Princess passengers' royal SW welcome
Cruise ship passengers on the mammoth Princess Cruises' Diamond Princess disembarked just after 9am on Tuesday, with more than 800 of the 2000 passengers who came ashore booked on tours around the region.
Many passengers went on wine, chocolate and brewery tours as well as city tours, while others chose to stretch their legs and enjoy the scenery of Busselton by walking through town.
Picture Gallery: What the passengers said about Busselton
City of Busselton Mayor Ian Stubbs said he was happy to see such "great numbers" coming ashore, while Busselton Visitor Centre manager Matt Norton said organisers had listened to feedback to ensure the day was a success.
"We expect the average age to be 70 again," he said.
"We've also sold slightly more tours than last time."
Busselton Historical Society president Brian Slee said he was pleased passengers were offered an opportunity to visit the town's museum this time round while on a tour of Busselton city.
"We had 26 visitors last time and yesterday was incredible," he said.
"We had between 110 and 115 visitors yesterday."
"It means we've got more finances coming in - because we're 100 per cent volunteers here - it's a great day for us because it's all money coming in."
Mr Slee said feedback from passengers, who he said were from New Zealand, the US and all States of Australia, was positive and they were "very excited" to be in Busselton.
"They said Busselton is a beautiful town," he said.
The confusion experienced by passengers who disembarked the Diamond Princess' maiden voyage last year seemed all but gone, with Diamond Princess' Glenda Simms adding the weather was perfect.
"I loved this port the first time when we were here and even now I love it," she said.
"How they've got the shuttle buses - it's great to have organisation like this."
Volunteer Brian Love, who was directing passengers on Tuesday, said the congestion issues present on the last visit had been fixed, with volunteers spread out along the foreshore to welcome and direct passengers and hand out pamphlets.
Mr Slee said he would meet with organisers next week to see if the bus which went to the museum was a possibility for the future.
He said if it could be repeated, the museum's volunteers would be "pleased as punch".
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