This year's cruise season at Port of Gdańsk will officially begin on May 1st, with a total of 68 vessels scheduled to call this year — six more than in 2025. The first to arrive will be the regular visitor, MS Hamburg.

The cruise ship Hamburg is a familiar sight in Gdańsk, often opening or closing the tourist season. The vessel measures 144 metres in length, just over 21 metres in beam, with a gross tonnage of 12,067. Built in 1997, it can carry up to 420 passengers. It is scheduled to berth at the Westerplatte Quay on 1 May, with further visits on 27 May and 24 September.

Following Hamburg, the 70-year-old passenger vessel Nordstjernen will call at the port. Built and launched in 1956 at Blohm+Voss for Norwegian operator Hurtigruten, the ship measures nearly 81 metres in length with a 12-metre beam, accommodating 104 passengers. It underwent extensive refurbishments in 2000 and 2013 for exclusive Arctic operations, reaching ports inaccessible to larger vessels, while retaining its classic Atlantic character. Nordstjernen is set to return to Gdańsk on 4 May after completing its winter lay-up.

The most frequent visitor this year will be the smaller cruise ship Clio, scheduled to berth eight times at WOC Quay — up from seven calls last year. Built in 1998 at Alstom Leroux Naval, the vessel measures 100 metres long, 14 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of 3,504 and can carry up to 89 passengers. Clio sails under the Maltese flag to European, American and Caribbean ports and is owned by Grand Circle Cruise Line.

The largest cruise ship to visit this year will be the 250-metre Crystal Serenity, flying the Bahamian flag. It is scheduled to berth at Oliwa Quay twice — on 18 July and 8 August — accommodating 1,040 passengers and 655 crew.

A highlight for cruise enthusiasts is expected on Saturday, 8 August, when four ships are scheduled to call: Le Champlain (131 m), Scenic Eclipse II (168 m), Crystal Serenity (250 m) and Viking Vela (239 m).

Each year, thousands of passengers arriving on luxury cruise ships contribute to the local economy, visiting landmarks such as Westerplatte, the Royal Route, Artus Court, St Mary’s Basilica, Oliwa Cathedral, Malbork Castle, the European Solidarity Centre, the Amber Museum and the Museum of the Second World War, generating an estimated USD 3–5 million annually for the city.

The record for the most cruise ship calls remains 2022, when 79 vessels carrying 29,500 passengers visited the port.