Barcelona opens cruise terminal, strengthening position as international hub 

MSC Cruises has inaugurated Barcelona's new cruise terminal. The Mediterranean Shipping Company's luxury cruise ship Explora II has stopped in the Catalan capital's port, to officially present terminal H.  

Although the terminal has been operational since mid-February, the company sees this as an opportunity to emphasize its commitment to sustainable tourism with a facility set to become the first to connect to the electrical grid by 2027.  

''We are proud to be part of the solution, not the problem,'' stated Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division.  

The Barcelona City Council called for tourism and city life to be compatible amid ongoing discussions about the cruise industry's environmental impact.  

In the future, MSC's Terminal H will be joined by Terminal G, which will be built and operated by Royal Caribbean and Cruise Terminals International.  

Once this terminal opens and becomes operational, all seven cruise terminals will be concentrated at the pier farthest from the city. This follows the agreement that was reached in January 2018 between the then-president of the Port of Barcelona, Sixte Cambra, and the mayor of Barcelona at the time, Ada Colau. 

This agreement is a result of the controversy over limiting the number of cruise passengers, which has remained a topic in municipal politics. Mayor Jaume Collboni said in a press conference in May 2024, that Barcelona actually could limit the number of cruise ship passengers or even reduce the number of port terminals.  

Though the newly opened Terminal H, involving an investment of approximately €50 million, is expected to handle around four cruises per week, which translates to an annual number of 190 cruises.  

Barcelona Port Authority president José Alberto Carbonell emphasized that the new terminal strengthens Barcelona's position as an international cruise hub and repeated the commitment to sustainability. 

Costa Brava set for record cruise season 

The Costa Brava ports of Palamós and Roses are set for a record cruise season in 2025, with 82 ships and nearly 70,000 passengers. 

Compared to last year, there will be 41% more cruises calling, bringing up to 31% more tourists to the Costa Brava. 

The majority of the tourists will be from North America and Europe and it is estimated they will generate an economic impact of €6.6 million. 

The Port of Palamós, which will welcome 67 cruises in total, kicked off the season on Thursday with the arrival of the Azamara Quest and La Belle des Océans. 

The president of Ports de la Generalitat, Manel Nadal, believes that Palamós is now close to the limit of what is "sustainable," which he estimates to be 70 ship calls. 

The Port of Roses will welcome its first cruise ship of the season on April 25.