In a major boost to Malta’s tourism, Valletta Cruise Port announced an exceptional year with passenger numbers nearing the 900,000 mark. The numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels.

Revival and Growth in Malta

Valletta Cruise Port revealed a significant achievement for 2023, recording nearly 900,000 passengers. This impressive figure not only marks a 65% increase compared to 2022 and but also surpasses the previous record set in 2019.

The resurgence of Malta’s cruise industry has notably contributed €85 million to the Maltese economy. This substantial financial impact comprises €32 million in spending by cruise passengers and an additional €53 million by the cruise lines, highlighting the cruise industry’s role in bolstering economic activity.

Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding, emphasized during a press conference, “This industry leaves a substantial impact on the Maltese Islands in economic terms: services to ships and services to passengers; flights to and from Malta with an impact on airlines and the airport, with passengers also having the option of spending several days in our country before or after their cruise.”

Looking ahead, Malta’s cruise industry is poised for a major expansion with more than 50 brand-new ships scheduled to be join cruise lines’ fleets by 2028.

Importantly, 11 of these ships are expected to enter the market in 2024 alone, bolstering the already-thriving cruise tourism in Malta. Xuereb feels this influx of cruise ships will help the port surpass the 900,000-passenger movement mark in 2024.

Malta’s Minister for Tourism, Clayton Bartolo, added, “As a country, we will continue working to have more cruise companies homeporting in Malta. We are committed to support the fly and cruise sector to see it grow further. It is important that we continue to work so that the industry remains based on sustainable foundations.”

Valletta Cruise Port Enhancements

In a bid to maintain its status as a popular destination in the Mediterranean cruise industry, Valletta Cruise Port completed significant infrastructure enhancements in 2023.  This included a shoreside electricity infrastructure project that successfully equipped its five main cruise ship quays with shore power facilities.

Viking Saturn became the first cruise vessel to be fully powered by the port’s Onshore Power Supply system on December 1. This was closely followed by Viking Venus, which utilized the same system upon its arrival on December 2, simultaneously charging with its sister ship.

This shoreside power project is part of a larger investment, totaling €49.9 million investment, underlining Valletta Cruise Port’s ambition to establish Grand Harbour as a frontrunner in Europe for shore supply provision to cruise ships.

Additionally, Valletta Cruise Port is adapting to the evolving demands of the cruise industry with a crucial €25 million expansion of its berthing facilities. This expansion focuses on the transformation of the Pinto 4 and 5 quays, near the Customs Department towards the Valletta Waterfront, into a singlular, integrated 300-metre quay.

The extension, expanding the quays outwards by 15 meters, will enable larger vessels to moor at the harbor, eliminating the need for pontoons during passenger boarding and disembarkation.

The project also includes the reconstruction of the Lascaris quay, which had suffered extensive damage and partial collapse. Managed by Infrastructure Malta, parts of the expansion is expected to be operational within a few months.

Two Decades of Cruise Accommodations

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Valletta Cruise Port is strategically located in the heart of the Mediterranean. It’s also known for its dynamic onshore offerings featuring a range of amenities for cruise passengers, including a variety of shops, cafes, and restaurants, conveniently located opposite the berthing quays along the picturesque Valletta Waterfront. 

Cruise lines scheduled to visit Malta in the first quarter of 2024 alone include Princess Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, P&O Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, MSC Cruises, and Oceania Cruises, which is visiting the island nation in its “180 Night Around the World in 180 Days Los Angeles to New York” cruise.

Clues are beginning to surface that Jacksonville, Florida may soon be the homeport for another cruise line, in addition to the regular sailings offered by Carnival Cruise Line.

Between port authority board meeting reports and cruise line website updates, Norwegian Cruise Line appears to be making plans to set sail from the First Coast.

Norwegian Cruise Line May Offer Sailings From Jacksonville

Norwegian Cruise Line may soon offer homeport departures from JaxPort in Jacksonville, Florida, according to various clues and teasers about the port.

According to the Florida Times-Union, at the port authority’s board meeting on Monday, January 22, 2024, JaxPort CEO Eric Green hinted about a new cruise line expressing interest in JaxPort, but would not confirm which cruise line – other than it is not an expansion of Carnival Cruise Line’s operations.

“Our team has been busy in this area and we hope to have an announcement to share in the coming weeks,” Green said at the board meeting. “This is an added service coming from another cruise line.”

Additional time is needed for the cruise line to get approval for service, as several documents and proposals must be properly filed before an official announcement can be made. No additional meeting date has yet been set.

“We weren’t able to get it done for this meeting, but we’ll have a special board meeting in the next week or two so we can get that piece of business done as well,” said Daniel Bean, board Chairman.

Jacksonville Appears on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Website

While no officials from JaxPort have verified that it is Norwegian Cruise Line expressing interest, a new landing page has been spotted on the cruise line’s website with cruises from Jacksonville, Florida listed as “Coming Soon!”

At this time, there are no active homeport departures for Norwegian Cruise Line ships from the north Florida homeport, which is 165 miles (265 kilometers) north of the next closest Florida homeport, Port Canaveral.

The cruise line has made no official announcements about what ships might be homeported from Jacksonville, nor what itineraries might be offered. The Dames Point Bridge in Jacksonville, however, does pose a limit on vessels departing from JaxPort, as they must be less than 180 feet from the waterline to the highest point in order to sail safely under the bridge.

Currently, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Elation is the only ship homeported from Jacksonville. The 71,909-gross-ton, Fantasy-class vessel is one of the smallest in the Carnival fleet, and offers 4- and 5-night sailings to the Bahamas year-round. Carnival has been sailing from Jacksonville since 2004.

Several American Cruise Lines’ river boats also sail from Jacksonville with journeys along Florida’s rivers, but no other ocean cruise line offers Jacksonville-based itineraries. Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Crystal Cruises occasionally visit Jacksonville as a port of call.

It is possible that Norwegian Cruise Line could also offer Bahamas itineraries from Jacksonville, or might opt for itineraries to Bermuda or other Caribbean destinations, depending on the sailing length. Jacksonville could also be a starting point for fall foliage cruises that venture north to New England and the Canadian maritime provinces.

As cruise itineraries are planned out years in advance when they are made available for booking, it is unlikely that any Norwegian ships would be sailing from Jacksonville at least until late 2025, but redeployments and schedule shifts are always possible.

2023 proved to be an exceptional year for the Port of Dover, and 2024 looks exciting in its own right! With several inaugural visits and increased calls by multiple cruise lines on the horizon, it’s going to be a busy cruise season for the UK port. 

The Port of Dover Anticipates Busy Year For Cruises

The Port of Dover, located in the South East of England, is one of the busiest cruise ports in Britain and Northern Europe, welcoming an estimated 250,000 cruise passengers each year.

Located just over an hour from London by train, Port of Dover offers the quickest and most convenient route to the capital of England and offers the quickest sea crossing to Europe, earning it the nickname of the Gateway to Europe. 

Each year, the UK port services over 20 different cruise lines between two berths, which are capable of docking up to three ships at a time. It also serves as a busy ferry port out of a separate terminal.

After a successful 2023, the popular cruise port is expecting another busy year, including six inaugural visits, increased visits from returning cruise lines, and multiple days where the port will be at cruise ship capacity.

“There is no doubt that 2024 will be an unforgettable year for us. We eagerly await the return of all our cruise lines and can’t wait to welcome those that are visiting us for the first time,” says Peter Wright, head of Cruise at the Port of Dover.

“The stunning view of the White Cliffs and Dover Castle is a highlight of any cruise, and our excellent customer service and unrivalled location ensures a seamless and unforgettable holiday for all,” adds Wright.

Of the cruise lines returning to the UK port in 2024, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will be offering five cruises embarking from Dover in the summer of 2024. 

“We are delighted to be returning to Dover once again, with five cruises setting sail to beautiful destinations including Norway, Iceland, Portugal and the Azores this summer,” says Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Service at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. 

The first of the Fred. Olsen voyages will embark on a round-trip, 14-day cruise from Dover on June 27, 2024, sailing to Germany, Poland, and Finland on Borealis, the cruise line’s 1,353 passenger ship. 

Other familiar faces calling at the UK port this year will be AIDA Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Saga Cruises, Viking Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises. 

The Port of Dover Rides The Wave Of Success From 2023 

The Port of Dover’s success in 2024 comes after an extraordinary year for cruising in 2023, complete with inaugural cruise calls from major cruise lines and around 11 million visitors, counting both cruise and ferry passengers. 

On July 26, 2023, Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess called on the Port of Dover for the first time. The 2,000-guest ship visited the UK port as part of a 107-night world cruise. Her arrival was celebrated by locals with entertainment in the cruise terminal, including a storyteller who gave a behind-the-scenes look at Dover’s history and heritage.

Later, on September 8, 2023, the Gateway to Europe celebrated the inaugural visit of Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam. Similar to Coral Princess, the 2,666-passenger vessel was met with festive fanfare, including water canons, dancers, music, and local delicacies. 

Dover will become Nieuw Statendam’s homeport in the UK next year, with the ten port calls scheduled for her 2025 season. 

Meanwhile, the Port of Dover celebrated its most successful cruise season with Carnival Cruise Lines thus far. Carnival Pride completed 10 total sailings from the port throughout the summer, which is the largest number of calls by the cruise line to date. 

Carnival Pride will be offering 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises during the upcoming cruise season, but her sister ship, Carnival Legend, will take her place, sailing from Dover beginning June of 2024.