Viking Plans 34 Dover Calls in 2027 After Visitor Growth
Viking's Dover partnership has brought more than 25,000 visitors to local attractions, a 30% increase on the previous year; Viking Saturn calls on 1 October.
Viking Mira made its first call at Dover on 24 September, completing the Kent port’s programme of five inaugural cruise visits for 2026. The four-month-old, 998-guest ship arrived during a 12-night voyage from Bergen to London.
Viking Cruises has 26 Dover visits scheduled this season. Peter Wright, Head of Cruise at the Port of Dover, said the partnership had brought more than 25,000 visitors to explore local attractions, a 30% increase from the previous year.
Dover expects Viking to make 34 calls in 2027 and 39 in 2028. Viking Saturn closes the line’s 2026 Dover schedule on 1 October.
“Many of the world's largest cruise lines are choosing to operate from here,” Wright said.
Wendy Atkin-Smith, Managing Director of Viking UK, said Viking Mira was broadening the experiences available to guests beyond the Mediterranean. “With its rich maritime history and spectacular views of the iconic White Cliffs, our guests always enjoy visiting Dover,” she said.
Across all operators, Dover handled 105 cruise calls and approximately 165,000 cruise passengers in 2024, compared with 96 calls and 158,000 passengers in 2023. The 2024 season brought 21 cruise lines to the port for transit and turnaround visits and included six inaugural calls.
Atkin-Smith also announced that Viking Libra will visit Dover in 2027. She described the forthcoming vessel as the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship.
See current Viking Mira fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
