Qatar concludes 2024/25 cruise season with 360,000 visitors, 19% growth in port calls

Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar have hosted a closing ceremony marking the end of the 2024/2025 cruise season at Old Doha Port.

The event was attended by officials from Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar, as well as cruise tourism partners and representatives from the media. 

Officially known as Qatar Ports Management Company, Mwani is the state-owned entity responsible for managing Qatar’s seaports and shipping terminals, while the official government body responsible for regulating, developing, and promoting tourism in Qatar.

The ceremony highlighted the key achievements of the season, and the collaboration between government entities and private sector partners, both of which contributed to Qatar enhancing its position as a cruise destination in the Arabian Gulf.

The 2024/25 Middle East cruise season runs from November to March annually, with several major cruise lines homeporting in Dubai and sailing roundtrip itineraries in the Arabian Gulf, which can also be booked with Doha and Abu Dhabi as homeports.

For Qatar, the season drew 87 cruise calls, marking a 19% increase compared to the previous season, with five additional cruise ships making their first calls to Doha Port and 13 cruise ships conducting turnaround operations (on cruises departing Doha). 

The number of cruise visitors during the season also grew, exceeding 360,000, with more than 10% of them beginning their cruises from Doha, underscoring Qatar’s emergence as a significant cruise tourism hub in the region.

“During the 2024/25 cruise season, the focus was placed on targeting full and partial turnaround calls, with Doha serving as the main departure point for cruises in the region,” said Omar Al Jaber, Head of Tourism Development at Qatar Tourism, adding that several cruise lines interporting between the UAE and Qatar increased operations in Doha. 

“The number of full turnaround calls reached 13, while partial turnaround calls amounted to 43,” he said. “This is only the beginning of further cooperation and strategic partnerships with international cruise operators.”

Capt. Hussain Ahmad Al Maqeef, Executive Vice President of Commercial at Mwani Qatar, added that 11 different cruise operators chose The Terminal, Doha’s primary cruise terminal in Old Doha Port, as a destination. 

“We are committed to building on this momentum in future seasons by attracting additional international cruise lines and continuously enhancing the visitor experience,” he said. “These efforts align with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 and support the broader goal of strengthening the tourism sector’s role in the national economy.”

The upcoming 2025/26 cruise season is expected to see a continuation of this growth, with around 130 cruise calls anticipated, including more than five maiden calls, and an estimated 450,000 cruise tourists.