Valletta Cruise Port, a subsidiary of Global Ports Holding, is a renowned port of call and a thriving homeport, with a strategic location in the middle of the Mediterranean. With one of the most scenic backdrops worldwide, Valletta Cruise Port immediately ushers cruise ships, passengers and crew into Malta's historical and cultural experience from the moment they enter the historic and scenic Grand Harbour.
Valletta Cruise Port offers a compelling combination of location, practicality and versatility. Malta sits at the heart of European cruising offering cruise lines and their passengers multiple options for almost any itinerary in the West or East Mediterranean. The port is built around a natural deep water harbour and offers a safe haven for ships, with a variety of 24/7 support services. Valletta's quays are ISPS-compliant and can handle a multitude of marine craft including the largest vessels.
The port is within walking proximity of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage City of Valletta and the designated European Capital of Culture. It boasts a myriad of attractions: palaces, churches, theatres, gardens and more. Valletta is a city in flux - everywhere you look things are happening, with a feast for the senses. New events are sprouting in regenerated buildings to include all manner of artistic pursuits: from art exhibitions and visual experiences to music, dance, drama, literature and science, set amidst the iconic capital hotspots.
Valletta Waterfront is a key element of Valletta Cruise Port with various shops, cafes, restaurants, offices, and other amenities in beautifully restored 18th centry warehouses stretching along the water's edge. This array of old maritime structures, historically known as Pinto and Forni Stores, were commissioned by Grand Master Pinto and designed by Andrea Belli to be used as stores by the Knights of Malta and other merchants. The doors of the stores were painted with different colours, symbolising the different types of goods that were preserved within: red for wine, blue for fish, green for agricultural produce and yellow for grains and wheat. The Pinto Stores, included on the Antiquities List of 1925, are a Grade 1 national monument and are listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.
Valletta Cruise Port is a gold member of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), MedCruise which is the association of Mediterranean cruise ports uniting the ports of ‘Mare Nostrum’ and its adjoining seas from a cruise perspective, the Malta Maritime Forum, bringing together all the stakeholders in the Maltese Maritime Industry, and The Malta Chamber, a leading advocate for businesses in the Maltese private sector. Furthermore Valletta Cruise Port is a signatory to the UNWTO Private Sector Commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, a frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism development as endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001. In 2020, Valletta Cruise Port obtained the Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council for strict health and safety protocols.
