Dover will kick-start its 2026 cruise season on Wednesday (1 April), with Viking Vela visiting for the first of 115 cruise calls throughout the 30th anniversary year of cruising in the port.
This season will also mark a fifth consecutive year of growth, with around 200,000 cruise guests, and 22 cruise lines sailing to and from the Garden of England for cruises exploring Northern Europe, the Norwegian Fjords, the Baltic Sea, and the British Isles.
The Port will see its first ever four cruise ship day in May, with the arrival of Celebrity Eclipse, Viking Sky, Ponant Le Bellot and HX Expeditions MS Fram, which will also host CLIA’s third Expedition Summit on board.
The second English Heritage and Azamara Cruises AzAmazing event will take place at Dover Castle on 2 July, following its success in 2025.
Peter Wright, Head of Cruise at the Port of Dover, said: “We will see an impressive range of ship size and style across the 22 cruise lines visiting, and are proud that they are all choosing us to help shape their own unique travel experiences.”
Other highlights include 18 double cruise ship days, two triple cruise ship days and six inaugural calls.
Holland America Line will once again operate a full season from Dover with Nieuw Statendam, six of Viking’s ocean ships will sail in for a large set of transit calls, and Carnival Cruise Line, Saga Cruises, AIDA and Seabourn will all return regularly throughout the season.
Karen Farndell of Holland America said: “After a hugely successful 2025, when we sailed across Europe from Dover for the first time in 10 years, Holland America will be back for an even longer season in 2026. And we’ll also be returning next year.”
2026 inaugural calls include Sapphire Princess, TUI Mein Schiff 2, Silversea Silver Spirit, MS Europa 2, Scenic Eclipse and Viking Mira.