Setubal Cruise Terminal Set to Welcome First Passengers in 2027
SeaDream III is scheduled to make its maiden Setubal call in 2030, while the new terminal is designed for luxury vessels, mega-yachts and expedition ships.
Setubal, Portugal, expects its new cruise terminal to receive its first passengers in 2027, with construction nearing completion and certification due to follow. Administracao dos Portos de Setubal e Sesimbra SA (APSS), the local port authority, has already identified operators scheduled to call during the facility’s initial operating seasons.
The terminal and dedicated cruise berth are designed for luxury vessels, mega-yachts and expedition ships. The port has previously set an objective of handling up to 40 cruise calls a year.
APSS said the facility will accommodate both transit calls and turnarounds. Setubal lies on the Sado estuary, approximately 45 kilometers from Lisbon, and the authority puts the journey to Lisbon International Airport at about 30 minutes.
The authority expects the project to strengthen the city’s international maritime connections and “boost the local economy, and create opportunities for the region.” No named executive accompanied that statement.
Ponant, Noble Caledonia and SeaDream on the schedule
Smaller cruise ships from Ponant, Noble Caledonia and SeaDream are scheduled for transit visits during 2027 and 2028, with SeaDream I and SeaDream II both due in 2027. None of the operator visits identified so far is a turnaround.
An APSS spokesperson previously told Portuguese news website Sapo that Setubal would be offered as a complementary destination for ships visiting Portugal. The intention was not to compete with the country’s other ports.
Cruise ships already know Setubal
Setubal received its first reported cruise ship visit in 2024, when Ponant’s Le Dumont-d’Urville called. The port announced its annual call target at that time.
Cruise ships also come to the city for maintenance at the Lisnave shipyard, which handles repair and upgrade projects. The port’s wider marine services include dry-dock access, fuel oil and potable water supplies.
One recent shipyard visitor was the 1994-built Vasco da Gama, which spent five weeks in Setubal undergoing modernization. The work was intended to improve efficiency and sustainability alongside passenger comfort.
SeaDream’s planned visits extend into the following decade. The line’s new SeaDream III is scheduled to make its maiden Setubal call in 2030.
