Cruise ship passengers make up 7.5% of tourists at peak times 

On average, 2.5% of tourists in Barcelona are passengers on cruise ships, according to a study by the Port of Barcelona, while during peak season, cruise passengers make up 7.5% of daily visitors. 

The Port, working with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the University of Girona, found that cruise ship passengers make up more than 5% of the total number of daily visitors for only 32 days of the year. 

The study looks at all visitors, even those from around Spain. 

According to the study's lead, Dr. Josep Maria Espinet, 97.5% of the total remaining tourists are day trippers or visitors staying in the city. 

A study from 2024 found that between May and October have a low influx of tourists, while May, August and September are the months with the highest influx. December, January and February have the lowest number of visitors during the year. 

The study also discovered that cruise passengers on average see the city of Barcelona for only 5.7 hours.

The head of the cruises at the Port of Barcelona, Mar Pérez, shared that the Port has shared the findings with the Barcelona City Council in hopes of better managing the flow of cruise passengers.