Southampton Wins Cruise Critic Best Departure Port

04/03/2026

Southampton Wins Cruise Critic Best Departure Port

ABP is proud to announce that the Port of Southampton has once again been named Best UK Departure Port at the Cruise Critic Awards – as voted by cruise passengers for the second consecutive year. This accolade reflects Southampton’s commitment to operational excellence, ensuring every passenger enjoys a seamless and memorable start to their holiday from the moment they arrive at the port. To enhance the experience, the port has recently invested in on-site cruise parking, adding 700 new spaces just a short walk from the terminals, making parking more convenient and stress-free for passengers. In addition, working closely with Southampton Central Station, the welcome for cruise passengers arriving by train has been improved with clearer directional signage and easy-to-follow routes for the short walk directly to the cruise terminals within the Western Docks. Southampton’s success is built on collaboration. The port has a long history as a maritime hub, supported by a network of local businesses that keep cruise operations moving. To name a few, from Veolia, providing recycling services, to Whitaker Tankers for refuelling, to Solent Stevedores and SCH for quayside operations, and Meachers Global Transport and Williams Shipping, delivering everything from food to sun loungers—these companies play a vital role in ensuring smooth operations. This award is not only for ABP; it celebrates the entire ecosystem of maritime, transport, and hospitality services that support the cruise sector at Southampton. Alastair Welch, Regional Director at ABP Southampton, said: “Winning this award for the second-year running is a testament to the dedication of our team and the incredible network of local businesses that make Southampton the UK’s leading cruise port. Together, we deliver an exceptional experience for passengers and play a vital role in supporting the regional economy.” Adam Coulter, UK Executive Editor, Cruise Critic, said: “The homeport experience is so important for travellers, as it helps to set the tone for cruisers embarking on their cruise holidays. Cruisers want a seamless and efficient embarkation process; the easier the process, the happier the cruiser tends to be once they step onboard. Southampton's continuous investment in its port offerings helps to ensure guests are happy, and the cruise experience begins -- and ends -- with a smile." The Port of Southampton is not only a world-class cruise gateway but also a vital driver of the local economy. According to Carnival UK’s 2025 Economic Report, each cruise call contributes between £1.9 million and £2.5 million to the region—supporting jobs, tourism, and businesses across Hampshire.

23/12/2025

More cruise records broken for sector leader Southampton in 2025!

ABP’s Port of Southampton broke more records in 2025 as it reinforced its position as the European leader for the cruise sector. The year saw its highest ever number of cruise calls and a record number of days when all five of the Port’s cruise terminals where utilised simultaneously – all testament to ABP’s consistent significant investment in cruise facilities and the experience of the Port team. 2025 also saw Southampton welcoming over three million cruise passengers to the port for a second year running. Alastair Welch, Regional Director, said: “I’m delighted to see Southampton’s cruise sector continuing to thrive. We take great pride in ensuring vessels arrive on time and in allocating berths well in advance—often up to two years ahead. Much of this success comes from meticulous planning months before each call by our Marine and Cruise Operations Teams to deliver a seamless experience for our customers. Alongside trusted partners such as Solent Stevedores, Carnival UK, SCH, CPS, Whitaker Tankers, and Veolia, we make sure ships depart safely and efficiently, equipped with everything they need for a successful voyage. In most cases, this means vessels leave on time, ready to deliver an enjoyable holiday for their passengers.” The Port’s status as a cruise leader brings big economic benefits to the City of Southampton and the Solent. According to Carnival UK’s 2025 Economic Report, each cruise turning call contributes between £1.9 million and £2.5 million to the region, meaning over £1 billion of value from the Port of Southampton’s overall cruise activity — supporting jobs, tourism, and businesses across Hampshire. ABP is particularly pleased that the Port of Southampton was named Best UK Departure Port at the Cruise Critic Awards – as voted by cruise passengers for the second year. This accolade reflects Southampton’s commitment to operational excellence, ensuring every passenger enjoys a seamless and memorable start to their holiday from the moment they arrive at the port. One of the most valued aspects of the cruise critic feedback is the convenience of on-port car parking. ABParking provides secure parking at both the City and Horizon Cruise Terminals, with each car park just a short five-minute walk from the terminal — so passengers can begin their holiday almost immediately. ABP’s dedicated team — from Cruise Managers and Marine Experts to Pilots, Maintenance Engineers, Project Engineers, and Shift Technicians — works seamlessly to ensure every cruise call has everything it needs for a smooth, efficient turnaround, ready to welcome new passengers aboard. The expertise on the port means cruise ships continue to move even in adverse weather. With multiple storms impacting the south coast this year, the Port of Southampton maintained safe and efficient operations through proactive planning and teamwork. Early engagement with cruise lines allows for pre- and over-carry pilotage planning, meaning pilots can board at other ports in Europe and the UK. Clive Thomas, Commercial Director at Solent Stevedores, said: “It’s been another great year for cruise in Southampton and we’re proud to be a key part of these industry-leading operations in the region. On the quayside for these cruise ships calls, Solent Stevedores alone handled 3.3m items of luggage in the year and handled 134,000 pallets of stores for the 2.5 million passengers we welcomed through the 449 ships we handled. “Solent Stevedores has been working in partnership with ABP on award-winning cruise operations in Southampton for 15 years and we’re looking forward to another strong year in 2026.”

21/05/2025

ABP Southampton welcomes cruise trade partners as a headline sponsor of the CLIA trade event

This week, the Port of Southampton plays a central role in bringing cruise lines, travel agents, port partners and industry stakeholders together as it hosts the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) trade event. In its 17th year, the trade fair is being held at Horizon Cruise Terminal. It is expected to welcome over 800 travel agents and 70 suppliers from ocean and river-going cruise lines, airlines and cruise parking suppliers, including the Port's official on-site provider, ABParking. This sponsorship underscores the Port's long-standing position in the cruise industry, serving as the UK's busiest cruise port and primary embarkation point for many global cruise brands. The three-day conference, themed #Beyond Expectations, introduces CLIA member travel agents to "New to Selling Cruise" sales training, product updates and a new "Expedition Summit" with a focus on expedition cruises. The event begins with an all-day conference at Southampton Guildhall on Thursday, followed by the networking trade fair from 4pm – 7pm. Ship tours are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, featuring a variety of offerings from major cruise lines such as Fred. Olsen, Oceania, MSC, P&O, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean. These cruise lines will welcome travel agents on board at the Port. The event is an excellent opportunity to showcase the Port, allowing agents to experience a variety of cruise brands in one place, complimented by exposure to the Port's convenient location near the city, excellent transport links, and on-site parking with ABParking. ABP Cruise Strategy Manager Rebekah Keeler said: "We are proud to be a headline sponsor for CLIA's UK Conference once more. This is a unique opportunity to showcase the range of experiences the cruise industry offers, the city of Southampton and the Port of Southampton's world-class cruise facilities. We look forward to working closely with CLIA to promote the continued success of the cruise industry." Andy Harmer OBE, Managing Director, CLIA UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted to bring CLIA’s annual conference back to Southampton. With our business sessions, guest speakers, trade fair, ship visits, Sailaway Party, and New To Selling Cruise day, this event is a unique opportunity to share the latest trends, experience ships firsthand, hear from industry leaders and better understand the breadth of what the cruise industry has to offer. Thank you to all our cruise lines, partners and sponsors for helping us welcome over 800 delegates to Southampton for this landmark event." The Port of Southampton has been at the forefront of driving sustainability within the cruise industry. Recent investments include implementing shore power facilities at two terminals, enabling zero emissions at berth. These developments align closely with CLIA's goal of net-zero carbon cruising by 2050 and ABP's goal of net-zero by 2040.