A record year at the port

How many cruise passengers came to Cagliari in 2026?

Over 600,000 were expected across 181 calls, a 26% rise in passengers on 2025, per Shipping Italy (25 February 2026).

The season ran from 27 January to 27 December, opening with a double call. Thirty-one cruise lines were booked into Molo Rinascita, 15 of them for the first time, and about 40,000 passengers were due to start or end their cruise in Cagliari, a record for the port.

October was the busiest month on the schedule, with 34 calls. On the boat listings, guests were still reviewing trips round the Devil's Saddle into November.

What happened at the port on 28 October 2026?

Four ships at the quay at once, with about 11,200 passengers between them: Costa Smeralda, MSC Splendida, Viking Saturn and Star Flyer, per the port authority.

The two big ships, Costa Smeralda and MSC Splendida, brought more than ten thousand visitors into the city within a few hours. Viking Saturn carried about 900 guests and was calling at Cagliari for the first time. Star Flyer, the four-masted sailing ship of Star Clippers, had 68.

The port authority's president, Domenico Bagalà, said four ships at the quay at the end of October show that Cagliari now draws cruise lines in every month of the year. Citing the Italian Cruise Watch report by Risposte Turismo, the AdSP says the port will close 2026 with its historic record, ninth among Italian cruise ports, and third in Italy for maiden calls after Livorno and Palermo.

Where do cruise ships dock in Cagliari, and is there a free shuttle?

At the cruise terminal run by Cagliari Cruise Port on Molo Rinascita. Global Ports Holding lists a free shuttle bus to the port gate, with the city centre about 800 m away.

The port has two docks, 480 m and 450 m long, and a 630 square meter terminal, per Global Ports Holding. From the gate you are on the Via Roma waterfront, the palm-lined promenade under the arcades. The boat tour with 4 swim stops meets at Molo Dogana 1 on that same waterfront; its listing says it is a few minutes' walk from the city center and the cruise ship terminal.

The sunset tour leaves from Lungomare New York 11 Settembre 396, about 10 minutes on foot from the terminal, per the listing. The trips from Marina Piccola, at the Poetto end of the coast, need a bus or a taxi. Step-by-step directions are in our cruise port guide.

Three hours round the Devil's Saddle from Molo Dogana, a few minutes' walk from the terminal: four swim stops, snorkel gear and prosecco.

★ 4.9 · 3 hours · from $61

Explore the boat tour with 4 swim stops → Tour details

What does a busy port day mean for booking a boat?

Book before you sail. The boats take 12 people or fewer, and four ships can put over 11,000 people ashore on one day.

The 4-stop tour runs 8 to 9 meter RIBs with 12 people at most, and the catamaran takes 12. Every trip on this site cancels free up to 24 hours before, so booking from home costs nothing if the ship's schedule changes.

Two rules from the 4-stop listing matter on a port day. Be at the meeting point 20 minutes before departure with a passport or ID card, because the crew fills in a contract with it, and the boat cannot wait. And leave luggage and large bags behind. Pick a departure that brings you back with time to spare before all aboard.

Which Cagliari boat trip fits a cruise day?

The one that fits your hours ashore. The zodiac is the shortest at 2 hours; the 3-hour trips suit a full day in port.

On a short call, the zodiac tour gives you 3 to 4 swim stops and wine in 2 hours. With a day in port, the 4-stop tour from Molo Dogana is the closest to the ship. The catamaran has a toilet and a fresh-water shower, which helps if you head straight back to the ship. Prices for every trip are in our price guide.

If your ship stays into the evening, the sunset tour adds prosecco and Sardinian focaccia to the swim. Our sunset guide has the details.

What does the record mean for 2027?

More ships outside the summer. The port authority and the terminal operator both say they are working to bring visitors in every month.

At the season's presentation, Raffaella Del Prete, general manager of Cagliari Cruise Port, said they want to focus on deseasonalization, as Unione Sarda reported on 24 February 2026. The AdSP Mare di Sardegna publishes each year's calendar for Cagliari on its Calendario Crociere page, updated as lines change their plans, so look up your ship's date there.

For the boats, the live calendar on each listing shows the 2027 dates as operators open them. What the 2026 listings tell you about the season is in our 2027 season post.

Frequently asked questions