November the 7th, 2026 – Croatia has recorded some particularly strong cruise tourism growth throughout 2026, with almost a million passengers arrived at Croatian ports on foreign cruise ships.
Over the first nine months of 2026, almost a million passengers arrived at Croatian ports on various foreign cruise ships. Dalmacija Danas reports that the aforementioned figure is as much as 11.7 percent more than in the same period last year. The latest data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics reveals that Dubrovnik and Split are among the most visited ports in the entire country, while the largest share of cruise voyages took place precisely in two Dalmatian counties.
According to data published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) this week, in the period from January to September 2026, 80 foreign cruise ships entered Croatian seaports and completed a total of 677 cruise voyages. On those massive vessels, there were as many as 958,109 passengers, which is around 100 thousand more than in the same period of 2025, when 858,066 were recorded. The number of cruise voyages rose by 9.9 percent, and the number of passengers by 11.7 percent. At the same time the number of foreign ships decreased slightly, by 1.2 percent.
Foreign cruise ships spent a total of 1,557 days in Croatian territorial waters, which is an increase of 7.7 percent compared to last year.
dubrovnik and split lead the way
The most interesting data concern Dalmatian ports, which continue to play a key role in Croatian cruise tourism. Dubrovnik is by far the most visited Croatian port, with a total of 505 visits by foreign cruise ships in the first nine months of this year. In second place is Split with 284 visits, while third is Zadar with 191 visits. Among the seven most visited ports are also Korčula with 95 visits, Hvar with 89, Rovinj with 84 and Šibenik with 81 visits. This latest data shows exactly how important Dalmatia is for the arrivals of foreign cruise ships, with Dubrovnik and Split particularly standing out.
According to DZS data, of the total of 677 cruise voyages by foreign ships, the largest share was achieved in Dubrovnik-Neretva County – as much as 46.5 percent. Split-Dalmatia County follows with 25.1 percent. This means that in these two counties a total of 71.6 percent of all recorded cruise voyages by foreign ships in Croatia were realised. Further up north in Dalmatia, the expansive and particularly island-strewn Zadar County accounted for 12 percent, and then further up in Istria County the number stood at 7.5 percent, in Šibenik-Knin County 4.9 percent, and finally Primorje-Gorski Kotar County four percent.
the maltese flag reigns
In the first nine months of 2026, Croatian ports were visited by foreign cruise ships sailing under the flags of 15 countries. The most cruise voyages were made by ships under the Maltese flag – a total of 201, which accounts for 29.7 percent of all recorded voyages. They are followed by ships under the flags of the Bahamas with 174 voyages, Norway with 66 and Panama with 52 voyages. Interestingly, ships sailing under the Bahamian flag carried the largest number of passengers – 294,569 – while ships under the Maltese flag carried 265,838 passengers.
184,000 cruise passengers in september alone
In September this year alone, 132 cruise voyages by foreign ships were realised, carrying 184,523 passengers. Compared to September last year this is an increase in the number of voyages of 18.9 percent and in the number of passengers of 11 percent. The highest number of passengers recorded in one single month was recorded in July – 196,389 – while in August, 186,048 passengers were recorded. DZS data thus confirms the continued growth of cruise tourism in Croatia, with Dalmatian ports, led by Dubrovnik and Split, occupying the leading positions.
