Cunard’s Queen Anne made its maiden call at the Port of Santander (Spain) on October 28th, 2026, arriving at the Maritime Station on Almirante Pier with 3,350 passengers, mainly from the UK, and 1,200 crew members. The ship arrived from Bilbao and remained in port until 6:00 p.m., allowing passengers to visit Santander and other destinations across Cantabria before continuing to Gijón.
To mark the occasion, representatives of Santander Cruise Deluxe, a joint initiative of the Port Authority of Santander, the Government of Cantabria and Santander City Council, presented Captain Inger Thorhauge with a commemorative plaque and books about Santander and the region for the ship’s library.
The port’s next scheduled cruise call is Ambition, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, on November 6th, followed by Borealis of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines on December 11th, the final call currently scheduled for 2026.
By the end of September, Santander had recorded 32 cruise calls, 13 more than during the same period in 2025, and 45,699 passengers, representing a 73% year-on-year increase. These figures have strengthened expectations of a record season for cruise tourism.
Through Santander Cruise Deluxe, the port and its regional partners aim to establish Santander as a premium cruise destination in northern Spain and support the distribution of tourism activity throughout the year. Promotional activities include participation in CLIA and Cruise Europe, attendance at international industry events such as Seatrade Miami, Seatrade Europe and the International Cruise Summit, familiarisation visits for cruise lines, the development of new shore experiences and targeted marketing campaigns.