Downtown Tauranga is more than an okay place to muddle around and find interesting things to do – just ask the cruise ship tourists.

Cruise ship passengers visiting Tauranga's CBD have rated it eight out of ten for the quality of the experience.

The survey, conducted by business lobby group Downtown Tauranga, asked passengers on the shuttle buses what they thought of both the city centre and the shuttle bus service itself.

Downtown Tauranga's Sally Cooke says passengers are rating the city centre experience an 8 out of 10, and the shuttle bus service a 9.4.

'Making sure our cruise ship passengers have a unique, memorable and enjoyable experience in our city centre is paramount,” says Sally.

'Our restaurants, cafes, shops, bars and businesses should be extremely proud that tourists are giving the city centre strong approval.”

There are new experiences for cruise ship passengers, including sampling kiwifruit on the waterfront, a degustation or food tasting trail and an art mural walk, on top of attractions such as The Elms, Tauranga Art Gallery, the Hairy Maclary sculptures and the waterfront's tidal steps.

And with all the growth in the CBD, ambassadors who host the cruise ship passengers have woven the development into the city's story.