Namibia’s popularity as a cruise destination has been clearly displayed by the country’s record-breaking 2022/23 cruise season, which has so far welcomed 52 passenger vessels to the ports of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz.
The numbers exceed those of pre-COVID: in 2018/19, the ports received 33 cruise ships, while 40 vessels docked in 2019/20.
And, according to the Namibia Ports Authority, at least 26 more passenger vessels are expected to arrive at the country’s shores by the end of May this year.
The most recent vessel to arrive was Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow Nassau – carrying 382 passengers and 295 crew members – which made its maiden docking at Walvis Bay on April 16. This is exactly a week after Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 (carrying more than 2 000 passengers) arrived at the same port.
The construction of a new passenger berth has been a major stimulator of cruise tourism to Walvis Bay, as pointed out by Silver Shadow Nassau Captain, Michele Macrone Palmieri.
“The construction of the berth is a welcome addition to the already exceptional existing infrastructure of the Ports Authority, and Walvis Bay remains a preferred tourist destination due to its beautiful landscapes,” said Palmieri.
The high-quality port infrastructure and unique tourism appeal of Namibia continue to attract some of the world’s biggest cruise line companies. The 2022/23 season marked Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) first dockings at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, which have been incorporated into several itineraries exploring the African coastline.
In a press release celebrating the inaugural dockings in Namibia and Cape Town, Harry Sommer, Brand President and CEO of NCL, said the new African voyages were “already amongst the company’s fastest-selling cruises for 2024, attracting guests from almost 60 countries”.
