Regarded as one of the most picturesque seaports in Europe, with quality port services, professional handling arrangements and a warm meet-and-greet offering, Guernsey is a popular addition to any cruise itinerary, and continues to enjoy an expanding schedule of ships year after year.
We are also proud to share that in 2025, Cruise Britain (of which Guernsey is a key member) and Cruise Ireland – working together as the British Isles – were jointly awarded the ‘Destination of the Year’ at the annual Seatrade Cruise Awards.
Port handlers can find more information about St Peter Port below – or for more information about visitor experience, head to the ‘Visiting by Cruise’ section on the VisitGuernsey website.
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Harbour open 24 hours a day
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Free Wi-Fi
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Dedicated cruise pontoon 600 metres from the town centre
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Short tender transfer (15-20 minutes)
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Picturesque port
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Nearby sister Islands (Herm and Sark) for day trips
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Length: 140 metres
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Width and air draught: No restrictions
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Draught: 5 metres
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Availability: Yes
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Anchorage depth: 10m+
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Shuttle service: Yes
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Ships tender allowed: Yes
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Pilotage compulsory: Yes
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Tugs available: No
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Tidal movement/range: 9m
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Bunkering: No
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Garbage disposal: Yes (dry only)
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Provisions: Yes
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Banking at terminal: No
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Minimum/maximum ship stay: No limitation
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Number of quays: 1
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Total quay length: 140m
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Quay depth: 5.5m minimum
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The cruise industry is enjoying year-on-year growth, with a record 42 million passengers forecast to sail in 2028. Furthermore, 6 in 10 cruisers return to a destination they first visited by cruise, extending the economic benefits of the cruise industry even further.
Work to tap into this market – and to continue to attract a range of cruise lines – is an essential part of VisitGuernsey’s tourism strategy.
For information on how to make the most of the cruise season, read more in this article. To aid your planning, the 2026 Cruise Ship schedule is available here.
2025 was a busy year for Cruise Guernsey, with work split between maintaining relationships with existing cruise lines, and networking with those we hope to welcome in the next few years.
According to a survey conducted by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruise holidays are experiencing higher growth than any other travel segment (CLIA North American Travel Agent Survey, February 2025), so work in this area is invaluable in order to secure our share of an ever-growing market.
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The industry average for passenger landing rate (how many people come to shore) is 60-70% for tender ports. Guernsey, meanwhile, had an 82.5% passenger landing rate for the 2025 season - demonstrating the island's popularity with cruise passengers.
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Industry statistics show an average spend of £84 per cruise visitor per day, and a 63% 'return rate' (the number of cruise ship passengers who will return to a destination they first visited on a cruise). To support not just their first visit but to help drive return bookings, Cruise Guernsey introduced a printed bookmark for cruisers, featuring a QR code for the VisitGuernsey website. The souvenir also promotes the new Cruise Guernsey Facebook page, offering updates, inspiration, and a space to share memories from their visit.
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New premises for the Visitor Information Centre in Market Square. The move has brought visitors into the centre of St Peter Port, encouraging footfall and spend for surrounding businesses.
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A new pier-side boutique and alfresco bar, the ‘Last Stop Shop’, offers visitors a final taste of Guernsey (including local gifts, refreshments, and marina views) before they return to their ship.
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A low-cost but high-impact makeover – which includes large flags, bunting, umbrella shading and planter-lined walkways – has been completed, complementing St Peter Port’s aesthetic and naturally leading passengers into town.
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New destination restaurant Vraic - run by renowned chef Nathan Davies - opened in the north of the island. The high-end restaurant (which serves a multi-course tasting menu shaped by Guernsey's unique produce) is a unique addition to the island.
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A new pro golf experience at La Grande Mare - Golf Performance Centre on the west coast. The centre boasts world-class instruction, dedicated teaching studios, undercover bays and state of the art club fitting.
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Enhancements have been made to the ports and cruise passenger arrivals areas, including alongside-berth facilities. Berth 1 now allows ships of up to 130m LOA (length overall) to call in alongside the harbour, so guests can walk directly off the ship, rather than tendering ashore. As of April 2025, 16 ships had already used this new option.
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In spring 2025, Cruise Guernsey unveiled new branding and a new social media account to help capture what the island has to offer, as a destination and a port, as well as reflecting a programme of investment in cruise facilities.
This mailer went to our cruise database, encouraging return visits from previous cruise passengers.
Cruise Guernsey pitched the islands to a range of key cruise titles in 2025. Work will continue in this area in order to increase media exposure in 2026.
Cruise & Travel
In September, we welcomed a journalist from Cruise & Travel magazine (print readership: 100,000, website: 170,000 UMV). The journalist's itinerary included an island tour, time in St Peter Port, and a visit to a selection of museums. Unfortunately, a boat trip and an opportunity to peruse one of the island’s popular Seafront Sunday events were both cancelled due to adverse weather. Coverage is expected in early 2026.
Cruise & Ferry
The team also pitched a number of stories to Cruise & Ferry. Several pieces of coverage were secured throughout the year:
Spring/Summer edition (March) - Profile in featured partners
Autumn/Winter edition (August) - Editorial contribution
Itinerary Planning (October) - Half-page advertisement, full page article/interview and a featured ports and destinations profile (in print and online for 12 months).
The article, ‘Authentic Encounters’, mentions the exclusive art, culture and food experiences in Guernsey and Sark.
Other coverage
Other coverage secured in 2025 included The Independent ('5 of the best mini cruises') in May, The Telegraph ('The eight best British Isles cruises to book now') in September and The Times (’10 of the best cruise lines for adults’) in December. SeatradeCruise Review also mentioned three sailings with Guernsey highlights, including two eclipse-viewing cruises onboard Carnival Miracle and ‘Summer of ’85 Revisited’ with Ambassador Cruise Line.
April - Seatrade Global
In April, Cruise Operations and Business Development Manager Mark Renouf and VisitGuernsey Marketing Manager Jo Ferguson attended Seatrade Global, the largest annual gathering of the cruise industry.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the event, which brought together thousands of cruise professionals to network, explore emerging trends, and gain insights from industry leaders. In total, more than 600 exhibitors and 70 cruise line brands were at the event, making it a prime opportunity to market to the island to new liners, as well as strengthen our relationships with those already calling into Guernsey.
Cruise Guernsey occupied a prime position as part of the Cruise Britain stand, at both the exhibition and the conference sections of the event.
Two standout successes from the exhibition were an additional booking from Crystal Cruises, and a first booking from Orient Express, an ultra high-end liner set to debut in May 2026. The liner will visit the island on 18 July 2027.
June - CruiseBritain summer event
Held in Aberdeen, Cruise Guernsey joined cruise industry colleagues from across the UK for two days of networking, collaboration, and destination insight.
The programme included a tour of Aberdeen’s new harbour expansion and city centre developments, as well as strategic updates by CruiseBritain and Viking’s Senior Vice President Matt Grimes, alongside tourism insights from VisitScotland and VisitAberdeen.
Guernsey also used the opportunity to explore the potential to host future CruiseBritain events.
September - Seatrade Europe
Alongside more than 3,500 cruise professionals and 75 leading cruise brands, CruiseGuernsey representatives attended the cruise industry's top biennial event, Seatrade Europe, held in Hamberg, Europe's cruise capital.
As well as the opportunity to network and build business, a number of informative talks - on everything from decarbonisation to guest expectations and port operations - took place over the three-day event.
Whilst at the event, Cruise Britain (of which Guernsey is a key member) and Cruise Ireland – working together as the British Isles – were jointly awarded the ‘Destination of the Year’ award. The award recognises a location or cruising region that has consistently delivered exceptional experiences to both cruise passengers and cruise lines.
December – a visit from Carnival UK
In December, Guernsey welcomed representatives from Carnival UK for a working group session and mini familiarisation visit to discuss the future of cruise tourism in the islands.
Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company with eight brands and more than 100 ships, represent a significant opportunity for Guernsey.
During the visit, the Carnival team met with political representatives, including Deputies Kazantseva-Miller and Van Katwyk, alongside senior officers from Guernsey Ports, VisitGuernsey, Policy & Resources, Economic Development, Environment & Infrastructure, and the Guernsey Development Agency.
They also shared their Economic Impact Report and explored ways to strengthen collaboration in the years ahead.
We remain open to conversations with all cruise lines, stakeholders, and businesses to identify opportunities and work together to develop Guernsey’s cruise industry.
Cruise Europe membership
As well as being a member of Cruise Britain, this year, Guernsey also re-joined Cruise Europe, a B2B network of cruise ports and destination. This membership gives us access to exclusive conferences and trade events, as well as inclusion in the Cruise Europe press office, social media and newsletters, which are distributed to key decision makers in the broader cruise industry.
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Oceania Vista: On 2 June, Guernsey welcomed Oceania Cruise Line's 'Vista' for the first time. To mark the occasion, representatives from VisitGuernsey, Guernsey Ports, CruiseGuernsey, St Peter Port Douzaine and Channel Seaways were welcomed aboard to exchange plaques. As one of the newest additions to the Oceania Cruises fleet (built in 2023), carrying just over 1,460 passengers (and 800 crew), the Vista promises an unparalleled experience for its passengers and marks a new era in luxury cruising.
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Ritz Carlton Ilma: On 7 July, the island welcomed the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s 'Ilma' on its inaugural call. A traditional plaque exchange ceremony took place onboard between local dignitaries and the ship’s captain, symbolising the beginning of what is hoped to be a long and fruitful relationship. Nearly all guests disembarked to discover the island, with some choosing to explore independently while others booked group excursions or custom private experiences. Several guests onboard had chosen this cruise specifically because Guernsey was included in the itinerary.
On 9 July, representatives from VisitGuernsey were invited to host a hospitality desk onboard the Aurora. The team provided advice and marketing material to lots of passengers who were planning to disembark.
The ship carries 1,874 passengers and was visiting on a 3-day roundtrip to Guernsey from Southampton.
A royal return is planned for 2027, with Sky Princess calling at Guernsey at the beginning of a 32-day itinerary around the Mediterranean.
These exciting developments reflect growing confidence in the island as a standout cruise destination.
