© Mark Masson Photography
CruiseAberdeenshire has hosted over 50 executives from Viking, ports and service providers from across the UK, as Port of Aberdeen announced a recent uptick in cruise calls for 2025. An additional seven cruise calls have been confirmed, bringing the total scheduled for 2025 to 70, an increase of over 40% compared to 2024. Over 48,000 cruise guests are expected to visit the North East of Scotland this year.
Newly confirmed calls for the 2025 season include returning visits from Ambassador Cruise Lines, Renaissance Cruises, and the polar expedition ship Plancius from Antarctica Cruises. Additionally, Grand Circle Cruise Line has increased its schedule with five extra calls from its Corinthian vessel.
Bob Sanguinetti, CEO, Port of Aberdeen, said, “Our investment in Aberdeen South Harbour has been a game-changer, unlocking substantial new opportunities for the cruise sector. This expansion is one of the key reasons behind the significant increase in cruise calls we’re seeing. We’re proud to provide cruise operators with a seamless, high-quality experience backed by first-class infrastructure and exceptional customer service. The fact that many cruise lines are returning from 2024 with booked calls this season shows we’re on the right track, and we’re excited to welcome even more visitors to discover everything Aberdeen and the wider region have to offer.”
The news follows another milestone for the region, when Aberdeen became the first Scottish city to host Cruise Britain’s prestigious Annual Summer Event on 4 & 5 June. Over 50 leading cruise industry professionals gathered in the city for a two-day gathering which has previously been held in key cruise destinations such as Portsmouth and Belfast.
Chris Foy, CEO, VisitAberdeenshire, said: “We were delighted to welcome Cruise Britain members to Aberdeen for their first ever summer event in Scotland. This is the latest tourism sector event to be hosted in Aberdeen, following on from VisitScotland Connect, the STA Signature Conference and UKinbound’s Annual Convention. A further demonstration that the North-east is not only a destination where tourists want to visit, but also where the UK tourism industry wants to meet.”
For more information visit travel-trade.visitabdn.com.
