That is true, but it feels like they are sitting on a street corner with a cardboard sign.
Ten years ago, CLIA was respected and constructive as they were lobbying to open-up Australian ports to offer more variety for cruise lines to sell to their overseas markets. As with this past week of Royal's "new" offerings, passenger lament is about the lack of anything new, not the cost of port charges. We will still cruise domestically to keep our toes wet and escape for a few days.
As for Australians have not just returned to cruising, they’ve come back with enormous enthusiasm and at a faster pace than in other markets worldwide, it could have something to do with being shut down longer with massive credits in our pockets that needed to be redeemed in 2023. With less ships here next summer, it would seem that we are now losing enthusiasm at just as fast a pace. Not the fault of the cruise lines or CLIA, but we are now in a spend-less economy. Grudgingly, I might accept that booking cruises may not be essential spending.