Arrival of luxury cruise ships in Ivory Coast and Kenya points to a busy season ahead for African ports.
by Blue Africa News
The Port of Abidjan in Ivory Coast and Kenya’s Port of Mombasa have recorded early gains in 2026, following the docking of luxury cruise ships, underscoring growing interest by high-end cruise operators in African waters.
Luxury cruise ship Seven Seas Voyager docked in Ivorian waters on January 02, six months after the inaugural stop in June, 2025. The ship made a stop at the Port of Abidjan with 592 passengers aboard.
“This new stopover, which marks the second passage of this ship in Abidjan, confirms the growing interest of high-end cruise companies for the Ivory Coast destination,” the port of Abidjan said in a media statement.
“It also translates to the renewed confidence of prestigious operators in the Port of Abidjan, recognized for the quality of its infrastructures and superstructures and its mastery of operations to welcome new-generation ships.”
Passengers aboard the ship did not regret their time in Abidjan, as they were roped into a tourist discovery program showcasing several symbolic sites of the greater Abidjan.
They got an opportunity to visit the Cathedral of Saint Paul du Plateau, the Forêt du Banco, the National Costume Museum of Grand-Bassam and the Botanical Garden of Bingerville, landing a rare chance to interact with the cultural, historical and natural wealth of the West African nation.
For locals, they got an opportunity to witness the marvelous features of the ship. Built in Italy, the Seven Seas Voyager measures 206.6 by 28.8 metres. It has 353 suites and offers its passengers a level of comfort and benefits that meet the most demanding standards of luxury maritime tourism.
MV Crystal Symphony vessel at the Port of Mombasa on January 04, 2026. Photo courtesy: KPA
In Mombasa, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) started the year on the right footing courtesy of the arrival of the first cruise ship of 2026.
MV Crystal Symphony sailed into the Port of Mombasa on January 04, marking the luxury liner’s second trip to the Kenyan waters, with more than 1,000 guests on board. The ship made its inaugural voyage in 2025.
“Stretching 238 meters long with a draft of 8 metres, the ship arrived from Port Elizabeth, South Africa,” KPA said in a statement.
The ship spent a day in Mombasa before embarking on a journey toward India.
“We’ve received such a warm welcome,” said Crystal Symphony’s Cruise entertainment Director, Vicky Vantassel. “Everyone is excited to explore Kenya, even if just for the day,” she added.
Speaking on behalf of Managing Director Captain William Ruto, corporation secretary and general manager, board and legal services Turasha Kinyanjui, said the port is dedicated to improving guest experiences by upgrading facilities and ensuring cooperation with all relevant partners.
“The MV Crystal Symphony’s visit signals a busy season ahead. Several more cruise vessels are scheduled to dock in Mombasa in the coming weeks, promising a steady stream of visitors and a welcome boost for local tourism.”
The arrival of the two cruise ships in Africa early in the year points to what experts say is a “significant boom” in Africa’s cruising sector.
“The demand is almost double compared to 2022, and we see it growing year by year,” said Patrizia Lantorno, chief commercial officer at Swan Hellenic Cruises, as quoted by travelweekly.com in a news report published on August 26, 2024.
Cruise tourism, according to Andrew Mwangura, an independent maritime consultant “is an opportunity, not a guarantee.”
Its benefits, he said, can only be maximised if Kenya and the rest of Africa remain disciplined in maintaining port standards, protecting passenger safety, and ensuring that local communities see tangible value from the visits.
“The Port of Mombasa must continue to balance commercial cargo operations with the distinct needs of cruise vessels, while policymakers must resist complacency and instead treat each successful call as a benchmark to be exceeded,” he said in an opinion article recently published by thecoast.co.ke.
Cape Town, South Africa, Casablanca in Morocco and Egypt’s Alexandria remain Africa’s premier cruise ship destinations.
According to atta.travel, the 2024/2025 period was the most successful cruise season for Cape Town, welcoming 83 cruise ship visits including 11 inaugural calls. Notably, the sector contributed an estimated R1.32 billion to the regional economy, and supported 2,000 jobs during the 2023/24 season.
In 2025, Norwegian Viva cruise ship called at the Port of Alexandria in Egypt three times between September and October, taking nearly 14,000 passengers to the coastal city, forming part of cruise ships that docked at the historic city, as reported by cruise-arabia.com.
Still in North Africa, Morocco is targeting up to 1 million cruise ship passengers by 2030, with the ports of Casablanca, Tanger Med and Agadir being banked on to achieving the target.
Durban, South Africa and St. Louis in Mauritius are among other key African destinations for cruise ships. Durban’s 2025-26 cruise season runs from November 2025 through to June 2026 and the city is preparing for its largest cruise season on record, with projections indicating the season’s programme will inject nearly R1.8 billion into the city’s economy and attract around 255,000 cruise visitors, according to the city’s executives.
International vessels will include MSC Opera, Europa, Queen Mary 2, Silver Dawn, Azamara Onward, and Seven Seas Navigator, according to the cruise-arabia.com.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News