Port of Aberdeen Welcomes Longest-Ever Cruise Ship During Record-Breaking Season
On 15 July 2026 Port of Aberdeen has marked a major milestone with the arrival of its longest-ever vessel, the 294m cruise ship Norwegian Star, highlighting the growing capability of the port’s South Harbour and the continuing expansion of cruise tourism in north-east Scotland.
The Norwegian Cruise Line vessel arrived from Newhaven carrying 2,366 passengers and berthed at South Harbour for a day-long visit before continuing her voyage to Bergen. Measuring 294m in length, spanning 15 decks and with a gross tonnage of 91,470, Norwegian Star surpassed the previous record for the largest vessel to visit the port.
Shortly after the arrival of Norwegian Stara second cruise vessel, AIDAsol, berthed at South Harbour. The AIDA Cruises ship, measuring 253m in length, arrived with 2,511 passengers on board, bringing thousands of visitors to Aberdeen and the surrounding region in a single day.
Passengers received a traditional Scottish welcome on arrival from the Robert Gordon’s College Pipe Band and Alba Bagpipes, while VisitAberdeenshire’s Welcome to Aberdeenshire volunteers greeted visitors on the quayside. Guests were then able to join sightseeing tours and excursions throughout Aberdeen city centre and across Aberdeenshire.
The record-breaking call underlines the importance of South Harbour, which has significantly expanded Port of Aberdeen’s ability to accommodate larger vessels. The facility is now capable of handling some of the largest cruise ships visiting Scotland, alongside its wider range of maritime traffic, including jack-up rigs, anchor-handling vessels and cargo ships.
The arrival of Norwegian Star and AIDAsol forms part of what is expected to be Port of Aberdeen’s busiest cruise season on record. A total of 75 cruise calls are scheduled during 2026, with up to 57,000 passengers expected to visit the region. The figures represent a substantial increase on 2025, when the port handled 65 cruise calls and approximately 49,000 passengers.
More than half of the cruise ships scheduled to visit Aberdeen this season are over 200 metres in length, reflecting the enhanced capacity created by South Harbour and enabling a growing number of major cruise lines to include Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in their itineraries.
Port of Aberdeen and VisitAberdeenshire continue to work together through the CruiseAberdeenshire partnership to attract both new and returning cruise operators. The long-term objective is to increase cruise traffic further and achieve 100 cruise calls per season in the years ahead.
As part of that strategy, the partnership will promote Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire at Seatrade Cruise Med in Gran Canaria this September, exhibiting at stand 1B65. The event follows successful participation in international cruise industry gatherings in Miami and Reykjavik earlier in 2026.
The organisations believe the region’s appeal lies in the combination of convenient access to city and countryside attractions, the technical capabilities of Port of Aberdeen, and the quality of the visitor experience offered to passengers and crew visiting the area.
The previous record for the longest vessel to visit Port of Aberdeen was held by Costa Cruises’ Costa Favolosa, which measured 290 metres in length and called at the port in July 2024. The arrival of the 294-metre Norwegian Star has now established a new benchmark for cruise ship operations at Aberdeen and further demonstrated the strategic value of South Harbour in attracting larger cruise vessels to Scotland’s north-east coast.
