The New Zealand Cruise Association's flagship one-day conference returns to Auckland's Shed 10 on Thursday 13 August 2026, convening cruise lines, ports, government and tourism operators around a turnaround-focused programme.
The New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA) holds its flagship annual conference, themed "From No Zealand to New Zealand," in Auckland on Thursday 13 August 2026 at Shed 10 on Queens Wharf. The single-day programme runs from a 7:30 AM networking breakfast through to a networking event closing at 7:30 PM, and is framed around a sector that the association says has "reached a plateau" and is working to turn around. The programme is structured across sessions on deployment, delivery and trans-Tasman collaboration, with a fireside chat and panel discussions on what drives cruise deployment decisions and how to make each ship visit work on the ground.
The conference is organised by the New Zealand Cruise Association, the industry body and self-described "leading voice" of New Zealand's cruise sector, whose stated mission is to establish New Zealand as the cruise destination of choice in the South Pacific. NZCA provides advocacy, research and stakeholder facilitation for cruise-sector businesses and is led by CEO Jacqui Lloyd; it is a membership organisation registered in Blenheim, Marlborough. Event management and registration are handled through Event Dynamics via the EventsAir platform. Confirmed speakers span government and industry, including Hon Louise Upston (Minister of Tourism and Hospitality), Hon James Meager (Associate Minister of Transport), Roger Gray (CEO, Port of Auckland), Rene de Monchy (CEO, Tourism New Zealand), Joel Katz (CLIA Australasia & Asia), Jill Abel (Australian Cruise Association), and senior executives from Princess Cruises, Carnival Corporation, Ponant and Biosecurity New Zealand.
The organiser positions the event for anyone with a stake in the future of cruise in New Zealand: cruise lines, ports, destinations, tourism operators, hospitality businesses, suppliers, government agencies and regional tourism organisations. The stated draw is networking across the industry, direct insight from policy and operational leaders, and candid discussion of the sector's challenges and opportunities.
Shed 10 sits at 89 Quay Street on Queens Wharf in central Auckland, on the edge of the Waitematā Harbour. Built in 1910 and heritage-listed, it is the last original building remaining on the wharf and has been restored into a flexible, light-filled event space used for conferences, gala dinners and large gatherings. It also serves as Auckland's primary cruise ship terminal, with part of its upper level converting to passenger processing on cruise days. The location is within walking distance of central-city dining, accommodation and public transport, making it well connected for delegates.
The conference is a sector-defining gathering for New Zealand's cruise industry at a moment its own organisers describe as pivotal, with the stated aim of winning back ship deployment and rebuilding cruise volumes. Holding it at Shed 10 — a working cruise terminal and a landmark business-events venue on the Auckland waterfront — underscores the overlap between the cruise sector and the wider Auckland MICE and hospitality economy that services visiting passengers, delegates and associated events.
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