Cape Town poised for cruise surge ahead of 2025/25 South African season

Cape Town’s cruise industry is preparing for a significant 2025/26 season, marked by larger vessels, more varied itineraries, and growing demand from South African travellers. 

The city, long regarded as a popular call on repositioning voyages, has increasingly positioned itself as a homeport with broader economic and tourism benefits.

The 2024/25 season closed on a high, with 83 ship visits, 11 maiden calls, and an estimated R1.32-billion contribution to the economy. 

Building on this momentum, the 2025/26 calendar is expected to feature marquee visits from Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Mariner, Navigator and Voyager, and a series of chartered voyages on MSC Opera. 

Themed sailings, including the Love Jazz Cruise and Oppiwater Kunstefees, among the highlights.

Extended stays benefit the city

Industry figures say the homeport model is reshaping the way travellers engage with the city. Willie Williams, Director of Sales and Marketing at Pullman Cape Town, noted that passengers are increasingly arriving several days before embarkation. 

“They want the Winelands, the Waterfront, a cable car ride if the weather plays along, then a short hop to the terminal. It feels like two getaways in one,” he said.

The trend has benefits for tourism providers beyond the port, with travellers using Cape Town as a springboard for regional experiences before departure.

Several key cruise lines have already confirmed calls for 2026:

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2: Multiple Cape Town visits, including a 17-night sailing to Southampton departing April 13th, 2026.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Mariner, Navigator and Voyager will operate a series of sailings, including a Cape Town to Doha voyage on November 25th, 2025 and a round-trip itinerary from Cape Town on January 13th, 2026.

Costa Cruises: Costa Smeralda will call as part of repositioning voyages linking Africa, Europe and the Middle East, underlining Cape Town’s evolving strategic position amid the ongoing Red Sea security uncertainty.

TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4 and 5: Notable for longer itineraries, including a 38-night World Explore cruise ending in Cape Town on April 17th, 2026 and a 19-night trans-ocean sailing from Cape Town to Palma on March 29th, 2026.

AIDAprima: Scheduled for an 18-night repositioning voyage from Cape Town to Gran Canaria on March 10th, 2026.

MSC Opera: Continuing its South African deployment, with departures from both Cape Town and Durban to Indian Ocean destinations.

Cruise operators report distinct demographic trends in the South African market. MSC Cruises data indicates that 65% of local bookings are made by women, predominantly in the 30–60 age bracket, with repeat bookings accounting for nearly 40%. 

Norwegian Cruise Line reports a younger average age of 35 plus, with strong demand for balcony cabins, which account for the majority of its South African bookings.

Ross Backman, National Sales Manager at MSC, said repeat rates reflected “a confident cruise market coming back for more”. 

Nirosha Sidat, NCL’s Country Manager for Africa, added that passengers are increasingly focused on the onboard experience itself. “Guests are talking about ships as much as the destinations,” she said.

With a diverse set of cruise lines deploying ships to Cape Town, coupled with extended pre- and post-cruise stays, the 2026 season is expected to further consolidate the city’s role as a leading African cruise hub.