In October 2010, cruise passenger movements increased by around 4% over the same month last year. A total of 58,734 passenger movements were recorded compared to 56,602 in October 2009.

This brings the total since January to 418,106 compared to 367,067 recorded between January and October 2009, an increase of around 14%.

In terms of vessel calls, despite four cancellations in October, 236 cruise ships called Valletta during the first ten months of this year, compared to 218 during the same period last year: an increase of 8.2%. The MV Delphin cancelled its call, after the owners, Delphin Kreuzfahrten, filed for bankruptcy. Two calls, one by MV Calisto and one by Seabourn Spirit were cancelled because of bad weather encountered on their way to Malta.

October also saw the maiden calls of the MV Kristina Katerina, a cruise line company which specialises in the Finnish market, and the Seabourne Sojourn. During last month, the Star Clipper sailed into Malta for the first time flying the Maltese flag.