Demand for Cape Town and South Africa cruises growing ‘too fast’

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Cape Town is struggling to keep up with the demand for the destination coming from cruise lines and passengers, said Kendra Stoffberg, chief of staff at a promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape.

The Cape Town Cruise Terminal was built a few years ago and recently refurbished to be able to accommodate more cruise ships at a time. The terminal had 32 ships booked to arrive from Nov. 30 through the end of May 2022.

Cruise lines scheduled to come in this season include Norwegian Cruise Line, Ponant, MSC Cruises, Azamara, Silversea Cruises, Regent, Crystal Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd.
The season will be opened with the 408-passenger Europa on Nov. 30, the first ship to bring passengers to the terminal – a launch delay caused by the pandemic.

Typically, cruises from Cape Town last approximately six to sixteen days, but the home port also sees some world cruises- like the ones operated by Silversea, Cunard and Regent.

Sune’ Cornelius, Wesgro’s Cruise Business Development Manager for Western Cape, said that the target market for cruises out of South Africa varies.



It is a mixture. Cruising is becoming a very important family holiday. It used to be that older people and wealthier people (would cruise), but it has become more affordable, especially after the COVID pandemic, she said.

According to her, Norwegian and MSC cruises typically target the South African market, while the more expensive luxury cruise lines definitely target international cruise guests or guests that are looking for expedition cruising and world cruises.

« Back to Page

• Hospitality Sector Thrives: Nairobi Emerges as Hub for Growth at 11th EAPI Summit

• Singapore Airlines Group soars to new heights with dual wins at 2024 Air Transport World Awards

• Zhangjiajie expects rebound in tourists from South Korea this year

• Faith-based travelers key to Israel’s post-crisis comeback

• Thailand and China to waive visa requirements for each other’s nationals