Spring is the traditional start of the cruise season in Malaga. The Port of Malaga is one of the most important cruise ports in Spain, with over half a million passengers every year. Interestingly, there is a significant increase in luxury and premium ships every year.
Malaga is both a port of departure and an important port of call for Mediterranean and even transatlantic cruises.
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High season for cruises in Malaga
There are actually two peak cruise seasons in Malaga. The first is in spring, from March to June. And the second is in autumn, from September to November.
A total of 172,000 passengers and 117 ships will pass through the port of Malaga between March 15 and June 29. Of these, 66 are luxury cruise ships.
Impressive Ships
Every season we can see some impressive ships docking, some coming for the first time and others returning periodically.
For example, in March 2022, the world’s largest cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas, made its first call in Europe. It was its maiden transatlantic voyage from Ford Lauderdale, Florida.
An impressive ship of the Royal Carribean company with a length of 362 metres and a beam of 66 metres.
In addition to this company, there are many others that offer cruises with embarkation or stopover in Malaga, such as the MSC Orchestra. The MSC Grandiosa ends its journey in Malaga. And the MSC Meraviglia stops over on a transatlantic route to Port Canaveral.
There are options for every taste, such as Virgin Voyages with Valiant Lady: Millionaire Richard Branson’s adults-only cruise ship with offers such as a tattoo studio, private beach club and an outdoor running track.
Cruise ship “sighting”
In Malaga, there are several scenic spots where you can take a souvenir photo with one of these impressive ships in the background.
For example, from the Gibralfaro, the Palmeral de las Sorpresas, the Farola Lighttower. Or the popular La Malagueta beach.
Spring sees the majority of cruise ship calls, particularly from April to June.
If you’re looking to go cruise ship watching, be sure to check out the peak dates: Up to four cruise ships are expected simultaneously on April 13, May 2, May 5, and June 26, 2026.
News Spring 2026
Several ships will visit the port of Malaga for the first time.
The season opens with FOUR SEASONS YACHT. This luxury cruise line is embarking on its inaugural itinerary and has chosen Malaga for its christening ceremony. The exclusive vessel has a maximum capacity of 190 cruise passengers.
The other ship visiting Malaga for the first time is Royal Caribbean’s LEGEND OF THE SEAS. This ocean liner, coming from the Caribbean, will call at Malaga on June 29th, making its first European port of call.
The port of Malaga will host 21 homeport calls, meaning voyages that begin or end in the capital of the Costa del Sol. Among these are cruise lines such as MSC Cruises, Marella Cruises, Sea Cloud, and Star Clippers, among others.
The season is also notable for days with up to four cruise ships in port simultaneously in April, May, and June.
Marella Cruises, TUI’s British cruise line, has announced its new routes for winter 2026. The port of Malaga will be a key stop on its 2026 itineraries.
The adults-only Marella Explorer 2 will arrive in Malaga on October 29, 2026. This is the first time in 10 years that Marella has returned to Tunisia. It is part of the “Mediterranean Moments” itinerary, with calls at Malta, Alicante, and Almería.
The adults-only Marella Discovery 2 will launch its winter season from the port of Malaga on November 13, 2026, bound for Las Palmas. The “Atlantic Treasures” itinerary will include calls at Tangier, Lisbon, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Tenerife.
Luxury and premium cruises
This year, a new trend is also emerging. In addition to large tourist cruise ships, more and more premium cruise ships, with a capacity of fewer than 1,000 passengers, are docking.
As mentioned earlier, one of the highlights of this spring season is the arrival of Four Seasons Yachts, the new luxury line from the Four Seasons hotel chain. The Four Seasons I is the most luxurious form of transatlantic cruise, with fares up to $330,000 per week.
In addition to this arrival, the Port will welcome Le Bougainville, a luxury expedition yacht from the French company Ponant. This ship has a capacity for 180 passengers and sails to exclusive destinations such as the Seychelles, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean.
And last but not least, the World Traveller will also make its debut in Malaga. This luxury expedition cruise ship from Atlas Ocean Voyages can accommodate up to 196 passengers. Its main destinations are Antarctica and the Arctic, including Norwegian fjords, Iceland and Greenland. During the shoulder seasons, it sails the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the British Isles.
You can see this beautiful cruise ship from the inside in this video.
Cruises from Malaga
Malaga´s port is the departure point for numerous cruises to destinations such as: The Canary Islands, Spain, Italy, France, Morocco, Portugal, Gibraltar, England, Puerto Rico, Amsterdam, to name but a few.
The Port of Malaga
The Port of Malaga closed 2025 with its best year for cruises in the last fifteen years. There was a 21% increase in cruise passenger arrivals, exceeding 570,000, 40% of which were on luxury ships.
The port of Malaga has good connections with other cities thanks to the airport and the high-speed train.
Malaga and its port are well connected by road, rail and air. The train station Maria Zambrano (with AVE, suburban train and metro) is 2 km away. The international airport Malaga-Costa del Sol is only 12 km away.
The AVE high-speed train links Malaga with Cordoba, Seville, Madrid and Barcelona, among other major cities. In addition, Malaga-Costa del Sol International Airport offers a very high number of regular flights both nationally and internationally.
East dock
All the large cruise ships arriving in Malaga dock at this dock. The cruise terminal is also located here.
The special charm of cruises in Malaga is the enormous proximity of the port to the historic city centre, full of monuments, museums, beautiful squares and full of life, cafes and bars.
The distance from the East dock is just over 2 km. Cruise passengers are normally taken on a courtesy bus, but you might fancy a little independence and enjoy a scenic walk into the centre, past the iconic Lightower Farola de Malaga. You can even hire a bike.
Palmgrove of Surprises and Pier One
The port of Malaga was completely renovated ten years ago and turned from an ugly dockland into a beautiful marina, now known as Muelle Uno (Pier One).
The area is full of shops, bars and restaurants and throughout the year there are a number of activities, such as street markets and live music among others.
Next to Pier One is situated is the Palmeral de las Sorpresas (Palmgrove of Surprises), a beautiful open space for strolling next to the centre and the park, a bustling place at all hours. It is also home to the Alboran Sea Museum and the Pompidou Museum.
Palmeral de Sorpresas is also a berthing area for exclusive ships, just a few metres from the historic centre of Malaga.
This makes it one of the most attractive berths in the entire Mediterranean. The terminal is operated by Cruceros Málaga.
Livecam at the Port of Malaga
It’s worth checking out this live webcam located at Muelle Uno (Pier One).
Besides the megayachts, the webcam not only offers views of the famous Pompidou Centre, the Alcazaba and Malaga Cathedral. But also beautifully captures the clear, sunny atmosphere of Malaga’s beautiful bay, almost always bathed in sunshine under a clear blue sky.
What to see in Malaga in one day
We’re not going to fool you, if you can only spend one day in Malaga, you don’t know how many great things you’re going to miss. If you come to Malaga by cruise ship, we help you to make the most of your stay in our beautiful city.
In this article we have prepared some nice suggestions for you to visit Malaga in one day. Without rush.
Rent a car in Malaga
Hiring a car in Malaga is a very convenient option for visitors on cruises to Malaga who have more time to explore our beautiful province. Take a look at our comprehensive Costa del Sol Guide with lots of ideas!
Don’t want to hire a car? No problem, you can also hire a private transfer with us, we will take you wherever and whenever you want.
Tourist Boat Malaga
Maybe you’re not going on a cruise this time, but would you like to go on board and take a trip around the bay of Malaga? No problem! There are several companies that offer sightseeing tours with panoramic views to discover the city from the sea.
Another option is to book a catamaran tour and go further out to sea to see dolphins, celebrate a birthday or watch the sunset. And there’s even a sunset ride with DJ, what a great idea! The prices are very affordable, it might be a good idea to surprise someone.
We went for sunset with Dj and we can 100% recommend this experience.
You can also book an excursion with swimming, evening parties, stargazing with guitar accompaniment or watch the fireworks in Malaga at this link.
And finally, if your pocket allows it, you can rent a catamaran for you and your friends for an unforgettable day out.
A once in a lifetime experience: Solar eclipse in Malaga!
Best Kids attractions in Malaga and on the Costa del Sol
Billiards, Darts, Bowling, Karaoke & Football on the Costa del Sol
