Shipping lines count on Spanish ports for the 2025-2026 season
22 October, 2025Spain reinforces its position as a cruise tourism hotspot for 2025-2026. Spanish ports are the focus of a wave of new developments from the main shipping lines, which are extending routes and launching new generation ships.
Port cities are gaining weight as a shipping point thanks to their air connectivity, tourist services and capacity to receive state-of-the-art mega-ships.
Fuente: MSC Cruceros.
- Marella Cruises (TUI Group): will add Vigo as a new stopover, reinforcing Malaga in October 2026 with the Marella Explorer 2 and the Marella Discovery 2, with connections to the Canaries.
- Royal Caribbean: will maintain its base in Barcelona with the Harmony of the Seas, with stopovers in Palma de Mallorca and the Brilliance of the Seas. And in the summer of 2026, the Legend of the Seas ship will make its debut.
- Norwegian Cruise Line: will expand operations from Barcelona, with stops in Palma and Ibiza, and will debut Palamós with the Norwegian Gem.
- Costa Cruises: will offer Costa Toscana itineraries with stopovers in Barcelona, Alicante and Malaga. The Costa Smeralda will also offer stopovers in Barcelona.
- MSC Cruises: which has expanded its presence in Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga and this winter the MSC Musica will offer cruises from Tenerife, Gran Canaria and, for the first time, Lanzarote. In 2026, MSC World Asia will operate from Barcelona.
- TUI Cruises: will operate from Palma de Mallorca with the Mein Schiff Relax and plans to incorporate the Mein Schiff Flow in 2026, strengthening its presence in the Balearic Islands.