Passengers disembarking the first cruise ship of the season will be welcomed by a new gateway before venturing off into the city.
Looking to enhance the cruise visitor experience and strengthening the Ōtepoti Dunedin brand, the Port Otago Cruise Ship Terminal will have a revamped welcome passage with a mural design reflecting mana whenua values and history.
A collaboration between Enterprise Dunedin, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Port Otago, the project came out of the Ōtepoti Dunedin Destination Management Plan activity, with the concept and execution completed by mana whenua-owned organisation Aukaha using the space in the terminal governed by Port Otago.
Upoko of Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou Edward Ellison says the designs are unique to Dunedin and provide a sense of welcoming to manuhiri (visitors).
They also acknowledge those who have traversed the harbour for millennia, he says.
“It is important that when manuhiri arrive in Kōpūtai/Port Chalmers, they can recognise where they are and feel a sense of importance. The elements used in the designs are individual expressions of Kōpūtai, the placename of Port Chalmers which can be interpreted as the ‘full tide’. They are metaphors of water, the Ōtākou awa channels of Aramoana and Te Awa Ōtākou as currents of arrival and departure for mana whenua, generations of people, and our cruise visitors.”
Enterprise Dunedin Cruise manager Suzanne Jenkins says: “We are excited for the passengers of the Carnival Splendor to be the first to experience the passageway mural.
“The mural will further enhance the terminal experience, meaning passengers receive that famous southern hospitality from the moment they disembark, to the moment they depart.
“The mural project was born out of the Ōtepoti Dunedin Destination Management Plan which outlines actionable development opportunities for the city as a destination.”
The Carnival Splendor will be visiting Dunedin on Sunday 26 October – marking the start of the 2025/26 cruise season.
The new welcome space was blessed by mana whenua on 23 October in preparation for the first ship’s arrival.
Dunedin-born artist Riani Iti-Metuati (Te Ati Awa, Kūki Airani) designed the suspended acrylic kōwhaiwhai panels and the mural wall, which was painted by James Bellaney (Ngāti Porou, Kāi Tahu, Scottish, Spanish).
Port Otago Sustainability & Cruise Manager Carolyn Bennett says this welcome passageway paired with the new Taking Memories Home mural above it by artist Koryu Aoshima “adds something special to the arrival process for cruise passengers and crew”.
“Things may have appeared quiet during the off-season, but we are always looking at ways to improve and develop the passenger journey and Port Otago was enthusiastic about jumping on board to help facilitate this initiative.”
About 3012 passengers and 1150 crew will be welcomed and farewelled on Sunday with a bagpipe player, cruise volunteers, and Port Otago and DCC isite staff to officially kick off the cruise season.
Dunedin is expecting 79 ships, on 50 separate days, with an estimated 134,000 passengers and 62,000 crew.