THE Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) has farewelled what it has described as “a strong summer season”, reinforcing the city’s importance as a cruise gateway for Australia and the Pacific region.
Between 10 Oct 2025 and 30 Mar 2026, 101 calls were made at Brisbane, including five maiden visits, while its busiest month was in Dec, when 22 ships visited the Queensland city.
“Welcoming over a hundred cruise ship calls in six months highlights the strength of Queensland’s cruise market and Brisbane’s position as one of Australia’s leading cruise hubs,” Port of Brisbane CEO, Neil Stephens explained.
“Queensland is the country’s second-largest cruise market and the BICT is central to this, supporting cruise activity and the economic benefits it brings to regional ports and communities along our state’s coastline,” he added.
Stephens also mentioned that locally, each ship call contributes an estimated $1.05 million to the Queensland economy, while supporting local jobs.
During the full 2025/26 cruise season from 01 Oct 2025 to 30 Sep 2026, it is anticipated that 139 cruise ship calls will visit the Queensland capital city.
“We’re grateful for the ongoing support of our cruise line customers, particularly our Foundation Partner Carnival Australia,” said Stephens.
“Operating the BICT is a genuine team effort, and we want to recognise and thank everyone – from our Port of Brisbane team to all our cruise partners – who plays a role in delivering a safe, efficient and welcoming experience at the BICT,” he added. JHM