Port of Riga Sets Cruise Passenger Record With 150,000 Visitors
TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff Relax became the largest cruise vessel ever to dock at Riga on May 22; the 333-meter ship is scheduled to make five calls this season.
The Port of Riga has surpassed its single-season cruise passenger record, welcoming more than 150,000 visitors since May during the 2026 season. The Freeport of Riga Authority confirmed the new high following weekend calls by Hamburg, MSC Magnifica and AIDAmar.
The previous record was set in 2025, when the port received 115,500 cruise passengers across 85 calls. This season's forecast calls for about 30% year-over-year passenger growth, with 98 ship calls scheduled by year-end.
The season began on May 3. Six ships have visited Riga for the first time, while 13 ships have stayed for two days. Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom account for the largest shares of passengers visiting the Latvian capital this year.
The authority attributes the passenger increase to several years of joint destination promotion and cooperation with cruise lines. Its partners include the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, known as LiveRiga, alongside Riga Passenger Port, Riga RoPax Terminal and other tourism businesses. The season update did not include a statement from a named port official.
Riga’s biggest ship yet, and a luxury push
TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff Relax became the largest cruise vessel ever to dock at Riga when it made its inaugural call on May 22. The ship measures 333 meters long and 42 meters wide, and its seasonal schedule includes five visits to the port.
August brought calls by Scenic Eclipse II, Seven Seas Grandeur and EXPLORA III. The authority identifies attracting luxury and niche expedition cruises as a strategic priority and has been developing that business with its local partners.
Two berths today, a new terminal planned
Riga Passenger Port, the principal cruise facility, sits on the Daugava River within walking distance of the Old Town. Larger or deeper-draft vessels can use KS Terminal farther downstream, where passengers generally need a shuttle transfer to central Riga.
A new Riga RoPax passenger terminal is planned for the Eksportosta district. The proposed facility could accommodate up to 150 cruise calls annually and approximately 800,000 passengers in its first operating year, with ferry and ro-ro traffic also included in the project.
Calls still to come
October includes calls by Norwegian Sun and Mein Schiff Relax, followed by a November visit from the expedition ship Le Commandant Charcot.
Four cruise calls are scheduled for December. The season will end on December 26, when AIDAprima departs after a two-day Christmas stay.
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