Le Havre Handles First Dual Call at New Verrazzano Terminal
The milestone signals Le Havre’s push to compete more strongly for Northern Europe cruise traffic as ports invest in larger terminals for bigger ships and tighter itineraries.
Le Havre recorded the first dual call at the Le Havre Verrazzano Cruise Terminal on April 16, with Majestic Princess making her inaugural visit alongside Holland America Line's Nieuw Statendam. Majestic Princess arrived with more than 3,300 passengers, most of them from the United States, and about 1,300 crew members.
The operation was an early capacity test for the new terminal complex during its first month of service. Terminals 2 and 3 were delivered earlier in 2026 and began operating in April as part of a phased buildout intended to support dual calls, occasional triple-ship days and more flexible turnaround operations.
"This inaugural call of the Majestic Princess, during a dual operation at our new cruise terminals, marks an important milestone for Le Havre," said Alexandra Ruiz, managing director at Le Havre Croisières. Ruiz pointed to "the step-change in scale of our infrastructure, now fully operational."
Majestic Princess begins Le Havre season
The 143,700-gross-ton Majestic Princess, built in 2017, has capacity for 3,560 passengers and 1,346 crew. The ship repositioned from Fort Lauderdale and is now deployed on Northern Europe itineraries. Thirteen Le Havre calls are scheduled through September.
Majestic Princess is one of seven new vessels scheduled to call at Le Havre in 2026. Nieuw Statendam, the other ship in the dual operation, is a roughly 99,500-gross-ton Holland America Line vessel with capacity for about 2,700 guests.
A traditional plaque exchange was held onboard Majestic Princess during the inaugural call. Caroline Leclercq, deputy mayor of Le Havre for culture and international relations; Nicolas Chervy, harbor master representing HAROPA PORT; Laëtitia Ziane, coordinator for Seamen's Club; and Cécilia Hesseron of Le Havre Croisières were welcomed by Captain Giuseppe Castellano and the ship's crew.
Terminal buildout continues
The Verrazzano terminal project remains in phased development, with the full cruise terminal complex expected to be commissioned in autumn 2026.
