Loud Lyttelton locals make progress on cruise ship problems

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

A heated yet productive community meeting on the future of cruise ships in Lyttelton was marred by the absence of one key player - the cruise industry.

More than 100 people packed into the Loons Club in Lyttelton on Tuesday night to vent their frustrations about the 2022/23 cruise season.

Their main concerns centred around the environmental impact, public transport disruptions and the loss of community that the “floating apartment buildings” brought with them.

For the first time in 11 years, cruise ships returned to Lyttelton Port last summer. More than 125,000 people disembarked from 73 cruise ships between October 2022 and April 2023 - a 357% increase compared to pre-Covid numbers.

Locals complained of inconsiderate, low spending passengers who overwhelmed the area and the public transport, while economic development agency ChristhurchNZ touted the financial benefits.

Read the full story from reporter Shannon Redstall here (subscription required).

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