Tag Archives: passenger record

Valletta Cruise Port Reports Record 2025 Passenger Numbers

Posted on by
Reply

Valletta Cruise Port Reports Record 2025 Passenger Numbers

MSC Opera departing Valletta Harbour, photo credit Spacejunkie2 https://flic.kr/ps/GkiQt photostream

Valletta Cruise Port has reported continued growth in both passenger numbers and ship calls for the full 2025 season.

The port welcomed 385 calls in 2025, an increase of 8 percent compared to 357 calls in 2024.

A record 962,966 passengers passed through the port in 2025, surpassing the previous year’s 940,915 and representing an increase of 2.3 percent year-on-year.

“The sustained growth recorded in 2025 reflects Valletta’s strong positioning within the Mediterranean cruise market. Malta’s unique combination of rich cultural heritage and close proximity to other key destinations continues to make Valletta an attractive and highly sought-after cruise port,” said Stephen Xuereb, chief operating officer of Global Ports Holding and chief executive officer of Valletta Cruise Port.

“This performance is further supported by ongoing investment in port infrastructure and passenger services, as well as close collaboration with our industry partners, which together have strengthened Malta’s appeal to cruise operators and passengers.”

Of the total passenger movements, 772,664 were transit visitors enjoying daytime visits ashore, while 190,302 were turnaround passengers beginning or ending their cruise in Malta.

Valletta Cruise Port was named the most beautiful port in the world in a study conducted by All Clear Insurance.

The company examined how visually attractive different cruise ports are and Valletta Cruise Port ranked first, receiving a perfect score of 100 percent.

The 2025 results build on momentum from 2024, when the port recorded more than 940,000 cruise passengers, exceeding the previous pre-pandemic high from 2019.

Funchal Sets New Record for Passenger Arrivals in November

Posted on by
Reply

The Port of Funchal set a new record last month with 145,232 cruise passengers, surpassing the previous peak of 108,221 passengers in December 2023.

This marks the highest passenger traffic in the port’s history, according to the Administration of Ports of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (APRAM, SA).

The port welcomed 63 cruise ship calls throughout the month, matching the record set in November 2012. However, passenger numbers this year surpassed the 90,327 recorded in 2012.

Additionally, November saw a significant increase in crew activity. A total of 58,685 crew members passed through Funchal and Porto Santo, surpassing last year’s record of 41,685. 

There was also a 50 per cent increase in cruise ship calls and a 57.68 per cent rise in passenger movement compared to November 2023. Madeira is on track to break last year’s record of over 624,000 passengers, having already welcomed 590,969 passengers and 221,391 crew members by November.

November was also a month of recognition for the Port of Funchal, which received the award for the World’s Best Cruise Terminal for Sustainability from the World Cruise Awards.

“It is extremely important for us that these international awards, which recognize the quality of our destination and port infrastructure, continue to be accompanied by these economic results. They represent a significant added value not only for us, as the Port Authority, but also for the entire regional business ecosystem,” said Paula Cabaço, president of APRAM’s Board of Directors. “We work for the benefit of the Region.”