Port of Dover toasts ‘busiest cruise day’ with four-ship milestone

The Port of Dover delivered its “busiest cruise day ever” as it welcomed four ships for the first time.

Celebrity Eclipse, Viking Sky, HX Expeditions’ MS Fram and Ponant’s Le Bellot all sailed into the Kent port on Friday (May 8) after “months of planning”.

Clia hosted its third annual Expedition Cruise Summit on Fram with 90 agents on board on the same day.

Peter Wright, head of cruise at the Port of Dover, said: “We are excited to be celebrating this milestone, which is the culmination of months of planning.

“I’d like to thank our fantastic operations team for their efforts on the day and throughout the season to ensure that guests and cruise lines receive the best travel experiences here in Dover.

“Delivering these four vessels demonstrates the significant capability that we have as a cruise port.

“This, combined with the investments that we are making, our excellent transport links, great customer service and rich heritage show that 30 years on from the opening of our first cruise terminal, we remain a world-class destination.

“I would also like to thank our cruise line partners. It was amazing to see our terminals and waterfront bustling with their guests from all over the world.”

Last year, the Port of Dover announced it would invest in “a major upgrade” to build a new boarding bridge at Cruise Terminal 1 for 2027, in addition to installing new equipment to allow for longer ships to dock.

It also said it had achieved carbon net zero emissions in 2025 ahead of its target.