Two luxury cruise ships will visit Aberdeen for the first time this year as part of a record-breaking cruise season.
The £340 million Viking Vela and £322m Fred Olsen Borealis will dock in South Harbour for the first time.
The Port of Aberdeen is set for its busiest cruise season yet, with calls up by nearly 30%.
The Granite City will see 63 cruise visits between April and September, bringing around 40,000 visitors.
That’s on top of the 400,000 visitors expected for the Tall Ships Races event in July, as it returns to the city after nearly 30 years.
Aberdeen ‘has so much to offer’
The Viking Vela, owned by Viking Cruises, was built last year at a cost of £340m, it can carry up to 1,000 passengers and has 14 decks.
Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking UK, said: “As Scotland’s third-largest city, it has so much to offer, especially with its strong coastal culture and rich history,” she said.
“Our culturally curious guests will enjoy learning about the city’s maritime heritage and its interesting architecture – as well as experiencing the local art scene and exploring many of the historic sites nearby when they visit.
“The Viking Vela, our newest ocean ship which launched in early December 2024, will be the first ship in our fleet to visit Aberdeen and we know she will receive a very warm welcome.”
The Fred Olsen Borealis cruise ship, which is 238-meters long and carries over 1,300 passengers, was built in 2020.
Aberdeen’s reputation as premier destination
Port of Aberdeen chief executive Bob Sanguinetti said 2025 was shaping up to be record-breaking year for bookings.
“The diverse line-up of visiting vessels sets the stage for continued growth in the years ahead,” he said.
“With impressive ships scheduled to make multiple calls, including maiden visits from Viking and Fred Olsen, Aberdeen is further solidifying its reputation as a premier destination in the global cruise market.”
Return of giant cruise ships
Costa Cruises and AIDA will return to the city, including maiden calls from sister vessels, AIDAbella and AIDAluna, both 252-metres long, and bringing in over 4,000 guests and crew between them.
The hulking Costa Favolosa, the largest vessel to ever visit Aberdeen, will also return to the port’s South Harbour.
VisitAberdeenshire chief executive Chris Foy said “authentic, people-led” experiences across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are attracting the attention of cruise lines.
“As a result, they are placing the region on their itineraries in 2025/26,” he said.
“Once again, our volunteers will be back on the quayside, providing the all-important warm north-east welcome, enhancing the experience for arriving visitors.”
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