Copenhagen, Malmö and Visby Extend Cruise Tourism Season with Record Christmas Calls: What You Need to Know

Published on November 30, 2025

Copenhagen, Malmö and Visby are entering a new era of year-round tourism as Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) confirms a record number of off-season cruise calls between October 2025 and April 2026, anchored by dedicated Christmas sailings and winter itineraries across the Baltic region.​

According to CMP’s latest figures, calls in this low-season window will rise to eighty-eight, up from sixty-four the previous year, a 37.5 percent increase that cements these Nordic destinations as attractive hubs for cold-weather cruise tourism and expanded regional economic activity.​

Copenhagen Leads Nordic Winter Cruise Tourism

Copenhagen remains the powerhouse of CMP’s network, accounting for sixty-seven off-season cruise calls, a year-on-year increase of 31.4 percent that underscores its recognition as a year-round cruise port.​

In December alone, the Danish capital will welcome ten Christmas cruise calls, supported by festive programming featuring Santa-themed experiences and seasonal music in collaboration with Wonderful Copenhagen, enhancing the city’s profile as a winter tourism destination known for lights, markets and hygge-filled streets.​

The off-season uplift allows visitors to enjoy Copenhagen’s museums, shopping streets and Tivoli Christmas opening with fewer crowds, spreading tourism revenues more evenly through the year and reducing pressure on peak summer months.​

New Year Arrivals Signal Ongoing Winter Demand

CMP’s schedule shows that the 2026 cruise year will begin early, with the first call to Copenhagen on 2 January and a total of five January calls, confirming that winter voyages are no longer niche products but mainstream components of Northern Europe deployment plans.​

These early-year arrivals support hotels, restaurants and shore-excursion operators at a time traditionally considered low season, sustaining tourism jobs and keeping urban services active for both residents and visitors.​

The continued spread of calls into late winter and early spring illustrates how cruise lines are capitalizing on Copenhagen’s robust infrastructure, including shore-power facilities and renovated terminals tailored for sustainable cruise tourism.​

Visby Extends Season to Late December

On Sweden’s island of Gotland, Visby is also stretching its operational window, planning two Christmas calls and a 2026 cruise season running from 1 April to 23 December, bringing visitors well into the Nordic festive period.​

This extended schedule builds on Visby’s rapid growth as a Baltic cruise hub, where CMP projects around one hundred five calls and one hundred seventy-two thousand passengers in 2025, with Christmas visits showcasing the town’s medieval streets, seasonal markets and coastal landscapes under winter light.​

By drawing ships beyond autumn, Visby secures additional tourism revenues for local guides, shops and cafes, and helps position Gotland as a year-round destination rather than a purely summer retreat.​

Malmö Strengthens Its Position in Baltic Cruise Tourism

Malmö will host one Christmas cruise call in December and commence its 2026 season on 15 March, reflecting growing interest in the city as an alternative Baltic port within CMP’s portfolio.​

Although Malmö currently handles a smaller share of total passengers compared to Copenhagen and Visby, each incremental call contributes to local tourism development by introducing international guests to its waterfront, cultural districts and proximity to the Öresund region.​

The expansion of calls encourages investments in shore experiences and transportation links, building Malmö’s reputation as a fresh, less-crowded stop for Baltic cruise tourism.​

Off-Season Calls Deliver Economic and Tourism Benefits

CMP emphasizes that off-season calls allow guests to explore local attractions and cultural experiences while contributing to the regional economy year-round, not just during the traditional May–September window.​

From October 2025 to April 2026, the combined eighty-eight cruise calls across Copenhagen, Malmö and Visby translate into tens of thousands of visitors using hotels, restaurants, taxis and tour services in cooler months, stabilizing income for tourism businesses that once relied heavily on summer peaks.​

The growth also supports national strategies in Denmark and Sweden to promote sustainable, dispersed tourism that avoids overtourism while maximizing port infrastructure utilization.​

Copenhagen’s Emergence as a Year-Round Cruise Hub

Official data show that Copenhagen already receives calls in every month of the year and was recognized as Europe’s Leading Cruise Port 2024 by the World Travel Awards, reflecting strong operator confidence and passenger satisfaction.​

CMP forecasts more than one million cruise passengers and over four hundred calls across its network in 2025, with Copenhagen alone expecting around two hundred ninety-five calls and eight hundred fifty thousand passengers, underlining its central role in Northern European cruise tourism itineraries to the Baltic, Norwegian fjords and beyond.​

The port’s shore-power rollout at Oceankaj and Langelinie, targeting full capacity by 2028, aligns with global sustainability goals and enhances Copenhagen’s attractiveness as a responsible winter tourism gateway.​

Winter Experiences Appeal to Cruise Guests

Destination marketing from Wonderful Copenhagen highlights winter attributes such as Christmas markets, Tivoli’s seasonal opening, canal tours under festive lights and the broader concept of hygge, offering compelling reasons for cruise lines to schedule calls during colder months.​

Passengers benefit from lower crowd levels at museums, castles and shopping districts, while still accessing year-round dining and cultural activities, delivering a distinctive style of tourism compared to peak-summer city breaks.​

These experiences reinforce the narrative that autumn and winter in Copenhagen can become preferred seasons for cruise guests seeking cozy atmospheres and exclusive excursions.​

Strategic Partnerships Support Sustainable Growth

CMP continues to collaborate with networks such as Cruise Denmark – Copenhagen and beyond, Cruise Baltic and Cruise Europe to promote responsible cruise tourism and coordinate marketing of off-season itineraries.​

These partnerships help align port development, shore-power initiatives and excursion planning, ensuring that increased winter calls in Copenhagen, Malmö and Visby translate into high-quality experiences and minimized environmental impact.​

Joint efforts also enable coordinated messaging to cruise lines about the advantages of deploying vessels during the Nordic shoulder and winter seasons.​

Record Off-Season Growth Signals New Nordic Tourism Era

The jump from soxty-four to eighty-eight off-season calls marks a structural shift toward year-round cruise tourism for CMP destinations, reflecting cruise lines’ confidence in the marketability of Christmas and winter sailings in Northern Europe.​

For local communities, this means more consistent tourism activity, reinforced employment and an expanded platform to showcase Nordic traditions, landscapes and urban culture under snow, candlelight and aurora-filled skies.​

With Copenhagen, Malmö and Visby aligned on extending their seasons, CMP is poised to solidify the region as a leading choice for winter cruising in the years ahead.