“Cruise tourism in the North-east is on the crest of a wave” – Chris Foy, VisitAberdeenshire
The Port of Aberdeen is celebrating another record cruise season, with visitor numbers up by more than a quarter and bookings now extending to 2033.
Bosses said 2026 marked a step change for the port with almost half of its 71 cruise calls involving vessels measuring 220 metres or longer. Combined gross tonnage increased by 24 per cent to almost 2.5 million.
The 294m-long Norwegian Star was one of 13 maiden calls and set a new benchmark as the longest vessel ever to visit the Granite City facility.
Cruise lines operated across expedition, luxury, premium and mainstream markets, and Viking was Aberdeen’s busiest cruise line with 21 calls throughout the season. In total, visitor numbers were up 26 per cent on last year at around 54,000.
Bob Sanguinetti, chief executive of the Port of Aberdeen, said: “Cruise tourism is creating an ocean of opportunity for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, bringing visitors from around the world and supporting local businesses. We’re working closely with VisitAberdeenshire and regional stakeholders to bring new cruise lines to the region and strengthen relationships with our existing operators.”
The tourism boost brought additional footfall and spending in local attractions, shops and hospitality businesses across the region.
VisitAberdeenshire’s “Welcome to Aberdeenshire” volunteer programme continued to go from strength to strength. The programme’s 42 volunteers contributed 1,250 hours throughout the season, providing a quayside welcome and advice to cruise guests.
Through the CruiseAberdeenshire partnership, Port of Aberdeen and VisitAberdeenshire promoted the destination at industry events across the UK and in Gran Canaria, Miami and Reykjavik.
Chris Foy, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire, said: “Cruise tourism in the North-east is on the crest of a wave with the increased demand to visit our region throughout 2026.
“From the early business development stage, all the way through to the guest experience on the day, the CruiseAberdeenshire project continues to raise the profile and reputation of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, delivering new business today and inspiring future visits for tomorrow.”
The wider value of cruise tourism to Scotland was highlighted in recent research by Oxford Economics, which found it generated £343 million for the economy in 2023.