How many cruise ships come to Kotor in 2026? The Port of Kotor's arrival schedule lists 523 cruise calls in 2026, from 3 in January to 86 in August. On the two busiest days, 14 June and 23 September, 6 ships were due. Thursdays and Wednesdays are the busiest weekdays, and 113 calls are still scheduled from 26 September to the end of December.
We counted every call in the port's 2026 schedule on 25 September 2026. Across Montenegro, Monstat recorded 496 cruise calls with 630,236 passengers in 2025, and the port expects about 10% more business this year.
How many ships arrive each month?
| Month | Cruise calls | Month | Cruise calls |
| January | 3 | July | 81 |
| February | 3 | August | 86 |
| March | 8 | September | 82 |
| April | 30 | October | 72 |
| May | 60 | November | 24 |
| June | 71 | December | 3 |
Ships call on 224 days of the year. On 96 days there are 3 or more ships, and on 46 days there are 4 or more. The schedule is a plan: the port warned in June that a few calls had already been cancelled and that weather can cancel more.
When are the busiest days?
| Indicator | 2026 schedule |
| Busiest days | 14 June and 23 September, 6 ships each |
| Next busiest | 15 July, 13, 19 and 26 August, 5 ships each |
| Busiest weekdays | Thursday 109 calls, Wednesday 102, Sunday 77 |
| Quietest weekdays | Saturday 53, Friday 57, Monday 59 |
| October days with 4 ships | 1, 8, 11, 14, 15, 20, 22 and 25 October |
Of the 523 calls, 410 arrive between 07:00 and 10:00 and 369 leave between 17:00 and 21:00, so the old town is fullest from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
Where do the ships dock?
Of the 523 calls, 223 are at the berth right in front of the old town and 300 at anchor in the bay, with passengers brought ashore by tender. The biggest ship of the year is the Enchanted Princess at 142,714 gross tonnes, and 142 calls are by ships of 90,000 tonnes or more. The ships seen most often are the MSC Armonia with 30 calls and the MSC Lirica with 28.
Since August 2025 excursion buses in Kotor have had daily time slots for dropping off and picking up passengers, and empty buses must leave the town centre.
How has cruise traffic grown?
| Year | Cruise calls at Kotor | Passengers |
| 2010 | 310 | 145,185 |
| 2016 | 488 | 535,232 |
| 2019 | 464 | 613,747 |
| 2020 | 9 | 3,009 |
| 2022 | 434 | 418,174 |
| 2026 (schedule) | 523 | not yet published |
How can you avoid the crowds?
Visit the old town before 09:00 or after 17:00, choose a Friday, Saturday or Monday, and check the day's schedule first. Parking by the old town fills up quickly, as our guide to parking in Kotor explains, and the fortress, museums and ticket prices are covered in our guide to Kotor Old Town and the fortress. To see the bay from the water instead, boat tour prices are compared in Glatko's guide to Kotor boat tours.
Frequently asked questions
How many cruise ships visit Kotor a year? The 2026 schedule lists 523 cruise calls; in 2019 the port handled 464 ships with 613,747 passengers.
What is the busiest month for cruise ships in Kotor? August, with 86 calls in the 2026 schedule, followed by September with 82 and July with 81.
How many cruise ships can be in Kotor at once? Up to 6 on the busiest days of 2026; on 46 days there are 4 or more.
Do cruise ships dock in Kotor or anchor? Both. In 2026, 223 calls use the berth by the old town and 300 anchor in the bay and use tenders.
When is the best time to visit Kotor without cruise crowds? Early morning or after 17:00, on a Friday, Saturday or Monday, and outside July to September.
Where can I see the Kotor cruise schedule? The Port of Kotor publishes its arrival schedule for the year as a downloadable table.
Sources
Daily calls come from our own count of the Port of Kotor's 2026 arrival schedule, and yearly figures to 2022 from its cruise statistics. National figures for 2025 are from Monstat, and the port's comments on 2026 and the bus slots were reported by Sjever CG. Checked on 25 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; cruise schedules change, so check the port's latest table before you plan.