At a thank you function at the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach on Thursday night Cruise Wollongong chair Councillor Leigh Colacino and Destination Wollongong chair Colin Bloomfield announced Magnifica would use Wollongong as a turnaround port on March 17, 2020.

The announcement is a realisation of a dream for Cr Colacino and all involved in trying to put Wollongong on the map as not only an international cruise destination but a turnaround port where passengers can start and end a cruise.

It is a well known fact in the industry that passengers doing so spend more in the region and tend to spend a night in the area leading into a cruise or ending a cruise.

As NSW Ports and Cruise Wollongong prepare for Norwegian Cruise Lines returning for a second visit with the Norwegian Jewel on December 14, planning is well underway to activate more of the welcome the city is becoming globally famous for.

And if any other cruise lines decide they would like to do turnarounds Cr Colacino is happy to throw out the welcome mat for that to happen prior to 2020.

Read more: MSC Magnifica and Norwegian Jewel cruise liners announce Wollongong visits

Norwegian Cruise Line’s first visit came almost by chance when Norwegian Star arrived. That went so well the company decided to return with the similar sized Norwegian Jewel on a Sydney and Tasmania cruise later this year.

Among those excited by the news MSC Magnifica is turning around passengers at Port Kembla was Michael Kollaras, of the Kollaras Group.

“This is fantastic. It is so exciting,” he said.

The Kollaras Group supplies beverages to the cruise industry all over Australasia.

The arrival of MSC Magnifica means the city has attracted the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line and Mr Kollaras would love the opportunity for the family owned Wollongong company to provide beverages to the ship on its round the world cruise when it docks in 2020.

Mr Kollaras said Port Kembla is not only close to the company warehouse at Oak Flats but logistically is much easier to access and manage the delivery process than other ports.

The visit of the cruise liner, carrying more than 2500 passengers, is part of a 116-day cruise from Italy. When its visit was announced Destination Wollongong general manager Mark Sleigh said a global voyage was significant because international visitors tend access shore excursions at three times the rate of domestic passengers.

Cruise Wollongong’s Stuart Barnes said during the last 20 months six cruise ships had visited Port Kemba varying in size and passenger demographics.

“Wollongong has now welcomed 16,365 people on a cruise,” Mr Barnes said.

Among the good statistics for Wollongong is that more cruise passengers hop off a ship at Port Kembla than other ports. And many go shopping in the Wollonogng city centre because of its proximity to the arts precinct where they hop off their free Premier bus shuttle service.

During the first visit by Radiance of the Seas a record 94 per cent of passengers came into the city or explored the region. That is unheard of in the cruise industry.

“The six visits so far have contributed $3.289 million to the regional economy,” Mr Barnes said.

“That is quite an incredible amount. We are very proud. The first six visits have given us the basis to move on. We have been achieving a 94 to 97 per cent satisfaction rating from passengers visiting Port Kembla. People have a good time in Wollongong when they come off the ships. That is thanks to the volunteer ambassadors who give them such a big warm welcome. We have around 200 volunteer welcomers on our books. Because of them we have become known around the world as the friendly port.”

Mr Barnes thanked the IRT Foundation for its involvement in that and Cr Colacino said the business community had also been amazing in going the extra mile to make cruise ship passengers feels welcome.

Fast facts

MSC Magnifica

Norwegian Jewel