What is the cheapest month to cruise from Cape Town?

March currently has the lowest median nightly fares from Cape Town.

When do cruises from Cape Town usually get expensive?

February is currently the priciest month for upcoming departures from Cape Town.

What itineraries are most common from Cape Town?

The most common upcoming itinerary families from Cape Town include South Africa Repositioning via Port Elizabeth, East London & Port Louis, Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing: Cape Town, Walvis Bay & Jamestown, and Portugal & Spain Atlantic Coast Crossing: Lüderitz, Walvis Bay & Jamestown.

How far in advance should I book a cruise from Cape Town?

Start tracking cruises from Cape Town early, then book when a sailing moves below its typical range or hits a new recent low.

South Africa

Cruises from Cape Town

Cape Town is a major embarkation gateway with lighter cruise traffic, typically mid-size ships, and departures mostly from March through April.

Usually docks Usually quiet Cruises start or end here Mid-size ships

What to expect in Cape Town

Getting ashore

Cape Town is usually a dock stop.

Most ships dock at Cape Town, which usually makes the day simpler: walk off the ship, meet your tour, and get back on board without tender queues.

How much time will you have?

About 18h is typical

Most cruises spend 17h to 21h in Cape Town, which makes it a relatively long port day compared with many stops.

How busy does Cape Town get?

This is usually a quieter cruise stop.

Multiple ships overlap on roughly 5% of days, so most dates should feel manageable.

Typical day: ~1,500 passengers
Busy day: 9,800+ passengers
Multiple ships on 5% of days

When to cruise from Cape Town

Cruises depart during 10 months of the year, with the heaviest traffic from March through April.

Most cruise traffic clusters from March through April, so month choice can change both ship choice and crowd levels.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Departures

Price/night

—

$743

$149

$400

$423

—

$525

—

$527

—

↑

Priciest

↑

Cheapest

Check your date

October 2026

Better value

Pricier

Sailings

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Where Cape Town fits into a cruise

Cruises from Cape Town most commonly head into South Africa itineraries, often starting with Walvis Bay and Lüderitz .

Commonly arrives from

Port Elizabeth

Lüderitz

Walvis Bay

Cape Town

Walvis Bay

Lüderitz

Mossel Bay

Commonly continues to

See itinerary options

Who sails here?

Ships visiting Cape Town typically carry around 1,950 guests, with Queen Victoria, Le Dumont Durville, and MSC Armonia calling most often.

Most frequently visiting ships

1 Queen Victoria 18 calls
2 Le Dumont Durville 4 calls
3 MSC Armonia 4 calls
4 Volendam 4 calls
5 Europa 2 3 calls
6 Vista 3 calls

Next port calls

Nov 10 Silver Muse

Nov 15 HANSEATIC spirit

Nov 18 Europa 2

Nov 19 Europa 2

Dec 11 Le Dumont Durville

Cruises from Cape Town