11 December 2025
Dover Cruise is preparing for a bumper season in 2026 after a milestone year. Recent investment has seen the Kent port enhance its facilities and infrastructure, paving the way for a larger range of cruise ships and lines to visit. Upgrades to mooring capabilities mean that it can now welcome vessels of up to 350m loa, and a new state-of-the-art passenger boarding facility in the historic Cruise Terminal 1 will be operational in 2027.
AIDA, Carnival, Holland America Line, Saga, Seabourn, and Viking all sailed in regularly for turnaround and transit calls, and the Port marked seven inaugural calls.
In June 2025, Azamara Cruises and English Heritage hosted the first ever AzAmazing event at Dover Castle, with a second event confirmed for next summer. CLIA has also recently announced plans to host its third Expedition Summit on May 8, 2026 on board the HX Expeditions ship MS Fram in Dover.
Peter Wright, Head of Cruise at the Port of Dover said: “The success of Dover Cruise this year is a real testament to our position as one of the UK’s leading cruise ports, as seen on national primetime TV for Dover 24/7: Britain’s Busiest Port and Holland America Line’s Supercruising: Life at Sea.
With upgrades to our two dedicated cruise terminals bringing in a larger variety of cruise ships, industry leading events being hosted here, and further growth planned for the future, we are excited to celebrate more landmark moments throughout our 30th anniversary year.”