Competition is Increasing in Europe’s Cruise Hubs: The Real Value is in Homeport Passengers

Europe’s major cruise ports host millions of passengers. However, the true value of a port in the industry is not solely based on the number of ships and passengers.

Ports like Southampton, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Hamburg, Kiel, Piraeus, and Copenhagen share a common feature: they are strong in homeport/turnaround operations where the journey begins or ends, in addition to accepting transit ships.

According to a compilation by Turizm Güncel sourced from Forbes, these seven ports are highlighted as significant centers for cruise travel in Europe. The noteworthy aspect from a B2B perspective is that despite being located in different geographies, the ports have developed a similar competitive model: strong air and land connections, high terminal capacity, infrastructure suitable for large ships, and a tourism ecosystem that allows passengers to spend time in the destination before or after their journey.

Southampton is One of Europe’s Strongest Departure Hubs

According to data from the UK Department for Transport, in 2025, there were 3.1 million passenger movements recorded for international cruise journeys starting or ending at UK ports.

Of this, 2.6 million, or 86%, occurred through Southampton.

This figure explains Southampton’s strength.

The port does not only welcome ships calling at England; many passengers check in their luggage here, board the ship, and disembark again after the journey.

This movement;

hotel,

taxi and transfer,

restaurant,

airport connections,

luggage services

and ship supply

brings economic activity to many ancillary sectors.

Therefore, for a cruise port, "2 million passengers arrived" does not create the same economic impact as "2 million passengers started or ended their journey here."

Civitavecchia Surpasses 3.5 Million Passengers

Civitavecchia, used as Rome’s cruise gateway, reached a historic record in 2025.

According to official port authority data, 3,556,559 cruise passengers passed through the port throughout the year. Of these, 1,829,701 were transit passengers, and 1,726,858 were turnaround passengers boarding or disembarking from the ship. The port had 862 cruise calls.

This distribution elevates Civitavecchia beyond being just a port for day-trippers to Rome.

With approximately 1.73 million passengers starting or ending their journey there, it creates a separate market for accommodation, transfers, and pre/post cruise tour packages in the Rome and Lazio region.

However, Civitavecchia’s disadvantage is that the port is not located in the center of Rome.

Passengers need to plan additional transfers from the airport or from Rome. This distance creates operational challenges on one hand, while on the other hand, it creates a separate commercial area for transfer companies and pre-cruise accommodation.

Barcelona Focuses on Passenger Type Rather Than Total Numbers

A notable point in Barcelona’s strategy is that it does not measure growth solely by the total number of cruises.

According to the 2025 results from Port de Barcelona, the number of cruise passengers who actually disembarked to visit Barcelona was 2,351,002. The port also reports that 58% of total cruise movements were from base-port passengers boarding or disembarking from the ship.

The port management clearly emphasizes that this passenger group brings more economic value to the city.

The logic is simple.

A transit passenger disembarks in the morning, stays in the city for a few hours, and returns to the ship in the evening.

A turnaround passenger arrives by plane, may use a transfer, can stay one or several nights in a hotel, carries luggage, uses restaurants, and can spend more time in the city before or after their journey.

Therefore, the port strategy is beginning to discuss local economic contribution per visitor rather than just total passenger numbers.

In Hamburg, 38% of Cruise Passengers Stay Overnight

Hamburg is one of the significant examples where this effect can be measured.

According to Hamburg Port Authority data, the port recorded 1,416,715 cruise passengers and 295 ship calls in 2025.

According to the port’s passenger survey, passengers who start and end their journey in Hamburg spend an average of 133.59 euros in the city. 38% of cruise guests stay at least one night in Hamburg before or after their journey. In 2016, this rate was 20%.

This data illustrates why homeport investment is important for the city’s hospitality sector.

For a cruise port to create value for hotels, it is not enough for the ship to arrive at the port.

The guest needs to spend a night in the city before boarding the ship.

Kiel Invests in Shore Power Alongside Growth

Kiel Port served 1.11 million passengers during 187 cruise calls in 2025. The number of passengers increased by 5% compared to the previous year.

For 2026, 212 cruise calls and approximately 1.2 million passengers are expected.

Kiel’s competitive strategy highlights the environmental aspect of infrastructure.

The port reports that it has invested over 50 million euros in shore power infrastructure in recent years and has reached the capacity to supply shore power to three ocean-going cruise ships simultaneously.

This issue will become a more significant part of port competition in the coming years.

Cruise companies will have to look not only at terminal capacity but also at the technical infrastructure that can comply with new emission regulations.

Piraeus is Increasing its Homeport Weight in the Eastern Mediterranean

Piraeus Port reached a historic peak with approximately 1.86 million cruise passengers in 2025. The port operator PPA evaluates this result as a strengthening of Piraeus’s position as a cruise hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Piraeus has a strong geographical advantage.

Athens.

Greek islands.

Aegean.

Turkish ports.

Eastern Mediterranean.

Can be combined within the same route.

Therefore, Piraeus’s homeport growth is also significant for Turkey. Istanbul, Kuşadası, and other Turkish ports can serve as transit stops in Eastern Mediterranean programs starting from Piraeus.

However, in the long term, the higher economic value for Turkey can be generated not only by accommodating these ships but also by enabling more ships to start or end their journeys in Turkey.

Copenhagen is Increasing Turnaround Numbers

The 2025 season in Copenhagen concluded with 316 cruise calls and approximately 866,500 passengers.

For 2026, 880,000 passengers and 312 ship calls are expected. An even more notable figure is the planned increase of turnaround voyages from 111 to 122, representing an approximate growth of 10%.

Copenhagen Malmö Port particularly notes that turnaround passengers spend more time in the city and create higher spending.

This approach summarizes the common strategy of European ports:

More ships are not always the sole goal.

Ship movements that leave a higher local economic value are becoming increasingly important.

The Cruise Market Continues to Grow in Europe

According to CLIA data, in 2025, 8.9 million Europeans embarked on ocean-going cruise journeys. This figure represents a 5.3% increase compared to 8.4 million passengers in 2024.

Europe is also a major cruise destination and production center.

CLIA reports the total impact of the cruise sector on the European economy as 64 billion euros for 2024, with a GDP contribution of 28.3 billion euros. These figures should not be considered independent public statistics as they are economic impact data from the industry organization CLIA.

The Mediterranean, in particular, maintains a strong position in European source markets. In 2025, 34.5% of those cruising from the UK and Ireland preferred Mediterranean routes.

For Turkey, the Race is Bigger Than Passenger Numbers

The total number of passengers is naturally important in Turkey’s cruise strategy.

However, examples from Europe show that the next goal should not only be more ship calls.

Transit passengers are valuable.

However, homeport passengers can create a broader economic chain in the destination.

Hotel overnight stays.

Airport.

Transfers.

Restaurants.

Luggage.

Ground services.

Ship supply.

Tours and experiences.

Therefore, destinations like Istanbul, which have strong air connections, high hotel capacity, and a large pool of tourist products, should be particularly monitored for homeport ratios.

In strong transit ports like Kuşadası, the goal may be to spread passenger spending outside the port over several hours more widely in the city’s economy.

Stafflink’s View

In our opinion, the most meaningful KPI in the European cruise market is no longer just “how many passengers arrived?”

The more accurate questions are:

How many started their journey here?

How many stayed in a hotel?

How much did they spend in the city?

How many used independent restaurants and local businesses?

How much of the ship’s supply was sourced locally?

How was the traffic and environmental burden managed on the city as the port grew?

The scale of Southampton, the turnaround volume of Civitavecchia, Barcelona’s base-port focus, and Hamburg’s overnight data all point to the same conclusion.

Real competition in cruise tourism is built not on bringing the ship to the port, but on retaining the economic value created by the ship in the destination.