The wind was blamed for late docking of one of the newest ocean liners in the world at Port Napier on Wednesday, January 2.
The 9-deck Viking Orion, with a capacity for 930 passengers, is in her first season in New Zealand, having been launched at Livorno last June.
In October Orion completed a 62-day expedition to Asia, billed as a "World Cruise" prior to heading for her Australia and New Zealand season.
The maiden berthing at Napier was on December 27, and on time for her scheduled 10 AM berthing on Wednesday when according to Westshore and Ahuriri ship-watchers the ship pulled out of her approach but returned and berthed 60-90 minutes later.
According to a Napier Port spokesperson the berthing had to be delayed due to safety issues posed by the winds.
MetService reported that the strongest gust at Napier Airport in the hour to 10 AM was 46kph, with the maximum in the next hour 44kph.
It was not the first time that wind has disrupted a record-breaking cruise season with 72 port calls expected from late-October through mid-April, including ten in the week of February 13-17 Art Deco Festival.
On November 4, Sea Princess, with around 2000 passengers onboard, was unable to berth in the port of Napier due to high winds that had peaked at 95 km/h.
Sea Princess was due in the port again early on Friday, while the largest of the visiting cruise liners, Ovation of the Seas, is due on Monday, January 7, for the latest of her 6 Napier stops during this season.