The last cruise ship of the year visited Tallinn Harbor on Tuesday. It was already the 118th ship this year. This shows that the number of visits is increasing year by year.
Last year there were 100 visits. This is a small increase. The first significant growth will only be seen in 2027. Next year there are already 145 bookings, and by 2027 there will be 198.
The pre-crisis level was 340 cruise ships per year. This is still very far off. However, the cruise season has lengthened. This year there were five winter cruises. Typically, the season runs from early April to mid-October. This year, however, there were five ship visits in November and December.
Cruise tourists usually spend a couple of hours in Tallinn. They visit churches and Christmas markets. For example, tourist Janina from Germany said she spends one to two hours at the city’s Christmas market and then returns to the ship.
Glögg sellers enjoy the cruise tourists. However, the broader tourism sector does not benefit much from them, as tourists eat and sleep on the ship. The exception is longer stops when the ship stays overnight in Tallinn.
Overnight cruise packages are beneficial for restaurants. These packages take tourists to more restaurants and excursions outside Tallinn.
Cruise organizers and ports are waiting for the return of American tourists. American tourists disappeared along with St. Petersburg as a destination. Americans often do not know where Tallinn is located. They frequently asked if Tallinn is a suburb of St. Petersburg or if they are already in St. Petersburg.
Based on bookings, it appears that American tourists are gradually returning. Hopefully, the bookings will not be canceled.