New Zealand is renowned for its breathtaking scenery: majestic fjords, pristine beaches, snow-capped mountains, and lush forests. Cruising along its coastline provides travelers with unparalleled views of the island-country’s impressive landscapes.

Intercruises launched operations in New Zealand in 2022, and since then it has been an exciting journey.

Today we meet events and tourism industry veteran of over 25 years, Tony Regan – our Country Manager for New Zealand, who brings with him a wealth of knowledge, and extensive local networks across the country.

We caught up with Tony to talk about the thrills and challenges of cruise handling in this remarkable destination:

What makes port operations unique in New Zealand?

New Zealand has a unique and varied environment. It took the resilience and determination of supplier and partners across the board to deliver the 22-23 season. Significant labor shortages, transportation limitations, as well as unprecedented weather events all made for a cocktail of challenges, which Intercruises navigated seamlessly.

In mid- September 2022 Intercruises were appointed in New Zealand to support the Five Star Silversea Cruise Ship activity for the 2022-23 season. This came right after the borders were re-opened in August 2022. As you can imagine, we were under a lot of pressure and very keen to get everything up and running, operationally, in such a short space of time. Thankfully, we had the experience of Fernando Luis Reboredo, a seasoned Port Delivery expert from our Barcelona operations team, who flew over to New Zealand for a month to assist the team with the set-up, and to ensure seamless operations during our first season.

There are no dedicated Port Terminals in the 15 Ports in New Zealand, which also adds to the challenges we face; however, this only strengthened our will to make the 22-23 season a success for guests, cruise lines, suppliers and partners.

Which cruise lines are you serving and what services do you offer in New Zealand?

We serve Silversea, MSC and other tours for RCCL, offering shorex, turnarounds, pre/post, overland and midland tours (overland tours operated between two ports, part way through a cruise tour).

How many operations do you manage a year?

We manage approximately 100 Port calls in the upcoming season and around 25 pre/post, overland and midland tours.

What is the coverage?

New Zealand offers a diverse range of ports of call, each with its own distinct character. From cosmopolitan cities like Auckland and Wellington to smaller, charming towns like Akaroa.

We currently serve 15 ports in Akaroa, Auckland, Bay of Islands, Bluff, Gisborne, Kaikoura, Lyttelton, Napier, Nelson, Picton, Port Chambers, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, with an office in Auckland.

Can you describe a typical day in the office?

With regards to a “typical day” I can say that during the first cruise season for Intercruises, in New Zealand – there wasn’t one. Each day provided both opportunities and challenges, either in the office preparing for port calls, or at the port, delivering and dealing with the daily variables, in Auckland, managing turnarounds. It was an incredibly invigorating and hugely rewarding experience and we are relishing the opportunity of repeating it again in the next season of 2023/2024!

With a strong team in place, an extensive network of local partners and relationships, and a successful season behind us in New Zealand, we look to continue, not only in operations but also in the development of creative and innovative solutions and tours for our cruise clients.

Are there any achievements you’d like to highlight?

With a very limited preparation time (2 ½ months) Intercruises serviced 11 Ports (50+ Port calls) between late December 2022 and mid-February 2023 – that’s an average 1 call per day, somewhere in New Zealand, a real credit to our team.

We handled 15,000+ shorex and tour bookings, contracting 120+ new suppliers across 80+ products, including 10 guided multi-day tours.

What makes the team in New Zealand unique?

Within our small team we speak 6 languages and have more than 100 years’ combined experience in the events and tourism industry. We have Luciana, a key port Manager, Jade, who has grown into an important port and support role, Simon, whose handling of partners and suppliers is second nature, and Ange, whose logistics and leadership are key for turnarounds and shorex alike.

For more details on how Intercruises can support your operations in New Zealand, contact us at info@intercruises.com