South Africa Cruise Comparison

South Africa cruise port photos

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Created by the Waterways Cruise content team and reviewed and fact-checked by J. Richard, Sr. Cruise Travel Agent and Founder of Waterways Cruise. Published September 9, 2026 · Last updated October 31, 2026 · About this page

At a glance: South Africa cruises on Waterways Cruise: 111 upcoming sailings from 12 cruise lines (10 ocean, 2 river). Lowest starting fares run from $329 per person (MSC Cruises) to $28,398 (Regent Seven Seas Cruises). Cunard lists the most sailings (27). 52 sailings start and 46 end in South Africa.

Which cruise lines sail to South Africa, and how do they compare? This guide sorts the 12 lines with upcoming South Africa sailings by kind of cruise, then into ultra-luxury, luxury, premium and contemporary, and shows what each costs to start, how long their sailings run and which ships you would sail on. Every figure comes from the sailings we list today, so it moves as sailings are added and sold.

What counts as a South Africa cruise?

A sailing counts as a South Africa cruise if it will call at least once at a South Africa ship port. That covers ocean, river and expedition sailings, whether South Africa is where the cruise begins, where it ends, or one stop on a longer route.

Of 111 upcoming sailings, 52 start in South Africa, 46 end in South Africa and 11 begin and end there. The other 24 (22%) visit South Africa as a port of call on a longer route, often alongside France, Mauritius, Spain and other countries. Ocean and expedition sailings call at Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay and Richards Bay.

South Africa cruise

A sailing that will call at least once at a South Africa ship port.

Starts in South Africa

The first stop is a South Africa ship port: 52 sailings.

Ends in South Africa

The last stop is a South Africa ship port: 46 sailings, 11 of which also start there.

Visits only

South Africa is a port of call on a longer route: 24 sailings.

Ocean cruise lines in South Africa (10)

10 ocean and expedition cruise lines have upcoming sailings that call at South Africa: 103 in all. These sailings often call elsewhere too, most commonly France, Mauritius and Spain. The busiest ship ports are Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay and Richards Bay.

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Ultra-luxury ocean cruise lines (3)

Ultra-luxury lines sit at the top of the market. Three ultra-luxury ocean lines sail to South Africa, with 27 upcoming sailings between them. Regent Seven Seas Cruises has the most (14). Starting fares begin at $7,450 per person with Silversea Cruises.

Luxury ocean cruise lines (1)

Luxury lines sit just below ultra-luxury. One luxury ocean line sails to South Africa, with 2 upcoming sailings. Starting fares begin at $9,399 per person with Oceania Cruises.

Premium ocean cruise lines (3)

Premium lines sit in the middle of the market. Three premium ocean lines sail to South Africa, with 29 upcoming sailings between them. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has the most (18). Starting fares begin at $3,699 per person with Azamara Cruises.

Contemporary ocean cruise lines (3)

Contemporary lines are the most accessible tier. Three contemporary ocean lines sail to South Africa, with 45 upcoming sailings between them. Cunard has the most (27). Starting fares begin at $329 per person with MSC Cruises.

River cruise lines in South Africa (2)

2 river cruise lines have upcoming sailings that call at South Africa: 8 in all.

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Luxury river cruise lines (1)

Luxury lines sit just below ultra-luxury. One luxury river line sails to South Africa, with 4 upcoming sailings. Starting fares begin at $10,946 per person with AmaWaterways.

Contemporary river cruise lines (1)

Contemporary lines are the most accessible tier. One contemporary river line sails to South Africa, with 4 upcoming sailings. Starting fares begin at $7,846 per person with CroisiEurope.

South Africa cruise ports

Every South Africa ship port with upcoming sailings has its own guide. The number beside each port is how many upcoming sailings call there (sailings, not individual port visits).

Coastal and island ports (6)

• Cape Town 100
• Durban 68
• Port Elizabeth 60
• Mossel Bay 23
• Richards Bay 22
• East London 3

See them all in the South Africa cruise port guide, or browse every sailing on the South Africa cruises page.

How to choose a South Africa cruise line

• Most listed sailings: Cunard lists the most upcoming South Africa sailings (27).
• Lowest starting fare: MSC Cruises, from $329 per person.
• Style: sort by category first. Ultra-luxury lines: 3 lines, 27 sailings, from $7,450. Luxury lines: 2 lines, 6 sailings, from $9,399. Premium lines: 3 lines, 29 sailings, from $3,699. Contemporary lines: 4 lines, 49 sailings, from $329.
• Kind of cruise: ocean ships cover the coast and islands; river ships sail the rivers.
• Where you start: if you want South Africa as your first or last port, filter the sailings by Starting in or Ending in South Africa on the South Africa cruises page.

How we calculated these figures

• Upcoming sailing: an itinerary with at least one departure date from today onward, counted once however many departure dates it has. Sailings that have passed drop out each day.
• South Africa cruise: a sailing that calls at least once at a South Africa ship port. A sailing "starts" or "ends" in South Africa when its first or last stop is a South Africa ship port.
• Lowest starting fare: the lowest "from" price among that line's upcoming South Africa sailings, per person based on double occupancy, in US dollars. Under our Cruise Disclosure, prices include all applicable taxes and fees. Fares still depend on cabin category and date, so treat them as a starting point for comparison, not a quote.
• Typical length: the range covers the middle 80% of that line's sailings (the shortest and longest tenth are left out), and "typically" is the most common length.
• Kinds of cruise: A sailing is in exactly one kind, so the totals by kind add up to the 111 sailings above. Ocean: sailings on ocean-going ships, including expedition ships and ferries. River: sailings on rivers, canals and lakes. A river itinerary that also includes a coastal leg counts as river. A line that sails more than one kind appears in each list, with its sailings split by kind. Totals by kind count each sailing once.
• Style categories: Ultra-luxury, Luxury, Premium and Contemporary are Waterways Cruise's own groupings of cruise lines, not an industry standard.
• Freshness: the sailing data is refreshed daily from the sailings we list; figures here were calculated on October 31, 2026.