New Zealand Hits Cruise Passengers with Hefty Fee

The New Zealand government has taken aim at the cruise industry, with a hike on border processing fees for cruise ship guests that amounts to an 88% increase.

Starting Dec. 1 the processing fee per cruise ship passenger will go from NZ$11.48 to NZ$21.54.

Cruise Lines International Association Australasia and the New Zealand Cruise Association have hit back, both at the staggering increase and the government’s lack of notice to the industry.

Because cruise lines are just finding out about this fee and most passengers have already paid in full, cruise lines operating itineraries in New Zealand will not be able to pass the fee increase on to passengers.

“Cruise lines carefully plan and budget their operations two to three season ahead, leaving no room to pass unexpected cost increases to passengers,” said New Zealand Cruise Association CEO Jacqui Lloyd. “These financial burdens fall squarely on the cruise lines.”

The trade groups warn the fee hike could cause cruise lines to pull out of New Zealand, U.K.-based travel website, TravelMole.com reports. The country has yet to recover from the pandemic, with passengers numbers about 22% down.

New Zealand lost some of its cruise business last year when it imposed some of the strictest bio-security regulations requiring ship hulls to remove even the tiniest specks of marine life. Four ships were turned away when the government determined the ships weren’t clean enough.