Darwin rolls out welcome mat to passengers aboard Queen Mary 2 cruise ship

Franzisca Goepfert from Germany was not sure what to expect when she held a crocodile for the first time.

"It was very dry, it was surprising," Ms Goepfert said.

"I am leaving tomorrow so I want to catch every glimpse of Darwin I can today and enjoy it with my friends," she said.

Franzisca Goepfert on holidays from Germany holds a crocodile, while Vince Van De Walt from the Crocodylus wildlife park looks on. (Photo : Xavier La Canna)

The 28-year-old was one of 2,620 passengers aboard the Queen Mary 2, many of whom flooded into Darwin on Tuesday.

The arrival of the Queen Mary 2, the world's eighth largest cruise liner, marks a busy week for the sector, with six ships carrying up to 11,000 passengers stopping by Darwin between March 2-6.

Ms Goepfert was not sure what to expect in Darwin.

"I think I had heard of it in Germany, but maybe I only heard of the person, not the place," she said.

George and Catherine McGauley, originally from Edinburgh, took the cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

"Fifty years ago we were 10 pound Poms, so we decided to do the same again, sailing to Sydney, but we are paying for it this time, not bludging on your government," Mr McGauley said.

He also did not know much about Darwin, but said the Cage of Death, when people hop into a cage with a crocodile, was not on his agenda.

"Nothing crazy like that," he said with a laugh.

The Northern Territory has been rolling out the welcome mat and heavily promoting itself to cruise ship operators in recent years.

The cruise ship sector is credited with contributing more than $54 million to the NT economy last year from 38 cruise ships, up from $4.14 million 10 years ago from just 11 ships.

"We want to see this expansion continue and maximise the benefits to local tourism and business operators," NT Chief Minister Adam Giles said recently.

Despite the record number of arrivals, the cruise ship sector in Darwin has faced a number of hurdles.

The season when most ships arrive in Australia coincides with the NT's wet season, and many national parks can be restricted due to flooding.

Also, the Darwin Cruise Ship terminal can only accommodate one large ship at a time, leading to double bookings.

Source : ABC News   Xavier La Canna  Tuesday 3rd March 2015