Strong cruise passenger numbers in 2024 and ambitious expectations for 2025

2024 was an impressive year for cruise at Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) – and 2025 looks even better. The year 2024 exceeded expectations for cruise passenger numbers, with a total just short of 1 million guests across Malmö, Visby and Copenhagen. In 2025, CMP expects to surpass the 1 million mark.

2024 guest figures break down to nearly 170,000 passengers in Visby, more than 818,000 in Copenhagen and 1,700 in Malmö. The total number of calls was 280 in Copenhagen, 102 in Visby, and 3 in Malmö. Notably, 106 of the calls in Copenhagen were turn-around calls, and 26 ships chose to spend at least one night in the Danish capital.

2024 confirmed Copenhagen's status as an all-year cruise destination, with calls in every month of the year for the first time. Visby also drew arrivals during a long season from April through October and again around Christmas in December. The year saw a significant number of maiden calls, with 9 in Copenhagen and 11 in Visby, highlighting the deployment of newer and more efficient ships to the region. Additionally, Copenhagen was honored with the World Travel Award as Europe's Leading Cruise Port 2024. Germans were the single largest group of cruise guests in both Copenhagen and Visby, with Europeans in general being very frequent passengers on the cruise ships calling at CMP in 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025, CMP expects to surpass 1 million passengers distributed over 403 calls. A total of 14 maiden calls, where a ship calls a port for the first time, are expected throughout the year. Copenhagen and Visby are expected to continue their strong performance, with 850,000 passengers and 295 calls anticipated in Copenhagen, and 172,000 passengers and 105 calls expected in Visby. Copenhagen is set to host 107 turn-around calls, as well as reaffirming its status as an all-year cruise destination with the first calls of the year received already on January 3rd 2025. Guests on turn-around calls, who embark or disembark the ship, are in general spending more money in Copenhagen as well as supporting the city as a regional transport hub.

“While extremely satisfied with the year 2024 that exceeded expectations, we look forward to yet another exciting year ahead in 2025, with a solid and increasing number of calls and passengers expected in Copenhagen and Visby, as well as the inauguration of Copenhagen’s major cruise shore-power facility. A strong cruise sector and an extensive cruise season means positive economic impact for the local business and communities,” says Luis De Carvalho, Commercial Cruise Director at Copenhagen Malmö Port.

One of Europe’s largest shore-power facilities will become operational in 2025 in Copenhagen, with five connection points at Oceankaj and Langelinie, enabling ships to turn off auxiliary engines while at quay. The facility is expected to reach full capacity by 2028. CMP has provided shore power to the ferry between Oslo and Copenhagen since 2021. The terminals at Langelinie will be fully operational again in 2025, ready for shore-power and direct sewage connection, after a thorough renovation and expansion that respects the historic details of this iconic pier. 2025 will also be the year when CMP aim to reach net-zero CO2-emissions in own operations.

The strong strategic collaboration across the value chain in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the region will continue through Cruise Denmark – Copenhagen and Beyond, as well as Cruise Baltic and Cruise Europe, strengthening the Baltic as a region for responsible cruise tourism. In May 2025, Copenhagen will host the prestigious Cruise Europe annual conference, marking the 33rd year since the city hosted the first-ever Cruise Europe conference in 1992.

For additional information, please contact:

Ulrika Prytz Rugfelt, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Copenhagen Malmö Port AB E-mail: ulrika.prytz@cmport.com, Telephone: +46 (0)70 252 00 98.

Luis De Carvalho, Commercial Cruise Director, Copenhagen Malmö Port AB E-mail: luis.decarvalho@cmport.com, Telephone: +45 22 21 01 31.