‍Cruise tourism continues to grow, but growth also brings new challenges for ports and destinations. Welcoming more ships and passengers needs to go hand in hand withbetter infrastructure, a good passenger experience and benefits for the cities and communities that receive them.

This is particularly relevant in Cartagena, where cruise traffic has grown significantly in recent years. In 2026, the port expects to welcome more than 200 cruise calls and around 285,000 passengers.

One of Cartagena's main advantages is something very simple: the city is right next to the port. Passengers arrive at the waterfront and can walk directly into the historic centre, where they can discover more than 3,000 years of history, from Cartagena's Roman heritage to its naval and military past, as well as its museums, gastronomy and Mediterranean lifestyle.

Being so close to the city gives passengers the freedom to explore Cartagena independently, while those looking for organised excursions can easily access experiences both in the city and across the Region of Murcia.

But not every cruise call is the same. Cartagena welcomes large international cruise ships as well as premium, luxury and smaller vessels. Their operational needs are different, and so are their passengers' expectations. This means that ports and destinations need to be flexible and able to offer different experiences, from the main cultural attractions to smaller, more personalised activities based around gastronomy, heritage, nature or local traditions.

Ports also need to prepare for what comes next. In Cartagena, the waterfront is under going a major transformation and the Port Authority is developing new cruise facilities to improve passenger flows, accessibility and the experience of arriving in the city by sea.

Sustainabilityis part of that future. The Port of Cartagena is advancing in the energy transition of its facilities, including the development of shore power infrastructure. Cruise lines are also investing heavily in new technologies and more efficient ships. Making these changes work in practice requires ports and cruise lines to move forward together.

And this cooperation needs to extend beyond the port. A successful cruise call involves the city, tourism organisations, local businesses, attractions, cruise lines, shore excursion operators and many others.

For Cartagena, the objective is to continue growing as a cruise destination while improving the passenger experience and ensuring that cruise activity creates opportunities for the local economy.

The challenge for Cartagena, as for many cruise destinations, is therefore not only how to grow, but how to turn that growth into shared value. Achieving this will require investment, sustainability and, above all, stronger collaboration between ports, cruise lines and destinations.

Website: Port of Cartagena