NORFOLK, Va. — Tuesday, Holland America's MS Zuiderdam brought more than 2,000 cruise passengers to Downtown Norfolk — its first stop on a journey from Miami to Quebec.
Another 1,200 are coming later this week aboard the MS Artania. Then, this weekend, the Carnival Sunshine will once again pick up thousands of cruisers from Half Moone Cruise Terminal.
Nauticus, which operates the terminal, is welcoming them - and locals - with the return of its Cruise Norfolk Market Days. The small vendor market features locally-made products.
“We’re rolling out the welcome mat is what we’re doing. We’ve got tacos on the porch, we’ve got live music. We continue to build a cruise culture," said Stephen Kirkland, Executive Director of Nauticus.
This busier-than-average week comes after the first full year of year-round cruising in Norfolk. In 2025, more than 340,000 cruise passengers came through the Mermaid City.
Kirkland says he expects a similar number in 2026, but when so many ships are coming through in such a short time, it only adds to the potential economic impact.
"Our goal as a community is to continue to build this port of call business," he told News 3, adding that the average cruise passenger is believed to spend $125 during a stop.
That amounts to $250,000 for the MS Zuiderdam alone.
"This (Cruise Market) opportunity came up where they reached out to us and it was amazing because this is a new clientele for us," said Amy Lu, who owns Crunch On! Snacks, one of the vendors at Nauticus on Tuesday.
The hope is passengers will explore the region, including walking one block into Downtown and supporting businesses. Two blocks away, Selden Market businesses told News 3 they were asked to open on Tuesday — their normal day off — in anticipation of the cruise ship.
However, there are no guarantees that more traffic means more transactions. Multiple businesses in Selden reported slow sales to News 3.
“They’re just walking through. We’re just something to look at," said Anita Green, Co-Owner of Cooking With Greens. "They’re not purchasing anything.”
So, there may still be work to be done as Norfolk continues to expand its cruise economy.
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