Madeira forecasts close to 820 thousand cruise passengers
Dock reservations through year-end point to 349 cruise ship calls, according to the Port Authority of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
The Port Authority of the Autonomous Region of Madeira forecasts movement close to 820 thousand cruise passengers and close to 350 ship calls, or 349, based on dock reservations through the end of the year.
If confirmed, the projection would represent a new historical high in 2026, with passenger numbers rising by almost 10% and port calls increasing by 5.4% compared with 2025. Madeira recorded 746 thousand cruise passengers and 331 calls in 2025.
The authority said the forecast remains provisional because weather conditions or changes to ship itineraries could affect the final figures.
For October, 33 port calls and more than 75,000 passengers were already booked. Following stops by Amadea and Norwegian Escape, Iona and Nieuw Statendam were scheduled to visit on October 7th, with Blatas handling both ships. Together, Iona and Nieuw Statendam were expected to bring more than 10,000 passengers and crew to spend the day in Madeira.