Stockholm Greets 2008 Cruise Season With New Terminal

Today's grand opening of Stockholm Cruise Center Frihamnen marks the start of the Swedish capital's 2008 cruise season. The 32,291 square feet former cargo terminal underwent a complete interior and exterior renovation and now includes cafés, Internet access, waiting areas and baggage handling. The exterior has created a new city landmark with its brightly lit colors and original design. The terminal's first call will be Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Jewel of the Seas on Sunday, May 11, beginning a series of mini-cruises with Stockholm as homeport for the line.

The state-of-the-art cruise terminal will play a pivotal role as Stockholm prepares to receive a record-setting 265 ships in 2008, a 5 percent increase over 2007. The fifth largest cruise destination in Northern Europe, according to Cruise Europe, the Scandinavian capital is expected to receive 30 turnaround calls and upwards of 300,000 passengers during the season, which runs through Sept. "Fourteen new ships will be calling this season and an increase can already be seen for the 2009 season," said Josefin Haraldsson of Stockholm Visitor's Board.

Stockholm's popularity as a turnaround destination continues to grow with an 11 percent increase over 2007 projected this season. With the additional turnarounds, including the addition of Princess Cruises, more than 30,000 passengers will have additional time to explore Stockholm before or after their cruise.

Join Cruise Diva for last summer's Swedish Sojourn aboard Silversea Cruises' Silver Shadow.

Photo: Changing of the Guard at the Royal Palace, Stockholm