Volunteers and businesses welcome more than 1900 visitors to Geraldton as Coral Princess makes final visit

Geraldton volunteers and small businesses welcomed more than 1900 cruise ship visitors to the city as the Coral Princess docked in Geraldton — one of the last cruise liners set to visit before an alarming hiatus. On Saturday, September 14, visitors loaded on to buses to enjoy a sun-filled day in the Mid West, stopping by the welcome hub between Regional Sounds and the Geraldton Yacht Club on Marine Terrace. Some stayed to immerse themselves in Geraldton’s iconic landmarks, such as the Esplanade, HMAS Sydney II Memorial, Geraldton Regional Art Gallery, St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Queens Park Theatre and Point Moore Lighthouse, while others ventured outside the city on day tours. Local market stalls set up, offering an array of custom-made trinkets while event musicians KB Acoustics performed live music throughout the day. Mayor Jerry Clune said it was brilliant to see so many visitors enjoying all the Mid West has to offer. “A big thanks to our cruise ship volunteers, Euphorium and Mid West Ports for making our guests feel so welcome, and I also look forward to welcoming the Queen Elizabeth and Westerdam later this year when they make their inaugural visits to Geraldton,” he said. The visit coincided with the opening of Geraldton Open Studios and Surrounds, where passengers had the opportunity to discover some of the Mid West’s best artists, including sculptors, printmakers and textile artists at 12 sites across Geraldton. Kalbarri Adventure Tours owner operator David Waite confirmed more than 100 cruise visitors took a day trip to Kalbarri and it was a successful day for local businesses. The visit comes as 12 cruise ships cancelled their visit to Geraldton, with no bookings planned for 2025 and 2026 due to cruise ship itinerary changes, withdrawals from Australia and Australian Border Force being unable to facilitate applications for international arrivals. It leaves the city facing a big blow to the tourism economy. Mr Waite said stakeholders were working together to ensure Geraldton continued to see cruise ships visiting. “We are working with ... Geraldton Port to get the ships back, as well as the Government and Australian Border Force,” he said. It was the Coral Princess’ last visit before repositioning to North America. The Queen Elizabeth (November 4) and Westerdam (December 7) are the last two cruise ships scheduled for visits to Geraldton in 2024. Euphorium cruise volunteer Frankie Mann said many passengers were visiting from the east coast, but some travellers came as far as America and the United Kingdom. “We heard lots of comments from visitors about how lovely Geraldton and its residents are, with one passenger even saying they want to move here,” she said. “So many people in Geraldton, not just those involved in the welcome hub, have helped create such a welcoming, friendly environment for the cruise passengers, and we hope this will continue even when there’s no cruise ships in town. “While it is a shame there’s currently no cruises scheduled for next year, everyone is eager to continue making Geraldton a welcoming place for all visitors.”