Coral Princess, the first cruise ship since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, sailed into Melbourne, Victoria on September 15, 2022. The ship arrived at the cruise terminal at Melbourne Pier early this morning with a huge message on her bow 'We Love Melbourne'.

Welcoming 2,500 tourists aboard the Coral Princess - the first major cruise ship with passengers to dock in Melbourne in more than two and a half years, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said, “Today marks an important milestone for the state’s tourism and recovery efforts. It’s fantastic to see cruise ships back on our shores with passengers from all over the globe.”

A welcoming committee was on the dock to greet the ship with a boatload of fresh produce.

"It's great to see the return of cruises to Melbourne after such a long absence with the city poised to participate in the growth of cruise tourism and the renewal of Australia's $5 billion a year cruise industry," said Marguerite Fitzgerald, president of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia.

The ship is currently on a six-day voyage from Sydney along the coast of South East Australia.

After leaving Melbourne this evening, she sails for Adelaide. The first cruise, Coral Princess will also mark the cruise's return to South Australia.

Multiple cruise lines will call at Melbourne through the end of 2022 and into 2023, including Queen Elizabeth, who will call Melbourne home from mid-November. A total of 66 cruise calls are expected this season.