Canary Islands cruise surge outpaces national growth
The ports of Santa Cruz de Tenerife welcomed a staggering 893,594 cruise passengers between January and July, representing a massive 33.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Not to be outdone, the ports in Las Palmas recorded an impressive 1,193,918 passengers, a rise of 23.8%. This remarkable growth in the Canary Islands far exceeds the national average, positioning the archipelago as a powerhouse of cruise tourism.
Spain’s national cruise trends
Across Spain, ports received 7.5 million cruise passengers through July, which is a 16.5% year-on-year increase. A total of 2,796 ships called into port during this period—505 more than the previous year, marking a 22% surge. When combining both regular ferry lines and cruise traffic, the country’s total maritime passenger traffic reached 22.9 million. This includes 15.4 million passengers on regular ferry routes (a 2.2% increase) and the aforementioned cruise figures, resulting in an overall growth of 6.5% compared to 2024.
July’s record-breaking numbers
The month of July alone saw total passenger numbers hit 5.2 million. Of these, nearly 4 million travelled on regular ferry services (a slight decrease of 0.3%), while 1.3 million arrived by cruise ship, a significant 11.7% jump according to data published by Puertos del Estado (State Ports). This surge was supported by 328 cruise ships docking in Spain throughout the month, a 15% year-on-year growth.
Top ports for cruise passengers
Of the 7.5 million cruise passengers arriving in Spanish ports so far this year, the majority disembarked at the Port of Barcelona, which welcomed 2.1 million visitors—a 12% increase from 2024. This was followed by the ports in the Balearic Islands (1.4 million, +9.4%), Las Palmas (1.2 million, +23.8%), and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (893,594, +33.4%). In July, Barcelona again led with 453,131 cruise passengers, a figure consistent with the previous year, followed by the Balearic Islands with 354,643.
Where the ships are docking
Looking at ship calls over the first seven months, the ports that received the most cruises were Las Palmas (459 calls, +31%), Barcelona (463 calls, +16.3%), the Balearic Islands (428 calls, +12%), and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (402 calls, +34%). The monthly breakdown for July shows the Balearic Islands received 84 vessels, followed by Barcelona with 79. The bays of Cádiz, Valencia, and Málaga received 28, 27, and 21 ships, respectively. In contrast, Santa Cruz de Tenerife saw only three cruise ship arrivals in July, and Las Palmas received two.
