Aberdeen’s growing reputation as a leading tourism destination was bolstered last week as CruiseAberdeenshire hosted over 50 executives from Viking, ports and service providers from across the UK, while Port of Aberdeen announced a recent uptick in cruise calls for 2025.
An additional 7 cruise calls have recently been confirmed, bringing the total scheduled for 2025 to 70, an increase of over 40% compared to 2024. Over 48,000 cruise guests are expected to visit the North East of Scotland this year.
Newly confirmed calls for the 2025 season include returning visits from Ambassador Cruise Lines, Renaissance Cruises, and the polar expedition ship Plancius from Antarctica Cruises. Additionally, Grand Circle Cruise Line has increased its schedule with five extra calls from its Corinthian vessel.
Viking Jupiter departing South Harbour 29 May (credit: Mark Masson Photography)
Bob Sanguinetti, CEO, Port of Aberdeen, said: “Our investment in Aberdeen South Harbour has been a game-changer, unlocking substantial new opportunities for the cruise sector. This expansion is one of the key reasons behind the significant increase in cruise calls we’re seeing.
“We’re proud to provide cruise operators with a seamless, high-quality experience backed by first-class infrastructure and exceptional customer service. The fact that many cruise lines are returning from 2024 with booked calls this season shows we’re on the right track, and we’re excited to welcome even more visitors to discover everything Aberdeen and the wider region have to offer.”
The news follows another major milestone for the region, when Aberdeen became the first Scottish city to host Cruise Britain’s prestigious Annual Summer Event on 4 – 5 June. Over 50 leading cruise industry professionals gathered in the city for a two-day gathering which has previously been held in key cruise destinations such as Portsmouth and Belfast.
Cruise Britain Summer Event on 4 June – (credit: Port of Aberdeen)
Ian McQuade, chair of Cruise Britain said: “Cruise Britain has been delighted to be able to hold our annual summer event in Aberdeen this year. The summer meeting has been touring Britain for several years now and it was an absolute pleasure to bring the association to Scotland for the first time.
“Working across the whole of the UK, it is really important that Cruise Britain showcase the wide and varied locations of our broad membership and discuss the opportunities and challenges in every region and nation.”
Cruise Britain guests explored Aberdeen’s vibrant city, enjoying NuArt street art, the award-winning Maritime Museum, and a visit to the historic Crathes Castle with local food and highland cows.
Raeanne Verlegh, Business Development Manager, The National Trust for Scotland said: “We’re so excited to have had Cruise Britain and their delegates in Aberdeen this summer, and even more so to be hosting their welcome dinner at the stunning Crathes Castle.
“Cruise passengers are such an important and growing audience for us, so it’s fantastic to see the spotlight on the North East and everything it has to offer.”
The event conference was then held aboard the impressive Viking Saturn at the port’s South Harbour, highlighting the city’s growing role as a key destination and meeting place for the UK tourism industry.
Since the 2025 season launched in April with Viking, Port of Aberdeen has welcomed five of the sixteen scheduled calls from the major cruise line - the Viking Vela, Sky, and Jupiter - bringing nearly 5,000 visitors to Aberdeen.
Viking Saturn berthed at South Harbour on 5 June (credit: Mark Masson Photography)
Wendy Atkin-Smith, Managing Director of Viking UK said: “We were proud to be part of this special event, especially as Aberdeen is the first host city in Scotland, and we were pleased to welcome fellow industry professionals on board our ocean ship, the Viking Saturn.
“It has been delightful to see our culturally curious guests immersing themselves in the rich history and maritime heritage of Aberdeen since Viking’s inaugural visit here in April and we appreciate the warm welcome from the local community. With so much to offer, from the local art offering to the thriving culinary scene, we are looking forward to introducing more travellers to the region in the future.”
Chris Foy, CEO, VisitAberdeenshire, said: “We were delighted to welcome Cruise Britain members to Aberdeen for their first ever summer event in Scotland. This is the latest tourism sector event to be hosted in Aberdeen, following on from VisitScotland Connect, the STA Signature Conference and UKInbound’s annual convention.
“A further demonstration that the North-east is not only a destination where tourists want to visit, but also where the UK tourism industry wants to meet.”