25-05-2025
From Cornwall to Qatar, these are the world's next cruise ship hotspots
For every destination that accuses cruise ships of swamping them with too many visitors, it's easy to forget there are others enthusiastically rolling out the red carpet to attract ships in greater numbers.
Cultivating such business can be a boon for fledgling ports keen to establish their tourism credentials as it brings worthwhile rewards, primarily by helping to boost their local economies.
Cruise Lines International Association estimates that each passenger is worth £100 per day and in turnaround ports, where cruises start or finish, the figure is higher as guests often tag on hotel stays.
For destinations that are otherwise relatively inaccessible, cruise calls can be a lucrative lifeline and even for seasoned hubs, there's much to be said for spreading the benefits where visiting cruise ships can help to extend the tourist season.
British ambitions
While Europe is a traditional cruising ground, popular holiday spots Cyprus and Madeira are two islands that have made their cruising ambitions clear with plans to woo more cruise companies to their shores.
Another is the UK, already an established cruise hub that saw around two million passengers step ashore on a record number of port calls last year that topped 2,500.
Cruise Britain, which represents around 45 of the country's ports and destinations, said smaller ports such as Fowey and Dartmouth were eyeing more ship calls, along with Aberdeen and Belfast, while investing in infrastructure and developing a broader range of shore excursions to cater for visitors.
New hotspots
However, it is further afield that countries are looking at how they can jump on the cruise bandwagon.
India, which is known for voyages along the holy waters of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers, has designated cruise tourism a priority.
As part of a bid to position itself as a global destination for river and ocean voyages it is capitalising on its vast coastline and extensive network of inland waterways. New passenger terminals are planned for a string of ports, spearheaded by the country's largest cruise terminal, which opened in Mumbai in April 2025.
Bali is another with its eyes on the cruising prize. The tropical isle has long been an embarkation point for sailings into the Komodo National Park and other Indonesian archipelagos, but now hopes to become a major cruise hub.
This is an ambition shared by the Philippines, which wants to capitalise on the undiscovered allure of the thousands of islands in the republic's waters to appeal to ships of all sizes, with potential for some to base themselves in Manila.
Luxury line Seabourn reports that most destinations in the South Pacific, notably Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and French Polynesia, are actively seeking more cruise calls, especially from smaller expedition vessels.
Qatar calling
The Arabian Gulf is another area coming to the fore where authorities in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar are pumping millions of pounds into upgrading cruise facilities and forging partnerships with lines such as Celestyal and MSC Cruises which both base ships there.
'It's an exciting time for cruises in the region as it's still relatively new,' said Celestyal's chief commercial officer Lee Haslett. 'Cruising offers a unique way to explore multiple countries in one trip and Doha and the United Arab Emirates are perfectly positioned for this and for guests looking for winter sun.'
Even the world's cruise capital, Florida, isn't resting on its laurels, with Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Tampa Bay adding new multi-million pound terminals.
'Port Canaveral continues to surprise us with just how much it's grown and it has become one of the most exciting places to start a cruise in Florida,' said Chris Gray Faust, US editor of cruise review site Cruise Critic.'Galveston [in Texas] used to be a secondary US port and now it's a major player with its new terminal opening later this year.'
Under-the-radar
Boutique line Windstar Cruises says it is regularly courted by ports wanting to increase cruise business.
'As a destination-focused cruise line we want to find new ports that can provide variety for our guests and make our itineraries stand out with new experiences and new locations,' explained head of UK & Ireland sales Augustus Lonsdale.
In Norway, the fjord town of Haugesund, rich in Viking heritage, along with Trondeim and the little-known isle of Froya have recently slipped into Windstar itineraries accompanied by the southern Italian ports of Taranto and Reggio Calabria.
Further afield, Tomonoura in Japan, described as an old-fashioned fishing town whose more recent claim to fame was as a location for Marvel superhero film The Wolverine, has also made its debut.
Lonsdale accepts that Windstar's small ship status means destinations do not require the same level of infrastructure as large vessels and he expects further growth from the South Pacific along with Central and South America.
'The places we've added are interesting because they show there are still classic cruise destinations, such as Italy and Norway, with new areas to share and they are still being proactive. It's not just new countries to cruise,' he concluded.
