The arrivals of cruise ships to Polish ports are a sign of the ongoing summer season. After its conclusion, visits come to an end, and similar vessels can only be seen again in the summer of the following year. This time, there is to be an exception to the rule, and in December, another such ship will appear in the Port of Gdańsk.

The arrivals of cruise ships to Polish ports are a sign of the ongoing summer season. After its conclusion, visits come to an end, and similar vessels can only be seen again in the summer of the following year. This time, there is to be an exception to the rule, and in December, another such ship will appear in the Port of Gdańsk. Visits by tourist passenger ships contribute to the summer panorama of Gdańsk and Gdynia. This is important given that the industry is still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, there is no shortage of eager participants for cruises, and the previous year was exceptionally successful in this regard, with 79 cruise ship visits taking place in Gdańsk. During the current season, ships entered the Port of Gdańsk 41 times, according to port management data. The first to inaugurate the summer season of 2023 was the cruise ship Hamburg, which docked at the Gdańsk port on April 20. Meanwhile, the longest, appearing on May 10, was the vessel Bolette, sailing under the Bahamian flag and measuring 238 meters.

Typically, these port calls last from 6 to 10 hours, during which several hundred to even several thousand maritime tourists explore the city. Among the most popular attractions in Gdańsk are the Oliwa Cathedral, the European Solidarity Centre, the Museum of the Second World War, and the Museum of the City of Gdańsk, including Two Artuses and the Amber Museum.

This year, the season will end unusually, just before Christmas. On December 17, the Hanseatic Nature (belonging to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises), measuring 139 meters in length and capable of accommodating up to 230 passengers and 175 crew members, will arrive in Gdańsk. This relatively new ship, which set sail on its maiden voyage in 2019, is capable of touring cold maritime regions, including the waters around Antarctica and around the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Sea.

According to the Management of the Port of Gdańsk, the port infrastructure is capable of receiving up to 120 vessels annually. Commitment to their arrival does not imply that all will dock, as 41 out of the planned 50 ships did so this year. Next year, 70 visits are planned.

The Port of Gdynia also experienced numerous visits, with a total of 36, and the last one was the arrival of the AIDAmar cruise ship on October 27.