Cruise Europe conference 2026 takes place in Reykjavik

Taking place in the stunning HARPA concert hall and conference centre located on the harbour, the Cruise Europe conference (CEC) took on a new level of participation and subject matter. Each year is the best yet!

In over three decades of working in this industry, it was a privilege to discover that our conference director was Katrin Jakobsdottir, the former prime minister of Iceland.

With great humour and efficiency she kept the timetable on track, interjected with some of her own valuable insights and questions, and ensured the delegates were engaged from start to finish.

Conference hosts, Ports of Faxafloi, ably assisted in this by introducing an online facility, www.slido.com, whereby questions could be posed to the panels. These came thick and fast, perhaps giving an opportunity for those to speak up who may not always feel comfortable in taking the mic. It also added a certain speed element to proceedings.

With more than 200 port and associate members in attendance, this was the most well-attended conference to date, despite the fact that reaching Iceland from some destinations involved three-plus flights.

Jens Skrede, managing director of Cruise Europe (CE), who was clearly delighted with the proceedings, and rightly so, said: "Working with our hosts, Ports of Faxafloi, has been a joy. One of my takeaways is that of Icelandic girlpower. From Katrin as moderator to Tinna Johansdottir [from the port] working tirelessly both back and front of house, to Edda and Kaja at Iceland Innovation Week, what they have delivered has been second to none."