Over half of cruise ships at Malaga Port are in the luxurious category

Malaga has solidified its position as a luxury cruise destination at the Seatrade Cruise Global trade fair in Miami this month. The event brought together 11,000 professionals from over 125 countries, more than 70 cruise lines and 650 exhibitors, including destinations, ports, cruise line operators, equipment manufacturers, shipbuilders and service providers.

Seatrade Cruise Global is the world's leading gathering in the sector, facilitating connections between cruise lines and operators. During the fair, Malaga Port announced that more than half of its port calls are now luxury vessels, highlighting the advantage of having a dock located just minutes from the city's main thoroughfare: Calle Larios. This proximity to the historic centres of major cities worldwide is a unique feature that places the port in a top position.

The meetings with tour operators and cruise lines at the trade fair served as a follow-up to the promotional activities in the US in February. Malaga Port used the opportunity to highlight the maiden voyage of the Four Season I cruise ship, which started from the Costa del Sol capital.

"Thanks to such meetings, the Malaga delegation consolidates its position in the international cruise market, strengthening the trust major cruise lines have in the destination," head of the Port Authority Carlos Rubio said.

The Port Authority of Malaga said that "participation in Seatrade Cruise Global 2026, together with the actions previously developed in the US, allows progress in attracting new port calls and boosting base traffic, contributing to the sustainable growth of cruise tourism and the economic impact on the city, the province and the region as a whole".

Malaga city council highlighted the importance of conversations with "the main international shipping companies and other key stakeholders in the sector" to address "issues such as cruise schedules and the possibility of increasing operations in Malaga".

The event also provided an opportunity for the capital of the Costa del Sol to showcase the destination's offerings in terms of culture, events, gastronomy and tourism products.

Managing Director of Turismo Costa del Sol Antonio Díaz also believes that participation in the event "further positions the Costa del Sol as a competitive and attractive destination internationally". He recognises the collaboration of various institutions and companies in "showcasing a solid offering tailored to the sector's demands".

The Port of Malaga closed 2025 with its best year for cruises in the last 15 years. It registered a 21 per cent increase in cruise passenger arrivals, exceeding 570,000. Of these, 40 per cent arrived on luxury ships, which confirms the success of the Malaga Port Authority's strategy to position itself on the global map of premium cruises. This strategy allows the port to attract more sustainable and smaller ships with fewer passengers, but with greater spending power.

Data from the Port Authority indicates that a total of 215 cruise ships that docked last year, out of a total of 331 calls, belonged to the 'premium' segment. These ships carried nearly 220,000 passengers, with November and June seeing the highest activity from this more exclusive visitor segment, with approximately 34,513 and 32,392 passengers, respectively. Port officials say that "this is the core strategy, alongside promoting homeport calls".