Helsinki’s international cruise season starts early in 2026, with the first cruise call in March, and continues until the end of December. The season begins on Wednesday, 25 March, with the arrival of the first cruise ship, AIDAprima. More than 110 cruise calls are expected during the season.

The upcoming season is going to be lively. Cruise lines bring many international passengers to Helsinki, and the growth in turnaround calls means more travelers are staying in the city.

“The start of the season is incredibly important to us. We have made thorough preparations and are fully ready to receive ships and passengers from day one,” says the Port of Helsinki’s Cruise Manager, Jukka Haarni.

“This year, the season starts early, and the ice condition remained uncertain until the very last moment. How wonderful it is to begin the season in March,” says Haarni with delight.

In 2026, there will be 15 turnaround calls, eight of which will be large ships carrying thousands of passengers. A turnaround cruise means that passengers begin or end their journey in Helsinki.

“The growth of turnaround traffic is an important development for us, and we have been working towards it for a prolonged period. It is great to see Helsinki becoming an increasingly important turnaround port,” says the Port of Helsinki’s Passenger Services Director, Kaj Takolander.

Turnaround calls are important for the city. Passengers spend more time in Helsinki, stay overnight, and use local services before or after their cruise.

“Helsinki is easy to reach and functions well overall for both passengers and ship operators, and this can also be seen in the growing number of turnaround calls,” says Takolander.

Helsinki’s strengths as a turnaround port include strong flight connections to major international cities, a compact and well-connected city, sufficient hotel capacity, and port locations close to the city centre.

The cruise season remains busy until the end of the year, with cruise ships docking at various berths across Helsinki.

Five ships will make their maiden calls in Helsinki this year:

• Mein Schiff Relax – May 20
• Evrima – July 20
• Ambition – August 1
• Scenic Eclipse II – August 15
• Regatta – October 17

All international cruise ship arrivals in Helsinki are listed here.