Plymouth's cruise season has come to a close, with Phoenix Reisen's Amera the last ship to depart Plymouth Sound on October 20. Cattewater Harbour, which manages the city's cruise arrivals, called the season a highly successful one — and the numbers back that up.
More than 20 calls came in over the season from cruise vessels, superyachts and tall ships, landing roughly 11,000 guests at the Barbican Landing Stage. That's a rather good setup for visitors: instead of a dock on an industrial edge, passengers step ashore right in the heart of the historic Barbican, Plymouth's old quarter of cobbled streets, independent shops and waterside pubs.
The season also brought some firsts. Ritz-Carlton's luxury yacht Evrima made its maiden call, as did P&O Cruises' Aurora, while SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream II visited in September. It's a mix that shows Plymouth is drawing both boutique expedition-style yachts and classic cruise liners — a range not every regional port can claim.
To mark the wrap-up, Cattewater Harbour hosted a cream tea event (naturally). There, cruise business development lead Evie Smith briefed volunteers, council figures and the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership on what's coming next: a three-year pipeline of cruise visits, with 38 call enquiries across 2027 and 2028 — many already confirmed — and 10 more listed for 2029, with more expected.
The team has clearly been working the industry circuit, hosting a familiarisation trip for cruise lines earlier in the year and bringing the Cruise Britain Summer Event to Plymouth in June. Upgrades to the public realm at Commercial Wharf are also in progress, intended to make the arrival experience more welcoming for everyone coming off a ship.
For travellers, the takeaway is that Plymouth is quietly becoming a proper cruise port rather than a one-off stop. If your itinerary includes a call here, you're landing in one of England's most historic maritime cities: the Barbican on your doorstep, the Mayflower Steps a short walk away, and the Royal Citadel and Hoe above the waterfront. It also works well as a base for exploring Devon and Cornwall without a car-free headache — coastal towns like Salcombe, Dartmouth and Fowey are all within easy reach.
Who's this for? Cruise passengers booked on 2027 or 2028 itineraries should watch for Plymouth appearing on more schedules given the pipeline; and anyone who prefers small-ship or yacht-style cruising has another English port on the map, with operators like Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and SeaDream now in the mix.
