In Copenhagen, Malmö, and Visby, the cruise segment continues to show resilience and significant growth potential. The trends for 2026 reflect a clear focus on extended seasons, more turnaround calls, shore power, and new vessels in operation – further strengthening the region's strategic importance in the European cruise market.
The 2025 cruise season in Copenhagen developed as anticipated, with 316 calls and nearly 866,500 passengers. Additional calls were registered as a result of ship movements from other regions, underscoring Copenhagen's role as an important hub in Northern Europe.
Looking ahead to 2026, Copenhagen anticipates a slight increase in passenger numbers, with an expected 880,000 passengers, and continued consolidation, with 312 cruise ship calls. A clear trend is the increase in turnaround calls — where ships begin and end their voyages and change passengers. The number will increase by 10 % from 111 in 2025 to 122 in 2026, which means more hours for guests in the city and increased spending. The season will also be characterised by more port calls outside the traditional summer months, as well as a stable number of overnight stays.
Visby's 2025 season met expectations, with 100 calls and 160,500 passengers. For 2026, stable levels are anticipated, with figures mirroring 2025 and a continued expansion of the cruise season. The forecast for 2026 is 105 calls and 165,000 passengers.
Malmö developed as expected during 2025, with 3 calls and 1,670 passengers. For 2026, Malmö faces significant growth, with a total of 17 calls – including 10 turnaround calls – and a total of 8,800 guests, demonstrating Malmö's appeal as both a transit and turnaround destination.
Cruise ship calls during the colder months — October 2025 to April 2026 — are expected to increase by more than 35 % across the destinations (from 64 to 88). Finally, 20 maiden calls — a record for CMP — signal the arrival of new ships and vessels entering service in the region.
The shore power facility for cruise ships, developed by By & Havn, opened in Copenhagen in the summer of 2025 and is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Shore power enables ships to switch off their auxiliary engines whilst berthed, thereby reducing noise and emissions. In 2025, a total of 88 ship calls were connected to shore power. In 2026, 183 port calls are expected to be connected. This means that 79 % of all cruise passengers arriving in Copenhagen will be travelling on ships using shore power. Copenhagen’s shore power facility is expected to reach full capacity in 2028, but the current capacity is well in line with actual demand.
”We look forward to a strong year in 2026 as well, with stable figures, more first-time calls and turnaround calls, and a continued increase in vessels during the colder months. CMP’s shore power facility is well dimensioned to meet existing demand and the expected increase in connections. Our pricing incentives will continue to support the use of shore power. The high proportion of cruise guests arriving on vessels connected to shore power in 2026 is proof of the joint commitment from the city, the network Cruise Denmark – Copenhagen and Beyond, the port, and our valuable shipping partners to accelerate the use of shore power,” says Luis De Carvalho, Commercial Cruise Director, Copenhagen Malmö Port.
CMP encourages the use of shore power by offering a discount on harbour fees for vessels that choose to connect. Furthermore, electricity is billed based on actual consumption at spot prices, ensuring competitive pricing. Shore power will become mandatory by law in 2030, when cruise ships will be required to connect and ports will be obliged to offer shore power connections.
According to the press release.
