MSC Magnifica • MSC Cruises
14-night Itinerary NLRTM-FRBES-ESBIO-PTLEI-ESAGP-FRMRS-ITGOA-FRMRS
Oct 5, 2026 → Oct 19, 2026 • Warnemünde → Barcelona
From $1,397
$100/night
Great deal
↓26% below typical
Bilbao
•
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast
Cruise destination intelligence
•
Spain
Cruises visiting Bilbao
Quietest
Jan-Feb
Busiest
May
Upcoming
199+ upcoming port calls
Best time to visit: Jan-Feb (fewer ships)
Avoid: Peak winter weekends (crowded port days)
Based on 96+ sailings and upcoming visits • Updated daily
Find the best times to visit, avoid peak crowds, and explore itineraries that include Bilbao.
Use the congestion calendar to compare timing first, then bring price into the decision once you narrow the right visit window.
Best cruises that visit Bilbao
These sailings rank first because they visit Bilbao while also showing stronger-than-typical pricing, healthy availability, and current value signals.
MSC Virtuosa • MSC Cruises
7-night Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via La Rochelle & Bilbao
Jun 20, 2026 → Jun 27, 2026 • Southampton ↔
From $784
$112/night
Great deal
↓33% below typical
MSC Magnifica • MSC Cruises
11-night Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Rotterdam, Brest & Bilbao
Oct 5, 2026 → Oct 16, 2026 • Warnemünde → Marseille
From $1,101
$100/night
Great deal
↓26% below typical
MSC Virtuosa • MSC Cruises
7-night Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via La Rochelle & Bilbao
Oct 24, 2026 → Oct 31, 2026 • Southampton ↔
From $848
$121/night
Great deal
↓21% below typical
MSC Magnifica • MSC Cruises
13-night Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Aarhus, Warnemünde & Rotterdam
Oct 3, 2026 → Oct 16, 2026 • Copenhagen → Marseille
From $1,333
$103/night
Great deal
↓24% below typical
Carnival Sunshine • Carnival Cruise Line
10-night Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Le Havre, Bilbao & Lisboa
May 30, 2027 → Jun 9, 2027 • Dover → Barcelona
From $890
$89/night
Great deal
↓29% below typical
When ships are in port
Scan for dates when ships visit Bilbao, use color shading to spot the busiest passenger days in port, and use density dots to see how many cruise ships call on Bilbao that day.
Bilbao is busiest from May, with multiple ships per day. Jan, Feb are significantly quieter.
July 2026
Jump
Quieter
Busier (more ships in port)
Number of ships
Colors show estimated total passengers in port on each day
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
28
No port calls
29
No port calls
30
No port calls
1
No port calls
2
No port calls
3
1
~3,700 passengers
$233/night
↑22% vs typical
4
No port calls
5
No port calls
6
No port calls
7
1
~4,800 passengers
$127/night
↓33% vs typical
8
No port calls
9
No port calls
10
No port calls
11
No port calls
12
No port calls
13
No port calls
14
No port calls
15
No port calls
16
No port calls
17
No port calls
18
2
~0 passengers
$1,351/night
↑115% vs typical
19
No port calls
20
No port calls
21
1
~5,200 passengers
$154/night
Near median
22
No port calls
23
No port calls
24
No port calls
25
No port calls
26
No port calls
27
No port calls
28
1
~5,200 passengers
$164/night
↑9% vs typical
29
1
~2,900 passengers
$245/night
Near median
30
No port calls
31
1
~3,700 passengers
$163/night
↓9% vs typical
1
No port calls
Selected port-call day
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
1 ship visit Bilbao on this date, carrying about ~4,800 passengers in total.
Day snapshot
- Ships
- 1
- Passengers
- ~4,800 passengers
- Cruises
- 1
- Best fare
- $127/night
Best cruise on this port-call day
Top value among the sailings scheduled to visit Bilbao on this date.
MSC Virtuosa • MSC Cruises
7-night Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via La Rochelle & Bilbao
Jul 4, 2026 → Jul 11, 2026 • Southampton ↔
From $891
$127/night
Best time to visit Bilbao on a cruise
This monthly view combines ship traffic and pricing so you can spot quieter windows, busier stretches, and the months where cruises visiting Bilbao still look attractively priced.
June
Priciest
Median price/night
$364
3 visits
Traffic
↑13% vs typical
3 ships • 3 priced sailings tracked
July
Median price/night
$198
8 visits
Traffic
↑5% vs typical
5 ships • 8 priced sailings tracked
August
Median price/night
$302
13 visits
Traffic
Near typical
9 ships • 13 priced sailings tracked
September
Median price/night
$318
14 visits
Traffic
↓5% vs typical
7 ships • 14 priced sailings tracked
October
Median price/night
$131
15 visits
Traffic
Near typical
8 ships • 15 priced sailings tracked
January
Cheapest
Median price/night
$87
1 visits
Traffic
↓13% vs typical
1 ships • 1 priced sailings tracked
February
Median price/night
$185
1 visits
Traffic
Near typical
1 ships • 1 priced sailings tracked
March
Median price/night
$117
2 visits
Traffic
↓11% vs typical
1 ships • 2 priced sailings tracked
April
Median price/night
$127
14 visits
Traffic
Near typical
6 ships • 14 priced sailings tracked
May
Median price/night
$149
22 visits
Traffic
↓67% vs typical
11 ships • 20 priced sailings tracked
Cruise itineraries that include Bilbao
Compare the itinerary families that stop in Bilbao, then open the routes with the best mix of schedule fit, pricing, and sailing availability.
Itinerary NLRTM-FRBES-ESBIO-PTLEI-ESAGP-FRMRS-ITGOA-FRMRS
Western Mediterranean • Next: Oct 5
From $1,397
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via La Rochelle & Bilbao (Best Balance)
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast • Next: Jun 20
From $784
3 upcoming sailings
1 ship
View itinerary →
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Rotterdam, Brest & Bilbao (Best Balance)
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast • Next: Oct 5
From $1,101
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via La Rochelle & Bilbao (Rare Variant)
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast • Next: Oct 24
From $848
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Aarhus, Warnemünde & Rotterdam (Best Balance)
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast • Next: Oct 3
From $1,333
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Le Havre, Bilbao & Lisboa (Rare Variant)
Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast • Next: May 30
From $890
1 upcoming sailing
1 ship
View itinerary →
How to visit Bilbao on a cruise
Most cruises that stop in Bilbao depart from:
Upcoming port calls in Bilbao
See the next scheduled ship visits into Bilbao.
FAQ about cruises visiting Bilbao
Short answers for common search intent around the best time to visit, itinerary patterns, and how to compare cruises that include Bilbao.
What is the best time to visit Bilbao on a cruise?
January currently looks strongest on value for cruises visiting Bilbao, based on Jibhop's tracked median nightly fares. Use the port-call calendar above to compare exact ship dates because pricing can vary a lot within the month.
When is Bilbao busiest for cruise traffic?
May currently shows the most upcoming cruise visits to Bilbao. Busier months usually mean more ship choice, but also more crowding and less pricing flexibility.
Which cruise itineraries usually include Bilbao?
Common upcoming itinerary families that include Bilbao include Itinerary NLRTM-FRBES-ESBIO-PTLEI-ESAGP-FRMRS-ITGOA-FRMRS, Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via La Rochelle & Bilbao (Best Balance), and Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing via Rotterdam, Brest & Bilbao (Best Balance). Open any itinerary card to compare route mix, next departures, and which sailings look strongest on price.
How should I compare cruises that visit Bilbao?
Start with the best cruises section to see today's strongest pricing signals, then use the port-call calendar to find the exact visit dates that fit your trip. Once you narrow the timing, compare itineraries and ships rather than choosing on this stop alone.
Plan your route
Explore cruises that visit Bilbao
See itineraries, compare routes, and find the best way to include Bilbao in your trip.