Kreuzfahrt-News
Queen Anne’s first call at Santander
04/11/2026
First call at Muelle Almirante
Queen Anne made her maiden call at the Port of Santander on 28 October 2026. The ship arrived from Bilbao and sailed for Gijón later that evening. The Port of Santander confirmed the maiden call in a statement on 30 October; Diario del Puerto had reported the visit on the day it took place. The maiden call was Queen Anne’s, while Santander is already an established cruise port.
The port authority recorded 3,350 passengers, mostly British, and 1,200 crew members for this visit. These figures describe the reported stay on 28 October. Queen Anne berthed at the Estación MarÃtima on Muelle Almirante; the authority gives 8 a.m. as the arrival time and 6 p.m. as the departure time. This places the call as a full-day visit with a clear sequence of ports: Bilbao, Santander and then Gijón.
From the terminal to the city and Cantabria
According to the port authority, the Estación MarÃtima is located in the city centre. Cruise passengers can reach the city from there and choose between visiting Santander and taking organised excursions around the region during their stay. The port described precisely this mix for Queen Anne’s visit: many guests joined excursions and tourist activities in different parts of Cantabria, while others explored Santander and enjoyed its gastronomic and cultural offerings.
For travellers, the central location makes a practical difference when planning the day. Attractions such as the Centro BotÃn, the Palacio de la Magdalena and the Museo MarÃtimo are in Santander; the port authority also names destinations outside the city, including Cabárceno, Santillana del Mar and Comillas. A shore visit can therefore focus on a walk and culture in the city, or on an organised trip around the region. Queen Anne’s reported ten-hour berth provided the time for both kinds of visit that day.
A ship with a distinctive Cunard experience
Queen Anne entered Cunard service in 2024 and is, according to the cruise line, the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag. The company describes her as 322.5 metres long and lists 15 dining venues on board. Notable spaces include the Grand Lobby, which spans three decks, and the Pavilion, with its pool, stage and large screen. For guests, the voyage brings together two distinct experiences: the wide range of offerings on board and a shore visit to Santander, with its centrally located Estación MarÃtima.
The port authority presented Captain Inger Thorhauge with a commemorative plaque for the maiden call, along with books about Santander and Cantabria for the ship’s library. In its statement of 30 October, it also named the next scheduled cruise visits: Ambition was due to follow on 6 November, and the final call scheduled for 2026 was Borealis on 11 December. The port thus placed Queen Anne’s maiden call within a season running through to the end of the year.
