Windy weather and scheduling changes are behind the cancellation of five cruise ship dockings in the north-west Tasmanian city of Burnie this season.
Between November and April, 35 cruise ships were due to dock in Burnie but five have already been unable to make the stop.
Three were due to weather conditions and the other two were due to itinerary changes.
One of the itinerary changes related to a cruise ship that was due to arrive from New Zealand this weekend, which the Burnie City Council had said had cancelled its visit because Australian Border Force (ABF) services in the city were not available.
However, an ABF spokesperson told the ABC they were "prepared and ready to deploy ample officers to facilitate the arrival of the Seven Seas Explorer".
"The ABF was advised via a shipping agent that the Seven Seas Explorer will no longer be berthing in Burnie," the spokesperson said.
"ABF engages closely with the cruise ship industry in order to perform its statutory function of the processing of passengers at the Australian border."
TasPorts Group Executive Kate Dean said the decision was made by the cruise line.
"It is of course disappointing that these ships have not been able to visit our beautiful city," Burnie's Mayor Teeny Brumby said.
"However in context these ships have had to cancel due to offshore weather events and itinerary changes that prevented them from coming into Burnie.
"It is unfortunate, but understandable."
TasPorts said adverse weather conditions could sometimes impact scheduled cruise ship visits.
"While unfortunate, these decisions are not taken lightly, and TasPorts' obligations will always be to marine safety, protection of infrastructure assets and the environment," the organisation said.
Hopes for calmer seas
Cruise ships returned to Burnie for the first time in two-and-a-half years in November, welcomed by tourism businesses who received a much-needed boost in visitation.
Burnie Regional Museum curator Laura Courto said having tourists coming off cruise ships had been "really exciting".
"To see so many people from Australia and elsewhere in the world come into our little museum and be so engaged is fantastic," she said.
Ms Courto said the museum — which was normally open between Wednesday and Friday — would open on days that cruise ships were scheduled, as well as extend their opening hours.
Four volunteers are rostered on normal days, but at least eight come in on cruise ship days.
"The museum runs on volunteers, so to bolster our numbers on cruise ship days, and then to have a ship not come in, it can impact the volunteer rostering and their lives," Ms Courto said.
"Often the volunteers are already there before we find out the cruise ships aren't coming.
"It works against bolstering the morale for the museum and getting volunteers who are keen to help out."
Ms Courto said the museum was supported by donations from visitors, particularly from cruise ship passengers.
"It has an ongoing impact when we don't get cruise ships in," she said.
"We just want as many to come in as possible."
Another 19 cruise ships are due to visit the north-west Tasmanian port, with the final ship of the season due in Burnie on April 5.
There were 150 cruise ships scheduled to arrive in Tasmania this season, bringing about 150,000 tourists to the state.
