Visit Isle of Man is celebrating an extraordinary cruise season, delivering increased visitor numbers and economic impact. The 2025 season welcomed 47 cruise ship calls, including nine maiden voyages, bringing 26,357 passengers to the Island, an increase of 21% on last year’s cruise passenger numbers, with 43 cruise ships welcomed to the Isle of Man in 2024.
The record-breaking season generated an estimated £2.3m in economic contributions, through port and passenger spend across the Island’s tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.
Passengers embraced the full breadth of the Island’s offering, from heritage sites, guided walking and golfing tours, travelling on the Manx Electric and Steam Railways to newly opened attractions such as Ballacosnahan Farm providing unique farm experiences.
The authentic Manx experience extended to onboard dining, with local business Robinsons supplying Compagnie du Ponant’s Le Bellot with lobster sustainably caught by local fishermen for passengers to enjoy during their voyage.
Deborah Heather, CEO of Visit Isle of Man, commented, “We are delighted with this record-breaking season, which demonstrates the growing international recognition of the Isle of Man as a cruise destination. This success reflects the exceptional collaboration between government departments, contractors, volunteers, and local stakeholders and has generated significant benefits across the Island.”
This impressive growth coincides with the British Isles cruise region receiving international acclaim, as Cruise Britain and Cruise Ireland were jointly named Destination of the Year at the esteemed 2025 Seatrade Cruise Awards. This award highlights the outstanding cruise experiences offered throughout the British Isles.
This year, the Visit Isle of Man team personally welcomed every maiden voyage to the Island, greeting captains and crews, exchanging plaques, and extending a warm welcome to passengers with the support of our dedicated grounds team and cruise volunteers. Visit Isle of Man remains committed to working alongside cruise industry partners to build upon this record-breaking success, securing the Isle of Man’s position as a must-visit destination for future seasons. They are also seeking cruise volunteers for the 2026 season, to help provide a warm welcome to arriving cruise passengers – for more information please email the team.
Find out more about Visit Isle of Man here.
