The welcome mat is being rolled out for Royal Caribbean and 2400 cruise ship passengers as the countdown ticks over to 100 days to go until Radiance of the Seas arrives in Port Kembla.
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Royal Caribbean's senior vice president international Gavin Smith saw first hand just how much Wollongong people are looking forward to cruise ship visits and said the company was seriously looking at more dates in 2017.
It is also looking at the possibility of Port Kembla becoming a home port.
Mr Smith said the mega cruise liner was 93 per cent full with less than 100 cabins left.
After attending a packed Illawarra Women In Business and Destination Wollongong lunch at the Lagoon Restaurant on Friday Mr Smith will also be able to tell head office in Miami just how welcoming Wollongong is.
Mr Smith was impressed more than 200 people had already put up their hand for a volunteer program initiated by IRT to help greet passengers and provide information.
“It is a reinforcement that Wollongong is absolutely cruise ready,” he said.
Mr Smith is impressed with the vision, commitment and enthusiasm which has not gone unnoticed in Newcastle. He said ocean cruising is growing so fast in Australia that Sydney is running out of space and was confident the welcome Wollongong is planning will result in many more visits.
Royal Caribbean is already informing passengers that Wollongong is planning a wonderful welcome at City Beach.
“It makes us and our passengers feel very welcome,’’ he said.
“It just reinforces why we have made our decision. We've already confirmed two further calls from Explorer of the Seas for 2018 - and we believe there is a real opportunity here for Wollongong..to entice the wider cruising industry. We remain very hopeful we will be able to work something out (more dates) for 2017. We are just not quite there yet.”
Mr Smith said an ambassador program with 500 volunteers helping passengers was amazing.
Destination Wollongong’s Mark Sleigh said Lang Park will be a focal point of activity for visitors and the community with a range of activities from 8am designed to create a fun atmosphere.
Mr Sleigh said it was Wollongong’s chance to who how friendly it is.
“It will be a massive carnival,’’ Mr Sleigh said.
“There is going to be something for absolutely everybody that showcases all the amazing things there are to do.“
“Lang Park will be the hub for shuttle buses to and from the cruise ship and is a central point..to explore the best opportunities the city and surrounds has to offer”.
Destination Wollongong chair Tania Brown said by making sure passengers have the time of their lives it will inspire them to tell everyone what the Illawarra has to offer.
Leigh’s dream embraced by the community
Friday was a proud day for Wollongong councillor Leigh Colacino when he saw the buzz and positive vibe in the room at a networking lunch at Lagoon Restaurant.
Cr Colacino said he could feel the community is really getting behind his dream of four years ago and many people are getting excited about cruise ships coming to Wollongong.
The lunch was organised by Destination Wollongong and Illawarra Women in Business. And when IWIB director Glenda Papac called for a show of hands of how many people had been on a cruise it was clear just how fast the cruise market is growing in Australia.
With 100 days to go Cr Colacino said he felt great by everyone’s response to what started off as an ambitious idea. “It is a great outcome from the last few years to get to this point. And I am excited about the ambassador program and the volunteers getting on board. The important thing about 100 days is now we can give it over to all the residents of Wollongong.”
Cr Colacino said it was everyone in Wollongong’s event now. “This is not just for the passengers. This is also for the whole of Wollongong to enjoy this great day on the 30th of October.”