Cape Town South Africa

544 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

AmaWaterways (107 Cruises)

Cruise Ama AmaWaterways Zambezi Queen ship

Zambezi Queen

28 Passengers
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Costa Cruises (38 Cruises)

Costa Deliziosa.

Costa Deliziosa

2826 Passengers
92 tons
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CroisiEurope (250 Cruises)

MS ZIMBABWEAN DREAM.

MV Zimbabwean Dream

16 Passengers
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Cruise CE Croisieurope African Dream ship

RV African Dream

16 Passengers
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Cunard (52 Cruises)

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (23 Cruises)

Port of Cape Town, South Africa | Cruise Port Guide

Long before docking, every passenger is already out on deck: Table Mountain rises above the city, its flat summit often draped in its famous cloud "tablecloth," flanked by Lion's Head and Signal Hill. Few ports in the world offer such an entrance. Cape Town, at the southwestern tip of South Africa, then delivers fully on the promise of that setting.

A Terminal in the Heart of the Waterfront

Ships dock at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront cruise terminal, a five-minute walk from the lively docks of the old Victorian harbour. Restaurants, shops, covered markets, a Ferris wheel, and museums follow one after another amid a steady traffic of sailboats and fur seals lazing between the jetties, under the cries of Cape gulls. Formalities are quick, and you can go from the ship to a café terrace in fifteen minutes. It's hard to imagine a better first taste of the city.

The Summit First

If the summit is clear, head up without delay: the Table Mountain rotating cable car stands about seven kilometres from the terminal. Up top, at over 1,000 metres, easy trails wind between the rocks and the fynbos vegetation, with the entire Cape Peninsula spread out below, between two oceans of cloud. Lines grow long by midday; tickets bought online and early departures save a great deal of waiting. When wind closes the cable car, Signal Hill offers a very respectable alternative panorama by car.

Robben Island and Memory

From nearby jetties, ferries head to Robben Island, the prison island where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his twenty-seven years of detention. The tour, led by former political prisoners, is deeply moving in its restraint. Allow about half a day, including a sometimes choppy crossing, and book well in advance: spots fill up fast. Those who stay ashore will find, at the District Six Museum, another equally powerful perspective on the wounds of apartheid.

The Colours of Bo-Kaap and the Gardens of Kirstenbosch

On the slopes of Signal Hill, the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood lines its cobbled streets with brightly coloured houses, pink, turquoise, and yellow. The birthplace of Cape Town's Malay community, it's home to the Nurul Islam Mosque, founded in 1844, and to restaurants serving local curry. On the opposite side of the city, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden tiers its lawns and indigenous flowers; its undulating canopy walkway alone is worth the trip.

AttractionDistance from TerminalSuggested Time
V&A Waterfront5 min on foot1 to 2 hours
Table Mountain cable carAbout 7 km2 to 3 hours
Bo-KaapAbout 4 km1 hour
Robben IslandFerry from the Waterfront3.5 to 4 hours
KirstenboschAbout 13 km2 hours

For Longer Stops

With a full day, the peninsula drive unfolds one of the finest coastal routes on the continent: the Chapman's Peak corniche carved into the cliffside, the African penguins of Boulders Beach near Simon's Town, and finally the Cape Point lighthouse facing the ocean. Organized excursions often string these stops together over eight to nine hours, leaving just enough time to return before departure.

In the evening, as the ship pulls away from the dock, the mountain glows in the low light and the city sparkles at its feet. Many travellers say Cape Town is the stop that made them want to come back as a long-term traveller. They're probably right: a single day here opens more doors than it closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

At the cruise terminal in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, five minutes' walk from the busy quays of the old Victorian harbour. Formalities are quick: you can go from ship to café terrace in a quarter of an hour.
The rotating cable car is about seven kilometres from the terminal, by taxi or excursion. Go early if the summit is clear: queues build by midday and tickets are best bought online.
Signal Hill offers a very respectable substitute panorama by car. Wind closes the cableway regularly: it is the most common risk of a Cape Town call, and a plan B is worth having.
Yes, ferries leave from jetties beside the terminal, but allow roughly half a day and book well ahead, as places go quickly. The tour is led by former political prisoners and is quietly devastating.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront on foot from the ship, then Table Mountain if the weather allows. Bo-Kaap and its vivid façades, on the flank of Signal Hill, also fits into a short visit.
The heart of the Cape Malay community: pink, turquoise and yellow houses along cobbled streets, the Nurul Islam mosque founded in 1844, and tables where you can try the local curry.
The peninsula drive: Chapman's Peak carved into the cliff, the African penguins of Boulders Beach near Simon's Town, then the Cape Point lighthouse facing the ocean. Organized excursions link these stops in eight to nine hours.
Yes, at Boulders Beach near Simon's Town on the peninsula drive. The African penguin colony is viewed from boardwalks, at a respectful distance.
Yes, especially for its curving walkway above the tree canopy. The botanical garden climbs the slope opposite Bo-Kaap with lawns and indigenous flora; it is the calm option when wind spoils the viewpoints.
The South African rand, with cards accepted almost everywhere at the Waterfront. English, Afrikaans and Xhosa are spoken; English is more than enough for a cruise passenger.