Cagliari expects a record cruise season: over 600,000 passengers in 2026

The cruise port of Cagliari in Sardinia is expected to deliver record results by the end of 2026. The current schedule includes 181 port calls by cruise ships and over 600,000 passengers.

Compared to 2025, the number of calls is set to rise by 11% - from 163 to 181. Passenger traffic, according to the port’s forecast, will increase by approximately 26%: last year, Cagliari welcomed about 478,000 cruise tourists.

Approximately 40,000 passengers will start or end their cruise trip directly in Cagliari. This is an important figure, because embarking and disembarking passengers usually spend longer in the city and additionally make use of hotels, transfers, restaurants, and other tourism services.

Costa and MSC increase the number of calls

One of the main operators in the port will remain Costa Cruises. The liner Costa Toscana is scheduled to make 37 calls to Cagliari between March and November. The Sardinian capital will be used as a port for partial boarding and disembarkation.

MSC Cruises will double the number of weekly calls. The calendar lists:

• 29 calls by MSC Splendida - every Wednesday from April to November;

• 21 calls by MSC Musica - mostly every Sunday.

Among other cruise lines represented in Cagliari during the season are AIDA Cruises, Silversea, P&O Cruises, Oceania Cruises, TUI Cruises and Disney Cruise Line.

Overall, the port expects ships from 31 cruise companies. For 15 liners, a call at Cagliari will be their first.

The cruise season will last for almost the entire year.

The season began on January 27 with the simultaneous arrival of two ships and is scheduled to end on December 27 with a stop by Viking Vesta. This calendar confirms the gradual shift of Cagliari from a seasonal port to a year-round cruise destination in the Mediterranean.

October will be particularly busy, with 34 calls scheduled. On October 28, the simultaneous arrival of four cruise liners is expected, with approximately 12 thousand passengers.

For tourists, the increase in cruise traffic means a wider choice of itineraries with visits to Sardinia. At the same time, on the days when several large ships dock simultaneously, higher pressure on transport, excursion sites, restaurants, and the city’s infrastructure should be expected.

MSC Musica itinerary via Cagliari

One of the regular routes of the season was the seven-day MSC Musica cruise from Genoa. Its itinerary included Marseille, Valencia, Ibiza, a day at sea, Cagliari, and Civitavecchia, returning to Genoa.

For departure on 15 September 2026, the British cruise aggregator published the following approximate prices per person:

• interior cabin - about €960;

• cabin with a window - about €1 040;

• cabin with a balcony - about €1 180.

This sailing has already taken place, so the amounts listed are not a current booking offer. They only illustrate the difference in cost between cabin categories on MSC Musica Mediterranean routes.

When choosing a cruise, you should check whether the rate includes port fees, service charges, drinks, internet, insurance, and transportation to the departure port. The current cruise prices for visits to Cagliari should be confirmed directly before booking.

Follow the news of Круїз-Лайф - Cruise-Life.PRO to find up-to-date Mediterranean cruises, routes with stops in Sardinia, and offers from MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises.