The World Travel Awards named Copenhagen’s port as Europe’s Leading Cruise Port 2024 during a ceremony in Berlin on March 6, 2024.
The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to recognize, reward, and celebrate achievement in all important sectors of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. Copenhagen gained the title of Europe’s Leading Cruise Port in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2024.
The award was accepted in Berlin by Luis de Carvalho, Commercial Cruise Director of Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP).
”I would like to express my huge gratitude to all the voters including passengers, cruise lines, tourism and travel industry professionals, and a special thank you to our partners at CruiseCopenhagen, CMP colleagues and to all the local companies and stakeholders that work day in and out to provide our cruise guests with wonderful and memorable experiences. This award is for Copenhagen!”
The Danish capital, with its manageable size, accommodates a wide range of lifestyles. Copenhagen is a culturally rich city that perfectly blends history and modernism, with remarkable architecture and a world-class food scene, all backed up by a strong dedication to sustainability.
“This is just what we need when we travel around the world to promote Denmark as a cruise destination. Especially at a time when we are working hard to get more – especially the American cruise lines – to come back to Copenhagen and the Baltic Sea region. This award helps to convey that there is so much else and more to experience, especially in our capital Copenhagen,” says Klaus Bondam, Director of Cruise at CruiseCopenhagen.
Copenhagen is strategically positioned as a gateway to both the Baltic Sea and the Nordics/North Atlantic, and it has good infrastructure and experiences to support cruise operations. The destination has a well-connected international airport, flexible turnaround facilities at the three acclaimed Ocean Quay cruise terminals, and conveniently accessible facilities at Langelinie Pier and Nordre Toldbod.
In 2023, Copenhagen hosted over 750,000 visitors and approximately 300 cruise ships. Similar numbers are expected in 2024, with cruise bookings throughout the year and more than 50 cruise stops between October 2024 and April 2025, which is unusual for the Northern Europe region. In 2024, Copenhagen will host ten debut cruise ship calls, including Queen Anne, Mein Schiff 7, Ocean Albatross, Azamara Onward, and Villa Vey Odyssey, among others.
CMP’s terminals in Copenhagen accommodate various types of cruise vessels and categories, including luxury, niche, expedition, premium, and the world’s largest cruise vessels.
Copenhagen Malmö Port is committed to responsible cruise tourism and wants to achieve carbon neutrality in its operations by 2025, corresponding with the anticipated availability of shore power for cruise ships in Copenhagen.
