The Port of Southampton is preparing for its first ‘five ship’ call in a day next month after a strong start to the year.
A number of cruise lines had ships depart on world cruises and longer itineraries in January while 18 ships were handled in March alone.
Brands visiting the port included Aida, P&O Cruises, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The port also hosted its first new cruise ship for 2025 – NCL’s Norwegian Aqua on its maiden voyage.
The ship was commissioned for shore power during the visit, enabling it to achieve zero emissions when in port.
The positive start after a record 2024 “positions the port well” to showcase its capabilities, partnerships, and infrastructure at the Seatrade Cruise Global exhibition in Miami on April 7-10 – the 40th anniversary of the event.
Rebekah Keeler, cruise strategy manager at Southampton port owner ABP, said: “2025 will be another fantastic year. We already have more ship calls planned, and the highest number of shore power connections confirmed.
“We continue to see growth in the global cruise sector, and Southampton is leading the way for the UK and northern Europe.
“As a port city, Southampton has welcomed cruise liners since the 1800s, and we are proud to continue offering cruises from Southampton, maintaining our position on the cruise circuit.”