Royal Caribbean looks to double cruise bookings from ‘high spend’ South African market

Royal Caribbean Cruises Group is looking to double its cruise bookings from South Africa, which it describes as a small, but highly profitable market.

South African passengers spend more onboad than any other market apart from the Middle East, according to Natalya Whitfield, Head of Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa, for Royal Caribbean.

The cruise line’s average daily net-ticket revenue is approximately US$189 (R3,490), but for South Africans, its $222 (R4,095). 

This higher spending onboard is largely a result of booked extras such as drink packages and WiFi, she told Travel News. However, while Royal Caribbean Cruises has seen double-digit growth in 2024, the South African market has remained largely stagnant.

Whitfield and Matt Irwin, Key Account Manager for the Middle East and Africa, Royal Caribbean, visited travel agents in South Africa recently to outline their plans to grow market share.

Royal Caribbean’s interest in South Africa appears to also be driven by potential plans to deploy a ship to the region, but in order to make such a committment, it needs to know the market is large enough.

Whitfield said that as traveller numbers increased from the region, it was the kind of investment that could be considered. 

“With increased volumes, investment will come,” she said.

Voyager of the Seas will sail a 17-night cruise from Cape Town to Singapore in November, but that itinerary is largely a result of cruise line’s being forced to reposition ships around South Africa rather than through the Suez Canal, due to the ongoing insecurity in the Red Sea.

Whitfield said South Africans preferred European and Singaporean cruises, most likely driven by flights and visa requirements, and the cruise line has plans to launch Legend of the Seas out of Barcelona and Rome in 2026.

The 7,600-guest, 20-deck ship is one of the group’s low-emission LNG-powered vessels and the largest passenger ship in the world alongside sister ship Icon of the Seas. Allure of the Seas, an Oasis-class mega-ship, is currently undergoing a refit and will return to service in April, sailing from Barcelona and Rome.

The South African cruise market is dominated by MSC Cruises, which homeports annually in Durban. The cruise line offers a mix of short itineraries to Mozambique and extended voyages along the African coastline. 

However, it has also faced headwinds in the current season, swapping out the 4,363-passenger MSC Splendida for the smaller MSC Musica, which accommodates just over 3,200 guests. 

This adjustment appears to have been driven by shifting demand patterns amid the country’s ongoing economic uncertainty and stagnant growth.