Cape Town Cruise Terminal named Africa's best for fourth time in row

The Cape Town Cruise Terminal has been named Africa's Best Cruise Terminal for the fourth year in a row at the global World Cruise Awards.

The awards were held in Funchal, the capital of Madeira, on Sunday, to celebrate outstanding achievements in the global cruise industry.

“We’re honoured to receive this accolade, especially following our recent recognition as Africa’s Leading Cruise Port at the World Travel Awards earlier this year,” said Andre Blaine, executive manager for Marine and Industrial Property.

“These achievements reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence and to presenting Cape Town in the best possible light.

“As the first point of contact for visitors arriving by sea, the terminal plays a crucial role in shaping their experience, and we strive to make every arrival memorable.’’

“Having successfully integrated the cruise terminal experience with food retail and commercial office elements has been a game-changer for its location, drawing new visitors into the commercial port environment while driving foot traffic into the rest of the Waterfront for cruise travellers to enjoy,” Blaine said.

Other African ports that were nominated in the category included Durban’s KwaZulu Cruise Terminal, Kenya’s Mombasa Cruise Terminal, Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh Sea Port and Tanzania’s Ports of Dar es Salaam and Port of Zanzibar.

Last month, the Port of Cape Town was recognised as Africa’s Leading Cruise Port inclusive of the Cruise Terminal Building at the 31st Annual World Travel Awards.

The port celebrated many milestones this year including a historic moment with the arrivals of the two Cunard Queens: Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2, who simultaneously graced the Port of Cape Town.

Eighty-eight cruise vessel visits are scheduled for the 2024/2025 cruise season with 130 000 total passengers expected.

Cape Times