Cruise fans, start saving! MSC Cruises has confirmed that the MSC Opera will be returning to South African waters for the 2025/2026 season, and while it will spend most of the summer home-ported in Durban – sailing to Mozambique and beyond – there will be a string of dedicated departures out of the Mother City in March and April 2026, departing from the Cape Town Cruise Terminal.
After completing her Durban season at the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal, MSC Opera will cruise into Cape Town on 27 March 2026 with a special three-night at-sea repositioning voyage.
From there, she’ll launch three round-trip sailings from Cape Town to Walvis Bay, Namibia, before concluding her local season with a return sailing to Durban on 14 April 2026.
But it’s the themed cruises out of Cape Town that are set to make waves for local cruise fans.
First up is the Bok Boot 2026 cruise (30 March - 4 April): a five-night sailing hosted by Bok Radio featuring live performances from top local artists. While the line-up is to be confirmed, expect festive vibes all the way to Namibia. Let’s hope this sells better than Steve Hofmeyr’s cancelled performance at Cape Town Stadium!
Preer smooth tunes to treffers? The Love Jazz Cruise (4-9 April) is a jazz-lover’s dream. Hosted by Clarence Ford, this itinerary includes performances from top jazz artists and culminates in an exclusive jazz festival under the stars amid the dunes of the Namib Desert.
Rounding off the Cape Town run is the ever-popular Oppiwater Kunstefees (9-14 April), a floating arts festival presented by RSG and Lefra Productions. The programme includes theatre, opera, dance and comedy… all while at sea.
Cruisers can add hotel stays through MSC’s Stay & Cruise partnerships, and take advantage of pre-booking discounts on drink packages, internet access, shore excursions and on-board spa treatments. Airport transfers and shuttles are also available for a seamless start to your cruise.
Or cruise from Cape Town to Antarctica... for R290 000!