Best Year Ever: 750,000 Passengers and €62 Million Reported for 2025
The Port of Funchal closed 2025 with about 750,000 cruise passengers, 331 ship calls and an economic impact estimated at more than €62 million, according to regional authorities in Madeira. The figures were presented today during a press conference on port activity held at the Funchal Maritime Station.
José Manuel Rodrigues, Madeira’s regional secretary for the economy, described 2025 as “the best year ever” for the cruise sector in the autonomous region.
Passenger Numbers Increase 2.5% and Ship Calls Rise Nearly 5%
Compared with 2024, cruise passenger traffic grew by more than 2.5%, while the number of ship calls increased by almost 5%, reaching 331 stops. Crew numbers also went up, totaling 278,185 people, an increase of about 2.38% from the previous year.
Overnight Cruise Stays Rise 17% as Passenger Overnights Grow 30%
One of the strongest results in 2025 was the rise in overnight stays by cruise ships in Funchal. The number of ship overnights increased by 17% compared with 2024 and was almost double the level recorded in 2023.
Passenger overnights followed the same trend. The number of cruise passengers staying overnight in Funchal increased from 131,707 in 2024 to 172,396 in 2025, a rise of around 30%. Cruises starting or ending their journeys in Funchal also increased, with growth of about 41%.
22,758 Tourist Vehicles Enter Port as Spending Averages €60.1 Per Passenger
Throughout the year, 22,758 vehicles linked to tourism activity entered the Port of Funchal. These included 9,276 taxis, 6,330 buses, 905 rental cars and 5,744 technical vehicles.
Based on a study by the Funchal Commercial and Industrial Association, which estimates average spending of €60.1 per passenger, José Manuel Rodrigues said, “We estimate an economic impact in 2025 of more than €62 million,” pointing to the wide reach of cruise tourism across the regional economy.
He added that the results were “highly satisfactory,” crediting the work of APRAM’s management and staff and stating that the Port of Funchal continues to stand out among European cruise ports.
Source: Diário de Notícias Madeira
Comments