The Port of Gothenburg welcomed a total of 81 cruise ships in 2022 which is seven calls more compared to the previous record year of 2014.

“It is a big increase following the pandemic, even though it is other tragic circumstances that are behind the upturn to a large extent,” said Nicole Brattåsen, cruise operations manager at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

“We are selling Gothenburg as a bit of a break in the regular cruise range, depending on the target group. For big city cruisers for example, we are a slightly more relaxed city with a nice vibe. For expedition cruisers on the other hand, we are a fun detour from fishing communities and smaller villages where we can offer a little more pulse and a big city feel.”

The 81 calls were distributed among 25 different cruise lines amounting to approximately 80,000 guests, according to a press release.

“On the one hand, we have a recession coming on that affects all the experience industries. On a slightly more regional level, we need to find a new identity for the Baltic region needs without St. Petersburg,” added Brattåsen.

The 2023 cruise season is already shaping up to be another record year for the Port of Gothenburg with 92 calls booked to date.

“The occupancy has been around 70% on the ships. There is a caution from both shipping companies and passengers where they do not want to take any risks. We are also seeing new patterns on land, for example the demand to book entire restaurants or concert halls where you stay within the cruise bubble has increased.

“At the same time, there is also an opposite trend where you want to get closer to people, meet locals, visit farms, microbreweries and such. Cruise passengers are not a homogenous group but individuals who want to experience different things,” explained Brattåsen.