Cruise ship activity in Monaco increased markedly in 2025, according to the latest tourism data from IMSEE, indicating a year in which maritime arrivals grew faster than many other visitor indicators — despite the Principality’s continued efforts to tightly control cruise tourism.
IMSEE’s Bulletin de l’Économie for the third quarter of 2025 shows that 99 cruise ships called at Monaco between July and September, up from 84 vessels during the same period in 2024, representing a 17.9% year-on-year increase. Over the same period, the number of cruise passengers surged by 29.1%, rising from 54,428 to 70,292.
The post-Covid increase was particularly notable given Monaco’s 2023 policy of limiting cruise ship size and passenger numbers, favouring smaller, premium vessels over large-capacity ships.
Monaco within a growing Mediterranean cruise market
Monaco’s experience mirrored a broader expansion across the Mediterranean in 2025. Data from the Direction interrégionale de la mer Méditerranée shows that 1,885 cruise ship stopovers were scheduled along the French Mediterranean coast over the year — an 11% increase compared to 2024, equivalent to 194 additional stopovers.
Within that wider regional context, 145 cruise stopovers were scheduled for the Ports of Monaco, placing the Principality among the more active — though still carefully managed — destinations in the western Mediterranean cruise circuit.
Across the region, cruise activity in 2025 was delivered by 52 companies operating a fleet of 147 ships, with vessels averaging a maximum capacity of around 2,070 passengers. Monaco, however, continued to accept only ships falling well below that upper capacity range, in line with its port access criteria.
The year also saw new operators enter Mediterranean — and Monaco — waters. Among them was Explora Journeys, a luxury cruise brand that made its debut in the region in 2025 and was scheduled for 23 stopovers, reflecting Monaco’s ongoing appeal to high-end cruise lines aligned with its tourism positioning.
Economic impact remains nuanced
While cruise passenger numbers rose sharply in 2025, their economic contribution continues to be viewed with caution. Monaco’s tourism strategy has long recognised that cruise visitors do not consistently generate the same level of local spending as overnight hotel guests — a view reinforced by IMSEE’s broader tourism data, which showed growth in hotel occupancy, longer average stays and a rising share of non-EU visitors over the year.
See also:
Step onboard Explora II as it docks in Monaco: luxury cruising finds a new benchmark
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Photo: Explora Journeys, credit: Cassandra Tanti