May has marked a record month for cruise activity at the Port of Bilbao’s terminal in Getxo, with 18 cruise ship calls bringing over 18,000 tourists to the region.
The final vessel for the month is scheduled to arrive on 31 May.
Since the cruise season began in March, the Spanish port has welcomed 25 cruise ships and 32,643 passengers. The season is expected to run through December, with projections of more than 90 total stopovers.
Notably, five vessels have made overnight stays so far this year: Balmoral (Fred Olsen), Seadream II (Seadream), Star Pride (Windstar Cruises), Le Lapérouse (Ponant), and Europa (Hapag Lloyd).
In terms of promotion and outreach, the Port Authority of Bilbao participated in several major industry events this spring.
From 7 to 10 April, it took part in Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, where it attracted significant interest from international cruise operators. The Port Authority also attended the Cruise Europe Conference in Copenhagen from 6 to 8 May and participated in the Expovacaciones fair at the BEC from 9 to 11 May, showcasing Bilbao, Bizkaia, and the Basque Country as premier cruise destinations.
