South African ports, even small ones like Mossel Bay, are riding the wave of a global cruise ship market.
The country had a record-breaking cruise season from November 2025 to May 2026, with Cape Town stealing the spotlight amid the splash of huge liners docking regularly.
While conflict in the Middle East sparks cancellations in riskier waters, South Africa’s cruise scene is thriving like never before. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) forecast 37.7-million passengers worldwide in 2025 — the highest yet — with the market poised to explode from $94bn in 2026 to more than $200bn by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights.
Internationally, cruises are surging in popularity, especially among millennials and Gen Z craving hassle-free adventures. But geopolitical storms in the Middle East and tensions in the Persian Gulf have cruise giants like MSC and Royal Caribbean scrambling to reroute. Ships once bound for Dubai or Aqaba are changing course to stable ports in South Africa, Australia and the western Mediterranean.
This “safety shuffle” has supercharged southern hemisphere ports; the CLIA notes a 20% increase in redeployed itineraries, turning potential losses into windfalls. For South Africa, it’s a jackpot: safer seas mean more ships, more spenders and a boost to the economy just as global travellers seek drama-free escapes.
With record passenger numbers and expenditure, the industry is showing its ability to create jobs and stimulate growth
— Wrenelle Stander
Cruising packs it all — transport, luxe cabins, gourmet feasts and nonstop entertainment — into one seamless thrill ride. Ditch the flight-marathon headaches; no wonder 82% of first-timers are hooked for life, says the CLIA. Younger crowds are jumping aboard, trading backpacks for onboard spas.
Sharon Taylor, 63, of New Zealand sails six weeks to three months yearly, from Africa’s wild coasts to Alaska’s icy fjords. “It’s the most cost-effective way of travelling because the only time you spend money is on excursions when you dock.”
Cape Town was set for 60 ships calling this summer, snagging vessels rerouted from the Persian Gulf. Russel Brueton, Wesgro’s chief marketing and innovation officer, says last season (2024/2025) shattered records with the most ships and passengers, pumping R1.79bn into the city — up from R1.32bn the year before. “Each liner unleashes thousands of globe-trotters whose cash ripples through hotels, taxis, eateries, landmarks, shops and wine estates,” he says.
Durban welcomed 30 to 40 ships last year, ferrying 240,000 passengers who splashed R762m on hotels, shops and rides. Smaller spots like Mossel Bay, Hermanus and Saldanha Bay scored too: 32,000 visitors generated R47.5m and hundreds of jobs in the Western Cape.
This season’s lineup? 60 calls at Cape Town, 47 at Durban, 43 at Gqeberha, 27 at Mossel Bay, five at Saldanha and 14 each at Richards Bay and KuGompo (East London). All fingers crossed, as Middle East flare-ups could shuffle schedules, notes Brueton.
Mossel Bay’s transformation is remarkable — from five ships a few years ago to 27 this season. Mossel Bay Tourism COO Lieschke Steven-Jennings says it provides valuable income for the town. Mossel Bay Tourism has teamed up with Transnet National Ports Authority to facilitate smooth arrivals. A shiny R22m customs hub, unveiled in 2025, whisks overseas visitors straight to Garden Route adventures.
Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander sums it up: “With record passenger numbers and expenditure, the industry is showing its ability to create jobs and stimulate growth across the province.”
Cape Town port manager Captain Alex Miya says: “These results [this year again] confirm that the cruise industry is one of the fastest-growing contributors to South Africa’s GDP through tourism. Cape Town’s strategic location on global shipping routes makes it a natural gateway for cruise tourism.”
He says the ports authority is committed to providing world-class services to support this growth and to working with Cruise Cape Town and partners to make the port and province Africa’s premier cruise destination.
Final tallies for the 2025/2026 season (ending May) are still awaited, but one thing’s clear: South Africa’s cruise party is just getting started.
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