Apollo Bay welcomes cruise ship visitors this weekend

A CRUISE ship will anchor offshore of Apollo Bay this weekend, boosting tourism and supporting local businesses in the coastal township in the lead up to Christmas.

Coral Expeditions’ 93-metre Coral Adventurer will bring up to 80 visitors into the region on Saturday (December 7), for a day of shopping, culinary experiences and outdoor adventure.

“We are excited to introduce this new culinary themed voyage “Bounty of the Southern Ocean” to our schedule and our guests and crew anticipate it will be an enriching experience showcasing the best of the region,” Coral Expeditions’ commercial director Jeff Gillies said.

Passengers will be transferred from the cruise ship to the Apollo Bay boat ramp via a purpose-built excursion tender vessel.

Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority’s acting director of environment and coastal operations Leia Howes said the organisation was delighted to welcome the Coral Adventurer to the region and expected it to be quite a spectacle when the cruise ship anchors offshore.

“This is a golden opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in all that Apollo Bay has to offer, from the world-class seafood and unique shops to the breathtaking outdoor adventures waiting to be discovered.

“The timing couldn’t be better, arriving just in time for Christmas, boosting our local tourism industry and supporting local jobs and businesses.”

Cruise tourism is worth an estimated $8.4 billion annually to the Australian economy and supports more than 26,000 jobs in communities along the nation’s coastline.