Port Tarragona concluded its 2025 cruise season with a total of 62 vessel calls and 126,348 passengers, establishing the year as the third-highest on record for the port, surpassed only by the seasons of 2024 and 2019 in terms of passenger numbers and ship visits. The catalyst for compiling these results was reviewed at a meeting of the port’s Executive Cruise Committee on December 15th, where officials assessed activity and prepared projections for the upcoming campaign.
Operational data indicates that the majority of these calls were transit visits, with approximately 88 % of ship movements classified as such, while the remainder involved embarkation and disembarkation operations. Peak arrival months were identified as September and October, which each saw a dozen calls, reinforcing the port’s role in extending cruise traffic beyond the traditional summer season.
Forecasts for the 2026 cruise season anticipate a significant uptick in activity, with 79 calls expected and passenger throughput estimated at around 155,000. A notable factor in this projected growth is the enlarged programme by Viking Cruises, which is scheduled to increase its calls at Tarragona from three in 2025 to 17 in 2026, with an associated rise in cruise passengers to an estimated 34,800—accounting for roughly 22 % of the anticipated total. MSC Cruises is also planning to raise its number of calls from 25 to 32, although this expansion in frequency is planned with deployment of a smaller vessel, aligning with regional plans for sustainable and territorially appropriate cruise growth.
The season’s performance underscores Tarragona’s growing prominence as a Mediterranean cruise port capable of attracting both mainstream and luxury operators. Continued expansion of cruise calls and passenger numbers, along with strategic commitments by leading lines, suggest that Tarragona is positioning itself for further integration into the regional cruise market in the coming years.