Helsinki Port sees fewer cruise passengers in Jan-Aug

A total of 6.6 million passengers travelled through the Port of Helsinki from January to August this year, which is 1.3% less than in the corresponding period of the previous year, said an official press release on Thursday.

The busiest route was the one between Helsinki and Tallinn, with 5.2 million passengers and the number is 1.8% lower than the previous year.

Between January and August, 0.1 million passengers travelled on the Travemünde route (+3.3%) and 1.2 million passengers on the Stockholm route (+1.1%).

“Many people travel by ferry to neighbouring countries for work or to run errands, but in the summer the vast majority of passengers were holidaymakers. The peak season, June, July and August, was pretty much the same as the previous summer. It may be that this year’s line-up of concerts in Tallinn wasn’t quite as good as last year’s,” said Kaj Takolander, Vice President of Passenger Services at the Port of Helsinki.

By the end of August, international cruise ships had called at the city a total of 87 times, bringing 167,810 cruise passengers, which is almost 40% more than during the same period last year.

The international cruise season now runs all year round in Helsinki, although the summer season is the busiest.