Cruise ships lining up to visit South African ports this season
Cape Town – In a boon for South Africa’s tourism industry, around 20 luxury cruise vessels will dock at the country’s ports over the summer and autumn seasons.
The ships, which are operated by 17 international cruise lines, will dock at different ports around the country.
Among them will be the familiar MSC Sinfonia, Queen Mary II, Queen Elizabeth and even the RMS St Helena.
“As the South African Port Authority, we have positioned Durban and Cape Town as stimulus cruise home ports while Richards Bay, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth and East London continue to receive their share of cruise ships,” Transnet National Ports Authority chief executive Shulami Qalinge said.
She added they were making progress in efforts to introduce new and modern cruise terminals.
“With safe, reliable and efficient marine services that will provide an ideal gateway to a unique South African experience, world-class cruise facilities in our ports will continue to attract global operators, which has economic spin-offs for tour operators, hotels, game reserves, lodges and tourist attractions in our port cities,” she said.
Last month, MSC Sinfonia became the first international cruise liner to arrive at the Port of Durban for the 2017 and 2018 cruise season, carrying around 2300 mainly European and South African passengers and ending a 23-day itinerary from Venice in Italy.
Source: iol.co.za