Associated British Ports (ABP) is expanding its presence in the UK cruise sector, with recent calls at Swansea and Plymouth reflecting growing interest in regional and expedition-style itineraries alongside established hub operations.
While the Port of Southampton remains the UK’s principal cruise gateway, handling millions of passengers annually, ABP said it is actively developing opportunities across its wider portfolio to support short sea and expedition cruise growth.
“While Southampton continues to lead the UK cruise market, there is clear opportunity to grow short sea and expedition cruise activity across the wider ABP network,” said Ashley Curnow, divisional manager for Wales and the South West at ABP.
At Plymouth’s Millbay Docks, the expedition vessel Douglas Mawson made her maiden visit on 2 June, marking the first cruise call of the season at the port. The ship, built in 2025 and operated by Aurora Expeditions, is designed for polar exploration in the Arctic and Antarctica.
The call formed part of a wider itinerary across the UK, Ireland and France, which also included ABP’s Port of Troon, underlining the operator’s ability to support cruise traffic across multiple locations within its network.
In Swansea, Windstar Cruises’ Star Legend became the first cruise vessel of the season to arrive on 14 June, followed shortly after by Ponant’s Le Champlain on 18 June. Both maiden calls, alongside the Plymouth visit, point to increasing demand for smaller ports and destination-led cruising.
“We are delighted to welcome cruise lines to both Swansea and Plymouth, including the maiden visit of Douglas Mawson to Millbay,” continued Curnow. “These calls show the growing interest in regional destinations and expedition cruising, and the role our ports play in enabling these itineraries.”
Curnow added that regional ports offer strong infrastructure and economic benefits for local communities.
ABP is also a supporting partner of the Cruise Britain Conference in Plymouth in June 2026, which will showcase regional cruise opportunities to operators and tourism stakeholders. The event is expected to focus on expanding future short sea and expedition cruise activity across the UK.
