The global cruise industry activates its competition machinery. Mary Bond, editorial director of Seatrade, confirmed this Tuesday the official opening of the application period for the Seatrade Cruise Awards 2026. Cruise line corporations, tourist destinations, and technology providers have until July 31, 2026, to register their projects and vie for the sector’s highest recognition. No prior commercial negotiation was established to prepare this news.
The call, which this year celebrates its twentieth edition sponsored by Oracle Hospitality and Tura Turizm, will measure the innovations and successes achieved by the private sector from August 1, 2025, to the end of July 2026. An independent jury of international experts will evaluate the proposals before the grand event. Voting is open until July 30 here.
The outcome of the voting will take place in the Canary Islands, as the winners of the seven industry categories and the two personality awards will be revealed on September 17 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, coinciding with the Seatrade Cruise Med fair.
The catalog of distinctions for the 2026 edition is structured into well-defined blocks covering the entire value chain of the sector. In the operational and geographical realm, the Destination of the Year award will recognize regions that have comprehensively transformed their tourist offer and logistics capacity. Meanwhile, the Port of the Year category will reward efficiency in daily operations, investments made in new infrastructures, and excellence in fleet management. The rise of specialized tourism will also have its own space through the Award for Expedition Cruise Initiative of the Year, specifically designed to assess progress and safety in adventure routes.
Technical innovation and traveler experience are another core competitive focus of the awards. The Product of the Year Award will spotlight the latest technological developments and equipment installed both onboard ships and at passenger terminals. Regarding onshore activities, the Innovative Shorex Award of the Year will highlight excellence and originality in the design of excursions and experiences offered to cruise passengers at different destinations. Additionally, environmental commitment will be measured through the Sustainability Initiative of the Year, a category co-sponsored by Cruise Baltic that will rigorously evaluate the decarbonization strategies, the reduction of pollutant emissions, and respect for the marine ecosystem.
Recognition of the human factor and corporate leadership will conclude the awards with the Personality Awards. The first will distinguish the Personality of the Year in Seatrade Cruising, an award sponsored by V.Ships Leisure that honors the most influential and decisive executive of the economic year. The second recognition will correspond to the Seatrade Award for Outstanding Trajectory, an honorary distinction aimed at honoring long-standing professional careers that have managed to transform the global cruise business over recent decades.
The designation of Gran Canaria as the official venue for the presentation of these international awards represents an unprecedented strategic boost to position the Canary port brand in the global frontline. By taking over from the last event held in Hamburg, Germany, the islands reaffirm their institutional weight within Atlantic routes. With the deadlines approaching, the event’s organization formally urges all companies within the local and international maritime ecosystem to complete their application forms immediately through the official platform to secure their participation in the most important night of the sector.
