Nothing fairly says “bucket record” like a cruise to Africa.
You get wildlife safaris, historic wonders of the world and among the most fascinating cultural epicenters on the globe multi function journey. Are you beginning to perceive why a cruise right here is so distinctive?
Africa is a giant continent, and you will find nearly as some ways to cruise as marvels to see. Whether or not you wish to go to Africa’s tropical Seychelles islands within the Indian Ocean or want the dramatic crimson sands of Namibia on the Atlantic coast, you are able to do it on a cruise ship — even on the identical itinerary.
And that is not all! You’ll be able to e book intimate river cruises on Botswana’s Chobe River or Egypt’s Nile River, a ceremony of passage for a lot of a cruise fan. (We have highlighted Viking under for its huge variety of sailings, however Lindblad/Nationwide Geographic, Uniworld and Avalon Waterways all supply Nile itineraries as properly.)
Whether or not you are searching for an expedited South African highlights cruise or a multiweek African continent journey, you could find a cruise itinerary to go well with you. Listed here are our picks for one of the best Africa cruises in 2025 and 2026.
Norwegian Cruise Line: 11- to 13-night South Africa & Madagascar cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line has among the most sturdy and various Africa cruise options of all of the big-ship traces, with 13 sailings starting from 11 to 21 nights in 2025 alone.
Among the many hottest choices is the Cape City to Mauritius (or reverse) route on Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Daybreak. These 11- to 13-night cruises mix the highlights of Cape City with the wildlife wonders of Madagascar. The latter is without doubt one of the most enthralling safari locations in Africa; 90% of the plant and animal species on the island are endemic, together with 103 styles of lemurs. However Madagascar can be a vacation spot that even hardcore safari fanatics usually skip as a result of flights and lodges are laborious to e book, making a cruise the proper option to get there.
NCL’s itineraries additionally go to Pointe de Galets, Reunion — a lush seashore and rainforest space on the Indian Ocean. Norwegian Daybreak’s 12-night itinerary provides a cease in Maputo, Mozambique.
Who ought to go: The 1,944-passenger Norwegian Sky and a couple of,290-passenger Norwegian Daybreak are among the smallest and oldest ships in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet. They go well with cruisers searching for a extra intimate expertise than what you may discover on larger ships. Africa cruises have a tendency to attract cruisers who care extra concerning the locations they go to than onboard sights, however the ships will nonetheless entertain you with a number of eateries and bars and lounges, a number of swimming pools and whirlpools, a on line casino and a theater with nightly reveals.
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Associated: The 9 classes of Norwegian Cruise ships, explained
Azamara: 18-night Western Africa Voyage
Azamara presents an 18-night Western Africa Voyage crusing between the Canary Islands and Cape City. The 704-passenger Azamara Quest calls on the ports of Dakar, Senegal; Banjul, Gambia; and Luderitz and Walvis Bay, Namibia, alongside the African coast. The ship additionally stops on the British-controlled island of St. Helena.
E book excursions to hunt out the elusive wild horses of Namibia, take a sightseeing flight over the huge shifting sand dunes of Sossusvlei, race via the desert in a four-wheel-drive car and discover the waterways and villages of Gambia.
Azamara additionally companions with Micato Safaris for pre- and post-cruise Africa packages to see the “Massive 5” (Cape buffaloes, lions, rhinoceroses, elephants and leopards). You’ll be able to e book safaris in Chobe Nationwide Park in Botswana or Kruger Nationwide Park in South Africa.
Who ought to go: Azamara caters to prosperous, well-traveled cruisers who take pleasure in smaller vessels, a rustic home atmosphere and itineraries that concentrate on vacation spot immersion. (You will not discover waterslides or curler coasters, and that is precisely how the road’s followers prefer it.) Azamara creates an immersive African expertise with its give attention to longer stays in port; for instance, the ship spends two full days in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Moreover, the road’s complimentary AzAmazing Evenings program takes cruisers ashore to expertise cultural performances in jaw-dropping areas, such because the “Desert Dinner & Fireplace spinners and Marimba Band” occasion in Namibia.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises: 16-night Shores of Madagascar: Cape City to Port Louis cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises presents a 16-night itinerary alongside the southern coast of South Africa and on to Mozambique and Madagascar, concluding in Port Louis, Mauritius. The 750-passenger Seven Seas Splendor departs Jan. 27, 2026, on this itinerary after which repeats the crusing in reverse, from Port Louis to Cape City, on Feb. 12, 2026.
Alongside the way in which, Regent presents some distinctive shore excursions that set it aside from different traces. Highlights embrace safari recreation drives in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, from Richards Bay; cultural explorations of Durban, South Africa, with visits to Zulu villages within the Valley of a Thousand Hills; and birding within the distant Mayotte, French Comoros.
Who ought to go: Regent’s all-inclusive luxury cruises — which embrace airfare, transfers, onboard drinks and eating, gratuities, Wi-Fi and limitless shore excursions — have correspondingly luxurious costs. Passengers are principally prosperous professionals and retirees who benefit from the seamless ease of an all-inclusive crusing providing high-end service.
Effective eating followers will admire the a number of onboard eating choices, together with Chartreuse for advantageous French delicacies and Prime 7 with steakhouse menus. Different diversions on board embrace the sybaritic Serene Spa and a pool deck, plus boccie, a placing inexperienced and golf nets for sea day enrichment.
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Oceania Cruises: 14-night Cape City to Cape City cruise
When you’d want a deeper exploration of southern Africa, Oceania Cruises’ Cape Town to Cape Town cruise Jan. 19. to Feb. 2, 2026, explores South Africa’s coast in an uncommon up-and-back itinerary, first exploring the east coast as much as Richards Bay, then heading to the island of Madagascar, then looping again to the mainland and stopping in Maputo, Mozambique, earlier than returning again to Cape City.
Highlights embrace Durban, with its golden seashores and enchanting Indian Market, and Port Elizabeth on the southern coast of South Africa, an space nicknamed the “Backyard Route” for its verdant foliage. Port Elizabeth can be a preferred migratory path for southern proper whales that you just would possibly spot, together with colleges of dolphins, as you sail.
Oceania presents longer Cape City to Lisbon, Portugal, and Cape City to Barcelona itineraries (in addition to Lisbon and Barcelona to Cape City sailings) of 25 and 26 nights, too. Ports embrace the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Alongside the way in which, you may cease at Walvis Bay on the western coast of Namibia, with its iconic crimson sand dunes; right here, you may have an opportunity to see flamingos, pelicans and 1000’s of different migratory birds.
Who ought to go: Oceania Cruises presents a high-end cruising expertise with a residential really feel just like staying in a sublime property. The intimate 670-passenger Nautica encompasses a comparatively uncrowded setting, with a better crew-to-passenger ratio than you may discover on mass-market vessels. On board, friends enjoyment of a number of high-end eating places providing connoisseur delicacies and chic lodging.
Viking: 11-night Pharaohs and Pyramids cruise
Not all Africa cruises are on the ocean. A visit down the Nile River is a tick on many a traveler’s want record, and Viking presents one of many easiest-to-book choices with seven ships crusing its Pharaohs & Pyramids cruises. In 2025 and 2026, sailings depart practically day-after-day within the October to March excessive season, although no sailings are scheduled for the second half of June via the top of July.
The round-trip Cairo sailings really feel extremely unique, with ships carrying just 82 passengers on board. The itinerary begins with a number of days in Cairo, the place friends can go to the Nice Pyramids, the Sphinx, museums and souks earlier than crusing down the Nile. Your ship will linger a number of days in Luxor, Egypt, house of the Valley of the Kings; spend a day in Qena, Egypt, to see the Dendera Temple advanced; and cease within the ports of Esna, Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu, Egypt.
Who ought to go: Adults-only cruise line Viking appeals to vacationers who admire a relaxed onboard expertise centered round studying a couple of vacation spot by way of visitor lectures — on this case, Egyptologists — and shore excursions. The cruise line’s passengers are usually retirement age or older.
Viking’s followers love the ships’ uncluttered Scandinavian-inspired decor and pricing that features wine and beer with lunch and dinner, gratuities and one free shore tour per port. The ships would not have an onboard on line casino or leisure areas past the principle lounge space, however a shaded pool and sundeck supply a soothing out of doors venue to look at the river surroundings.
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AmaWaterways: 9-night Uncover Africa cruisetour
When you’re somebody who loves the equal of a journey buffet and appreciates having a bit bit of each expertise in your plate, then AmaWaterways‘ extremely distinctive Discover Africa cruisetour itinerary is for you. (AmaWaterways additionally presents Nile cruises.) For this journey, friends begin with two full days of guided excursions and three nights in a luxurious lodge in Cape City earlier than flying to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and transferring to the Chobe River the place you embark on the 28-passenger Zambezi Queen for a four-night cruise traversing the wildlife areas of Botswana, together with safari drives into the savannah.
Then, it is again to Victoria Falls to see the thundering waterfall and discover the realm by each steam practice and smaller crusing vessel throughout your two-night keep. The journey ends with a flight to Johannesburg, the place you may proceed your journey independently or with a post-cruise extension or fly house.
Who ought to go: AmaWaterways attracts lively friends who admire the a number of included tour choices at each port and the road’s consideration to each wellness and distinctive culinary choices. The river cruise line’s Africa sailings use a chartered ship, so you will not discover its signature Wellness Host main health lessons or delicacies vetted by the celebrated culinary group La Chaine des Rotisseurs. Nevertheless, Zambezi Queen presents distinctive actions like fishing and bird-watching, in addition to eating that AmaWaterways calls “five-star home-cooked delicacies.” An area mom and son duo from a close-by village put together all of the meals for an genuine style of the area.
Zambezi Queen additionally has a plunge pool on the sundeck, so you may absorb the African views whilst you take a dip. All rooms have balconies and floor-to-ceiling home windows, so that you’re by no means removed from a safari view.
Planning a cruise? Begin with these tales:
