of a longstanding tradition for vessels calling at the Port of Melbourne on their maiden visit.
The vessel will be returning to Melbourne on three more occasions during the current 2012-13 season and will visit Melbourne on five occasions during the 2013-14 cruise season.
As standard practice, Station Pier is closed to the public on cruise ship days to coordinate similar responsibilities to those of an airport including customs, immigration, quarantine, security, baggage handling and arrivals and departures to and from organised shore excursions for passengers.
Interested observers can view cruise ships from the adjacent Finger Pier.
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Port of Melbourne, November 9, 2012