This year 270 international cruise ships arrived in Helsinki carrying with them a record 360,000 passengers. The number of passengers is 100,000 more than last year and 60,000 more than the record forecast. The cruise ship season began on 5 May and ended on 29 September. Visitors from the USA represented the largest nationality, accounting for approximately a quarter of the total, followed by visitors from the UK, Spain, Germany and Italy.

Visiting cruise ships switched passengers 18 times in Helsinki. During these days between 3000 and 4000 passengers used the new Hernesaari cruise ship terminal, and traffic between Hernesaari and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport was extremely busy. The Tourist & Convention Bureau's team of Helsinki Helpers was on hand at the Hernesaari cruise ship terminal to serve arriving passengers.