The Port Authority of Santander has confirmed for 2026 the highest number of cruise ship calls in its history, with a total of thirty-eight ships and a combined capacity of more than sixty thousand tourists.
This was announced by the president of the Port Authority of Santander (APS), César Díaz, who pointed out that this record represents a “considerable increase compared to 2015, a year in which the Port recorded twenty port calls and almost thirty thousand passengers. “This result is undoubtedly a consequence of the excellent work carried out by the port authority, the Government of Cantabria, and the City Council through Santander Cruise Deluxe,” he stated.
The brand, created by the three institutions to organize port calls and promote cruise tourism, is developing numerous actions outlined in the roadmap resulting from the Impact Study conducted in 2024. This tool, in Díaz's words, is proving to be "agile and effective," since, with its implementation, "we are experiencing sustained growth in cruise traffic over time."
He also noted that the document “has a threefold objective: to make Santander the leading port for premium cruises in northern Spain, to promote year-round tourism with scheduled calls throughout the year, and to guarantee sustainable growth.” “We are on the right track,” he affirmed, while acknowledging that “the complex geopolitical situation we are experiencing globally could trigger significant changes in the maritime and tourism sectors.”
Santander, in addition to being a member of associations such as CLIA or Cruise Europe and participating in the main trade fairs in the sector such as Seatrade Miami, Seatrade Europe or International Cruise Summit, carries out numerous promotional activities throughout the year.
César Díaz has stated that, in parallel, “we are working on improving the port infrastructure, increasing the berthing capacity for cruise ships up to 330 meters in length and 9.5 meters in draft to adapt to the characteristics of the new ships that shipping companies have. “Furthermore, we continue to focus on improving the services at the Maritime Station, an infrastructure located right in the city center and a luxury that few cities in the north can offer,” he added.
2026 Cruise Ship Call Forecast
The port of Santander plans to go from twenty cruise ships and 29,862 passengers in 2025, to more than thirty-eight confirmed calls and around 60,000 passengers in 2026.
Among the large cruise ships scheduled to visit Cantabria this year are, among others, the Ventura and Arcadia, both from the British cruise line P&O; the Crystal Serenity, from Crystal Cruises; the Queen Anne, from Cunard; the Spirit of Discovery, from Saga; the Ambience, from Ambassador Cruise Line; and the Borealis, from Fred Olsen. In addition, other luxury cruises with smaller ships, such as the Silversea, the Le Ponant, the Diana, and the Sirena, will also be visiting.
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