Cruise Passenger Traffic In Malta Rises 8.9% During Third Quarter Of 2025

According to the National Statistics Office, Malta welcomed a total of 350,338 cruise passengers during the third quarter of 2025, marking an 8.9% increase compared to the same period last year.

There were 140 cruise liner calls in the third quarter, up by 16 from the corresponding quarter in 2024. Transit passengers accounted for the vast majority of traffic, reaching 294,501, or 84.1% of the total. On average, each vessel that berthed in Malta carried 2,502 passengers, 93 fewer than in the same quarter last year.

Passengers from European Union (EU) Member States made up 50.2% of the total. Italy was the leading market, representing 19.0% of all passengers, followed by Spain at 10.4%.

Among non-EU countries, 174,427 passengers were recorded, with the United Kingdom accounting for 37.1% and the United States 32.7%.

Female passengers represented 53.7% of the total, while the largest age group was 40–59 years (33.0%), followed by those aged 60–79 years (29.9%).

During the first three quarters of 2025, Malta received a total of 691,261 cruise passengers. Passengers from EU Member States comprised 47.0% of this figure. Females accounted for the majority of passengers, totalling 369,154 (53.4%). The largest age group was 60–79 years, with 235,046 passengers (34.0%), followed by those aged 40–59 years (214,145 or 31.0%).

There were 294 cruise liner calls during this period, with an average of 2,351 passengers per vessel. This compares to 271 calls and an average of 2,481 passengers per vessel during the same period in 2024.

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