The Queen Anne cruise ship has docked for the first time at Santander port, arriving early in the morning at the Estación Marítima on the Almirante quay. The ship is carrying 3,350 passengers, predominantly British, along with 1,200 crew members.
During their stay in the Cantabrian capital, many passengers have taken part in excursions and tourist activities across the region. Others have chosen to explore Santander, enjoying its culinary and cultural offerings.
The vessel will remain in the city until 6 PM, when it is scheduled to set sail for Gijón, its next destination, after arriving from Bilbao.
Commemorative events
To mark this inaugural visit, representatives from Santander Cruise Deluxe—a brand jointly promoted by the Port Authority of Santander, the Government of Cantabria, and the Santander City Council to boost cruise tourism—presented a commemorative plaque to the ship's captain, Inger Thorhauge, along with several books about Santander and Cantabria for the ship's library.
Upcoming visits
On Friday, 6 November, Santander port will welcome the Ambition cruise ship from Ambassador Cruise Line. The final scheduled visit for this year will be from the Borealis, operated by Fred. Olsen, on 11 December.
As of September, the cruise traffic at Santander port has recorded 32 stops, which is 13 more than the same period in 2025, and 45,699 passengers, representing a 73% increase compared to the previous year. These figures suggest a historic season for cruise tourism in Santander.
The aim is to establish Santander as a key port for premium cruises in northern Spain, leveraging the significant potential of this segment to help diversify the tourism industry. In addition to being part of associations such as CLIA and Cruise Europe and participating in international trade fairs like Seatrade Miami, Seatrade Europe, and the International Cruise Summit, Santander Cruise Deluxe engages in various promotional activities throughout the year. These include familiarisation trips for cruise lines, the design of new tourist experiences, digitalisation campaigns, and the creation of specific promotional materials for the cruise sector.
