Record cruise passenger numbers in Malta in 2025
Valletta Cruise Port announced its cruise traffic results for the full 2025 season, reporting continued growth in both passenger numbers and ship calls. The year’s performance underscores the port’s importance as a key global cruise destination and reflects strong demand from international cruise lines and travellers.
2025 Highlights
- Total Cruise Calls: 385 vessels called at Valletta Cruise Port in 2025, an increase of 8% compared to 357 calls in 2024.
- Total Passenger Movements: A record 962,966 passengers passed through the port in 2025, surpassing the previous year’s 940,915 — an increase of 2.3% year-on-year.
- Transit vs Turnaround: Of the total passenger movements 772,664 were transit visitors enjoying daytime visits ashore, while 190,302 were turnaround passengers beginning or ending their cruise in Malta. This places continued emphasis on Valletta’s appeal as a vibrant port-of-call destination.
These figures demonstrate the port’s growing appeal, maintaining passenger traffic near the historic peak levels seen in recent years and reinforcing Valletta’s standing in the global cruise industry.
Driving Growth and Passenger Experience
Valletta Cruise Port’s performance in 2025 builds on the momentum from 2024, when the port recorded more than 940,000 cruise passengers — itself a record year that exceeded the previous pre-pandemic high from 2019.
“The sustained growth recorded in 2025 reflects Valletta’s strong positioning within the Mediterranean cruise market. Malta’s unique combination of rich cultural heritage and close proximity to other key destinations continues to make Valletta an attractive and highly sought-after cruise port. This performance is further supported by ongoing investment in port infrastructure and passenger services, as well as close collaboration with our industry partners, which together have strengthened Malta’s appeal to cruise operators and passengers,” commented Stephen Xuereb, COO of Global Ports Holding and CEO of Valletta Cruise Port.
“Our port has also been recognized as “The Most Beautiful Port in the World” in a study conducted by All Clear Insurance. This is something frequently highlighted by ship captains, crew, and passengers alike. In this case, the company scientifically examined how visually attractive different cruise ports are — and Valletta Cruise Port ranked first as the most beautiful port, with our port receiving a perfect score of 100%,” continued Mr. Xuereb.
Outlook for 2026 and Beyond
Looking ahead, Valletta Cruise Port expects continued engagement with global cruise lines and anticipates further enhancements to its cruising offer in 2026. The port remains focused on sustainable growth, quality service delivery, and delivering memorable experiences for visitors from around the world.
About Valletta Cruise Port
Fresh from celebrating its 20th anniversary from the start of cruise operations, award-winning Valletta Cruise Port Malta is a key port of call and a thriving homeport, with a strategic location in the central Mediterranean. It offers a safe haven for ships and a variety of 24/7 support services. Valletta’s quays are ISPS-compliant and can handle the largest cruise vessels. Shore-side operations are complemented by various shops, cafes, restaurants and other amenities situated opposite the berthing quays on the Valletta Waterfront. A signatory to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, Valletta Cruise Port has also been awarded the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
For more information, please visit: www.vallettacruiseport.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About Global Ports Holding
Global Ports Holding (GPH) is the world’s largest cruise port operator with an established presence in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Asia-Pacific regions. Established in 2004 as an independent cruise port operator, GPH holds a unique position in the cruise port landscape as the world’s largest & leading cruise port brand. GPH operates 32 cruise ports in 19 countries, providing services for over 20 million cruise passengers annually.
For more information, please visit: www.globalportsholding.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
