Cape Town’s cruise scene is shifting up a gear with bigger ships and bolder itineraries leading the charge. “Cape Town has graduated from fly-by port to homeport hero,” says Antoinette Turner, GM of Flight Centre South Africa. “With demand surging and world-class infrastructure at the V&A Waterfront, 2026 is the year to lock in your balcony and let the Mother City do the rest.”
Building on a record 2024/25 season (83 ship visits, 11 maiden calls, R1.32-billion in economic impact), the 2026 lineup will bring headline calls from icons like Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Seven Seas Mariner, plus fan-favourite themed voyages such as MSC Opera’s Love Jazz Cruise. Expect classic round trips to Walvis Bay with Skeleton Coast wildlife and goosebump-inducing encounters with Table Mountain.
With 69% of South Africans prioritising a cruise and balcony upgrades dominating nearly half of bookings – according to Flight Centre South Africa data – the early bird gets the best views!
Why 2026 is the season to set sail
Cape Town’s homeport advantage is turning cruise holidays into duo holidays. Travellers are padding in extra nights, easing into sailaway with a bite of the city first. According to Willie Williams, Director of Sales and Marketing at Pullman Cape Town:
“We’re seeing guests arrive two or three days early – local and international visitors alike. They want the Winelands, the Waterfront, a cable car ride if the weather plays along, then a short hop to the terminal. It’s a smarter, calmer start, and it feels like two getaways in one.”
For Capetonians, departure is on their doorstep: no long-haul flights required – just pack and go. For travellers from the rest of South Africa, it’s the perfect excuse to make a long weekend of it, with easy flights into Cape Town, a night or two in the city, and simple transfers to the ship.
“The 48–72 hour buffer before embarkation also ensures cruisers sidestep any potential travel hiccups, such as flight delays,” comments Turner.
The headline ships and where they’ll sail
Big names are on board, and they each bring a different kind of experience to the high seas. “There’s real range this season, which lets our Travel Experts match the ship to the traveller,” Turner explains.
Some standouts to look forward to include:
- Cunard’s Queen Mary 2: The world’s last true ocean liner, elegant and spacious with planetarium shows and gala nights. Expect select Cape Town calls tied to longer itineraries – like the 17-night Cape Town to Southampton itinerary, departing on 13 April 2026 – and repositionings.
- Seven Seas Mariner, Navigator, and Voyager: All‑suite, all‑balcony luxury with a focus on included shore excursions and fine dining. Ideal for travellers who want more personal space. The Seven Seas ships are sailing to and from Cape Town across the season, including from Cape Town to Doha on 25 November 2025 and a round-trip from Cape Town on 13 January 2026, visiting destinations along the South African coast and Namibia.
- Costa Cruises’ Costa Smeralda: Costa Cruises has several notable cruises departing from Cape Town for the 2026 season, mainly focusing on repositioning voyages between Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. The Costa Smeralda will reposition via Cape Town for the 2026/27 winter season, marking Cape Town as a vital strategic hub.
- Mein Schiff 4 & 5: German market go-to with generous outdoor decks and health‑forward venues. This cruise line’s longer itineraries are truly a once-in-a-lifetime holiday opportunity. Explore options like their 38-night World Explore route, disembarking in Cape Town on 17 April 2026, and their 19-night Trans-Ocean journey, starting in Cape Town on 29 March 2026 and heading to Palma.
- AIDAprima: Big‑ship fun with casual dining concepts and a lively pool deck scene. Suits social travellers who enjoy a broad choice of shows and activities. On 10 March 2026, AIDAprima embarks on an 18-night transcontinental repositioning cruise from Cape Town to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
- MSC Opera: South Africa’s crowd‑pleaser returns to South Africa in November, sailing from both Cape Town and Durban to scenic Indian Ocean destinations such as Mozambique’s Portuguese Island, Pomene, Maputo, Madagascar, Mayotte, Mauritius, and Reunion. Book now for Bok Boot 2026 (30 March – 4 April 2026), Love Jazz Cruise (4 – 9 April 2026), Oppiwater Kunstefees (9 – 14 April 2026), and many more.
Who’s cruising – and how South Africans are booking now
Cruising has widened its net in South Africa, with clear patterns at home and abroad.
MSC’s snapshot of the SA market:
- Who books locally: Roughly 65% women, with ages 30–60 the biggest cohort.
- Demographics: African 41%, Caucasian 41%, Indian 17%, Coloured and Asian under 1%.
- Loyalty: Repeat rates sit around 36–38% across major groups.
“These trends are holding into the new Opera season, which tells us the South African cruise market is confident and coming back for more,” says Ross Backman, National Sales Manager at MSC.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) signals a younger, more premium swing:
- Age trend: Average age has shifted to about 35‑plus, down from 45‑plus pre‑COVID.
- Travel party: Couples and friend groups dominate, with family bookings skewing affluent.
- Cabin choice: South Africans book top‑down, with balconies making up roughly 90% of NCL’s SA bookings.
Nirosha Sidat, NCL Country Manager, Africa, highlights how guests are talking about NCL’s ships as much as the destinations: “The experience on board has become part of the bucket list.”
Book your cruise now!
The start of the season is imminent – but you haven’t missed the boat yet! There’s still time to book your balcony.
“School holidays and theme sailings vanish fast, so if those are non‑negotiables, lock them in early. If your dates can flex, shoulder season usually brings easier availability and sharper rates. Get on a waitlist and ask your Travel Expert to set price alerts; if space opens or a cabin category drops, you’ll be first to know.”
Ready, set, sail!
