The Port of Mombasa has witnessed a historic moment after MS Viking Yi Dun became the first cruise vessel from Asia to dock at the facility, arriving with 717 tourists and 450 crew members as Kenya continues to grow its position in the global cruise tourism market.
MS Viking Yi Dun, a Norway-flagged luxury cruise liner, arrived from Shanghai, China, as part of a long voyage across Africa, with planned stops in South Africa before completing its journey in Tarragona, Spain.
The nine-year-old vessel, measuring 228 metres in length and rising 10 decks above sea level, has a passenger capacity of about 930 people. Most of the tourists on board were from China, alongside visitors from 16 other nationalities.
The vessel’s arrival on Tuesday brought the number of cruise ships received at the port during the current October-to-June cruise season to nine, with a total of 4,889 tourists visiting the Kenyan coast.
This is an increase compared to the previous season, when five cruise ships brought 4,205 passengers to Mombasa.
The latest cruise season has seen growing interest from international travellers, with authorities projecting that Kenya could receive up to 20 cruise vessels by the end of 2026.
A tourist receives a traditional coastal welcome at the Port of Mombasa. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)
The tourists received a traditional coastal welcome at the Port of Mombasa, where Mijikenda cultural performers entertained them through music and dance before they left for excursions to explore various attractions in the country.
Captain Alex Sehlstedt said the voyage had been smooth and praised the weather conditions during the ship’s arrival in Mombasa.
“The weather has been beautiful so far, and the weather is perfect today. Not too warm for me as a polar bear,” said Captain Sehlstedt.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto said the arrival of the vessel marked an important development for Kenya’s cruise tourism industry, noting that most previous cruise arrivals had originated from Europe.
“This is something that we have been looking for a long time. You are all aware that most of our cruise ships have been coming from Europe, but today this one is the first one coming from Asia,” said Captain Ruto.
He said the growth in cruise arrivals reflected increasing confidence in the Port of Mombasa as a gateway to East Africa and highlighted the role of the modern cruise terminal in attracting international operators.
He said, “The port had already welcomed its ninth cruise vessel in the current season. The steady increase in arrivals showed that the vision of establishing Mombasa as a leading cruise tourism hub was gradually being achieved.”
KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto, right, nods to MS Viking Yi Dun's arrival. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)
Captain Ruto assured cruise visitors of their safety and said KPA would continue improving facilities and services to support the sector. He also urged cruise operators to consider extending their stopovers in Kenya to allow tourists more time to experience the country’s attractions.
“One day is not enough for visitors to experience the beautiful scenery of Mombasa and the many wonderful attractions our country has to offer,” he said.
Group Director of Operations at Pollman’s Tours and Safaris, Mohamed Hersi, said continued efforts to market Kenya internationally had contributed to the increase in cruise visitors arriving at the coast.
“I wish you were staying longer so that you can enjoy more of what Kenya has to offer,” said Hersi.
Wu Haijeng, a tourist from Beijing, said the cruise visit was a new experience for him despite having travelled to Kenya before.
“I want to see the beautiful views, animals, culture and history here. I want to have a good experience,” he said.
The arrival of MS Viking Yi Dun adds to efforts by tourism stakeholders to position Mombasa as a major cruise destination in East Africa while increasing the number of international visitors arriving through the port.
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