Athena to cruise into Bunbury - 5 January 2008
Bunbury continues to build on its reputation as a destination for luxury cruise ships, with the Athena set to tie up at the outer harbour this week.
It will dock in Bunbury on Thursday January 8 and give its passengers the opportunity to explore the South West.
Bunbury Cruise Ship Committee chairman Jon Birch said Bunbury would roll out the “red carpet” for the tourists, some of whom might be enticed to make a return visit to the region.
Mr Birch said in addition to providing an injection into the local economy, some cruise ship passengers were likely to return to the region to holiday after receiving a taste of what it had to offer.
“There’s no doubt that cruise ship visits help promote the South West as a quality tourism destination and have benefits wider than the initial stop-over,” he said.
The Athena’s visit to Bunbury is part of a bumper cruise ship season which will see a record number of vessels visit the South West city in 2009.
Eight cruise ships, including the 2,435-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas, are scheduled to sail in to Bunbury this year, up four from 2008 and up six from 2007.
Bunbury’s popularity as a destination for cruise ships is set to continue into 2010, with floating luxury residence The World among cruise liners scheduled to tie up at the Outer Harbour in 2010.
Upcoming cruise ship visits to Bunbury include:
- January 8 2009 – Athena
- January 22 2009 – Athena
- March 5 2009 – Athena
- March 14 2009 – Rhapsody of the Seas
- March 22 2009 – Sun Princess
- November 3 2009 – Sun Princess
- November 4 2009 – Rhapsody of the Seas
- November 24 2009 – Dawn Princess
- January 18 2010 – The World
- March 16 2010 – Rhapsody of the Seas
- March 23 2010 – Dawn Princess
- November 3 2010 – Rhapsody of the Seas
…ENDS
Media contact:
Teneille Watson
Community Relations Officer
M: 0417 961 051