Cartagena, Colombia, has opened its 2026-27 cruise season with 30 embarkation operations scheduled and 33,600 passengers expected to begin their journeys from the city. Royal Caribbean will account for 28 of those departures, placing homeport activity at the center of a season that will include 173 cruise calls from 37 lines.
The Terminal de Cruceros de Cartagena began its 2026-27 season on September 10, with operations expected to intensify from October. Across 152 operating days, the Colombian Caribbean port expects more than 416,000 visitors, including transit passengers, embarking passengers and crew members.
The schedule highlights Cartagena’s dual role in the regional cruise market: receiving international vessels as a destination while also serving as a departure point for Southern Caribbean itineraries.
Royal Caribbean Anchors Cartagena’s Homeport Activity
Of the 30 embarkation operations scheduled for the season, 28 will be operated by Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas. The vessel is due to depart from Cartagena every Sunday through April 2027.
Royal Caribbean’s current itineraries from Cartagena connect the Colombian port with destinations including Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Colón in Panama, positioning the city as a gateway to Southern Caribbean routes.
The remaining two embarkation operations will involve the National Geographic Quest, operated by National Geographic Cruises, and the Crystal Serenity from Crystal Cruises.
Overall, the terminal expects 33,600 passengers to begin their cruises in Cartagena, compared with 249,402 passengers visiting the city in transit. Another 133,048 crew members are included in the terminal’s total visitor projection.
Homeport operations extend the cruise terminal’s economic footprint beyond the waterfront. Passengers beginning a voyage in Cartagena can also generate demand for air connectivity, hotels, ground transportation, restaurants and retail services before or after boarding.
Multi-Ship Days Put Terminal Operations to the Test
The 2026-27 schedule will also require Cartagena to manage significant concentrations of vessel and passenger activity.
The terminal has identified 47 dates with multiple cruise calls. Two vessels will be handled simultaneously on 36 days, while three ships are expected to call on the same day on another 11 occasions.
A further 15 dates will involve vessels staying overnight in Cartagena, extending passenger time in the destination and creating additional interaction between cruise operations and the city’s tourism and service sectors.
The combination of embarkations, transit calls, overnight stays and simultaneous vessel operations illustrates the increasingly varied operational requirements facing the cruise terminal during the season.
Cartagena expects a total of 173 calls from 37 cruise lines, while the estimated economic impact of cruise activity for the season stands at approximately US$49.4 million.
Five Ships to Make Inaugural Cartagena Calls
The season will also broaden the range of vessels visiting the Colombian port. Five ships are scheduled to make their first calls in Cartagena: Ponant’s Le Laperouse, Selectum Blu Cruises’ Blue Sapphire, Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Prestige and Explora Journeys’ Explora III.
Among them, Explora III entered service in 2026 and is the first Explora Journeys vessel powered by liquefied natural gas. The ship accommodates approximately 922 passengers and 463 crew members.
For Cartagena, however, the season’s significance goes beyond the arrival of new ships or the overall number of calls. With 30 embarkation operations alongside transit and overnight traffic, the port is maintaining a role that connects cruise terminal activity more directly with air transport, hospitality and other parts of the city’s visitor economy.
source : Grupo Puerto de Cartagena
FAQ
How many cruise calls will Cartagena receive in the 2026-27 season?
Cartagena Cruise Terminal expects 173 calls from 37 cruise lines across 152 operating days.
How many passengers will begin their cruise in Cartagena?
The terminal projects 33,600 embarking passengers during the 2026-27 season.
Which cruise line will operate most departures from Cartagena?
Royal Caribbean will operate 28 of the 30 scheduled embarkations with Grandeur of the Seas, departing from Cartagena on Sundays through April 2027.
