Cunard's Queen Anne Makes Maiden Call at the Port of Santander

The cruise ship Queen Anne, operated by the line Cunard and handled by the shipping agent Pérez y Cía., made its first call at the Port of Santander this Wednesday. The vessel arrived early in the morning from Bilbao and berthed at the Maritime Station, at the Almirante quay, carrying 3,350 passengers, mostly British nationals, and 1,200 crew members.

During the day, numerous passengers took part in excursions and tourist activities at various locations throughout Cantabria, while others toured Santander and enjoyed its culinary and cultural offerings. The ship remained berthed until six in the evening, when it departed for Gijón, its next port of call.

To mark this maiden call, representatives of Santander Cruise Deluxe — the joint brand of the Port Authority of Santander, the Government of Cantabria and the Santander City Council for the promotion of cruise tourism — presented a commemorative plaque to the ship's captain, Inger Thorhauge, along with several books about Santander and Cantabria for the ship's library.

Through September, cruise traffic at the Port of Santander recorded 32 calls, thirteen more than in the same period of 2025, and 45,699 passengers, a 73% increase over the previous year. These figures allow Santander Cruise Deluxe to anticipate a record-breaking season, with the goal of positioning Santander as a leading port for premium cruises in northern Spain and helping to extend the tourist season beyond its peak months.

The cruise schedule will continue on November 6 with the arrival of the Ambition, from Ambassador Cruise Line, while the final call scheduled for this year will be the Borealis, from Fred. Olsen, on December 11. Santander Cruise Deluxe carries out promotional activities throughout the year, including participation in trade fairs such as Seatrade Miami, Seatrade Europe and International Cruise Summit, and is a member of associations such as CLIA and Cruise Europe.