As well as the usual lettuces, potatoes, pumpkins and cherries Steven Biviano has to find in the thousands this summer, he also has to lay his hands on dozens of panettones - and an awful lot of bush tucker.
They're the latest requests from cruise chefs keen to impress passengers with exotic flavours.
Biviano, from Sydney Select Fresh Providores, is one of the main suppliers of ships sailing out of Australia - and there's never been as many hungry cruisers to feed.
READ MORE: Australia's bumper cruise season begins
Around 70 ships from 27 different companies are sailing in Aussie waters this summer, including three new cruise companies.
Virgin Voyages, Disney Cruise Line and Scenic are all venturing to Australia for the first time, hoping for a slice of the $5.6 billion industry.
And for the land-based companies who keep them sailing, business is booming.
As well as supplying the old regular cruise ships, Biviano landed new contracts with Virgin Voyages and Disney.
READ MORE: Cruise bosses hail revival of industry despite COVID-19 outbreaks
The season started in October, but December is the month things really ramp up, with festive cruises popular.
His company has grown from five to 30 people, loading up to ten cruise ships a week with all the produce they need.
"We will have a bigger season than ever before," Biviano told 9news.com.au.
"Hundreds and hundreds of pallets per load are moving.
"Pumpkins, potatoes, stone fruit, lettuces, cherries, anything and everything.
"We've been working really hard in the winter season speaking to growers, buyers and market agents.
"We've been able to forecast what we need.
"Weather pending we should be in steady supply."
READ MORE: British tycoon Sir Richard Branson welcomes his cruise ship to Australia
Special offerings are being requested by higher-end cruises, with the festive Italian cake panettone also a new demand this year, as well as Indigenous foods.
"They're interested what's native to Australia," he said.
'Swamped' with demands
Meanwhile, Graeme Blackman from Sydney ship chandler - a business specialising in supplying ships - Inter-Marine said he's "absolutely swamped" with work.
"We're doing even better than pre-COVID-19," he said.
"We've got around 41 ships, it's the biggest ever."
He has hired more staff and will branch out to Brisbane too, serving the new cruise companies as well as the old favourites.
The business can do everything from massive engineering jobs to providing the simplest things.
"For Disney, we're providing golf pencils for the kids, Christmas decorations, lollies," he said.
"We supply everything from any deck needs, hotel, galley, technical and electrical.
"We'll supply specialist tilers, carpet layers, abseiling over the side, cleaning windows, anything to do with the ship.
"When they're in trouble or in need, they come to us."
And when passengers venture off the ships for excursions, they've been carefully planned by local firms.
Gregg Peak from Dave's Travel Group in Sydney has created excursions for half a dozen cruise lines visiting NSW.
He's set up some new tours for Virgin Voyages, including sending guests to hip local breweries including Young Henrys and Yulli's in the city's Inner West.
While cruises are only a small slice of his business, he hopes it will grow.
"To get cruise guests out to somewhere like Newtown, Marrickville, they definitely don't usually disperse this far," Peak said.
"Virgin are the first one who have put the effort into taking people further away."
Big money - and rising
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said last year cruising generated a record $5.63 billion for the economy.
That supports 18,225 full-time equivalent positions and total Australian worker wages worth $1.82 billion.
With the industry only growing, that's set to rise.
"Cruise ships are like mini-cities and it takes a huge logistical operation to keep them supplied," Katz said.
"Many thousands of workers in local Australian businesses are involved, spread right around the country.
"Food and produce is one of the most critical areas.
"Farmers, food producers, winemakers and brewers all over the country are involved, helping to create meals for thousands of people per day on every ship.
"The supply chain runs all the way from the farms through to wholesalers and providoring companies, warehousing providers, transport companies, importers and even refrigeration specialists."
