A multi-million dollar cruise ship terminal was officially opened on Wednesday morning on Auckland's waterfront.
Shed 10, a century-old cargo shed next to the Cloud, underwent an early refurbishment before the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Turning the building and its surrounds into a cruise ship and events facility has cost $18.6 million.
Auckland mayor Len Brown says it wasn't enough to welcome travellers through the current cruise ship entrance at the Hilton Hotel.
"People were arriving in our city and had no idea they were in Auckland, and it was quite frankly amateur."
Mr Brown says the price tag is significant, but hopes the building will attract commercial partners to allow the council to recover some of its costs.
Shed 10 will open to the public at the end of September, before the first cruise ship passengers arrive in October.
Mr Brown, Waterfront Auckland chairman Sir Bob Harvey and representatives from the local iwi Ngati Whatua helped cut the ribbon to open the building.
