Southern Ports boss labels Albany a highlight of cruise stops ahead of 2024-25 season’s October start

Albany will soon start to receive shiploads of tourists, with the 2024-25 cruise season kicking off next month.

Southern Ports chief executive Keith Wilks said the Port of Albany is preparing for 16 visits from ships carrying more than 23,000 visitors who will explore the delights of the Great Southern.

“A number of ships visiting Albany will do so for the first time this season, which shows more agencies are trying to fit visits to the Great Southern into their itineraries,” he said.

“Cruise-goers are always thrilled to visit a community so rich in history, natural beauty and world-class attractions — Albany ticks all of those boxes.”

During the 2023-24 season 11 ships carrying 15,000 passengers docked in Albany.

Alongside Albany, cruise ships will stop at Bunbury and Esperance across the seven-month-long season.

Mr Wilks said each cruise season brought new visitors to experience the region for the first time.

“All the numbers suggest the cruise passenger demographic is getting younger, so these short visits are prime opportunities to give people a taste of southern WA,” he said.

“We’re confident that once they get that taste they’ll be back to explore further and for longer the next time around, which is a great result for our communities.”

The first visit comes from the Coral Adventurer on October 8 and the last from Oceania Insignia on May 6.

Larger vessels carrying more than 3500 passengers like the MSC Magnifica and the Crown Princess will dock later in the season.

In 2022-23 the cruise tourism sector generated $333 million and more than 1000 jobs for the WA economy.