Geraldton welcomes Azamara Quest with over 700 passengers to visit attractions, businesses in the Mid West

Another cruise ship has docked in Geraldton, with passengers eager to view local attractions and spend money across the Mid West. Passengers on the Azamara Quest hopped off on Monday for a day in Geraldton and beyond, with opportunities to soak up local landmarks like the HMAS Sydney II Memorial or go further afield with Abrolhos Islands, Port Gregory and Kalbarri day tours. The cruise liner arrived in Geraldton on Monday morning after setting sail on Sunday on its one-way 16-day cruise from Fremantle to Hong Kong. With a passenger limit of 794, it was expected that more than 700 tourists would spill out onto the streets of Geraldton to view what the city and region has to offer. Shuttle buses took groups of visitors to and from Geraldton Port, dropping them off at the regular welcome hub on Marine Terrace set up next to Regional Sounds, which has become a familiar sight lately. Unlike the city’s previous and largest cruise visit, the AIDAmar, the Azamara passengers were more familiar with their location, being primarily from other parts of Australia. Gold Coast couple Rex and Pam Dengate both agreed they were most looking forward to some relaxation and said the highlight of the cruise would be to revisit Vietnam. “We haven’t been to Vietnam for 15 years,” Mrs Dengate said. Mr Dengate said he was most looking forward to a “good cup of coffee”, as a stall holder recommended Quiet Life down the road. “That’s the one thing these ships don’t have is a really good coffee,” he said. Mrs Dengate said the couple hadn’t made any big plans but hoped a walk around the city would help jog memories of their first Geraldton visit. “It’s a really nice lifestyle here,” she said. Mr Dengate said the staff on the Azamara Quest were “fabulous” and that the couple were able to meet people more easily on a cruise. “When you’re retired, you can afford to relax,” he said. The Azamara Quest left Geraldton Port at 6pm on Monday and is headed towards Benoa in Bali, with the next cruise ship, Coral Princess, due to dock in Geraldton in March.