This Sunday, 2 August, the MSC Virtuosa, the Norwegian Dawn and the Viking Star docked at the port of Tarragona

Tarragona Cruise Port has already recorded 37 port calls and over 68,000 passengers since the season began. 

Looking ahead, a total of 80 ship calls and 160,000 passengers are projected for this year—milestones that will set a new record for the port

Tarragona Cruise Port achieved a major operational milestone on Sunday, 2 August, by simultaneously hosting three major cruise vessels. The port welcomed MSC Cruises' MSC Virtuosa, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Dawn, and Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Star. Throughout the day, a total of 12,508 passengers passed through the Balears Wharf facilities during a busy schedule of embarkation, disembarkation and transit operations. This triple-ship event brings the port's cumulative seasonal total to 37 port calls and 68,263 cruise passengers since operations commenced in early April. The port authorities maintain a full-season forecast of 80 port calls and 160,000 passengers. Reaching these targets will set an all-time historical record for the Port of Tarragona.

Of the three cruise ships that called at Tarragona on 2 August, the MSC Virtuosa and the Norwegian Dawn were making their maiden visits. Meanwhile, the Viking Star first docked in the city on 21 June. Arriving from Palma de Mallorca with 6,338 passengers on board, the MSC Virtuosa's visit was part of a 14-day cruise connecting the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Its itinerary includes calls at Southampton, Lisbon, Cádiz, Málaga, Alicante, Gibraltar and A Coruña.

Launched by MSC in 2021, this 331-metre-long vessel features 19 decks and carries 1,704 crew members. This visit marked the first of two scheduled calls the ship will make at our port this year, forming part of the 32 stopovers MSC Cruises has planned for Tarragona during the 2026 season.

Regarding the Norwegian Dawn, 2,623 passengers disembarked while 2,647 boarded for an eight-day itinerary. Starting in Tarragona, this cruise includes calls at Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Motril, Gibraltar, Cádiz and Portimão, before concluding in Lisbon. The 294-metre-long vessel carries a crew of 1,032. This visit marks the first of two scheduled calls at the Port of Tarragona this year and is one of three visits planned by the cruise line.

For its part, the Viking Star embarked 900 passengers for a seven-day Western Mediterranean itinerary featuring calls at Sète, Marseille, Monte Carlo, Livorno (for Florence), and Civitavecchia (for Rome). The 228-metre-long vessel, which carries a crew of 465, was making its second visit to the city. It is scheduled to make four calls in total this season. The Viking Star is one of eight different vessels Viking Ocean Cruises will deploy to Tarragona this year, with the cruise line planning 17 calls and an estimated 34,000 passengers in total.

Record season

Between the beginning of the season on 16 April and 2 August, Tarragona Cruise Port has recorded 37 calls and 68,263 passengers. This season's full forecast anticipates 80 calls and 160,000 passengers. These figures are set to break previous records, driving sustainable growth and cementing Tarragona's status as a well-established, emerging cruise destination.