Luxury liner Queen Anne will make a stop at Durban’s Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, February 4

Luxury cruise ship, Queen Anne, is visiting South African cities and will arrive in Durban on February 4.

The cruise ship, part of the well-known cruise line Cunard, has already visited Cape Town and Gqeberha. It is the cruise line's newest ship as it was launched in 2024.

From Durban, she will then continue to Singapore as part of her journey from Southampton to Asia and Australia.

This will be Queen Anne’s second visit to Cape Town and Durban, after her first trip to South Africa last April. Queen Anne is the largest within Cunard’s fleet to have completed a full circumnavigation of the globe and has a capacity for 2996 passengers and 1225 crew.

In 2024, the global cruise industry carried a record 34.6 million passengers, an increase of 9% from 2023. Within the same period, the luxury cruise segment welcomed over 1.5 million passengers globally.

Cunard said: “Spanning 14 decks, Queen Anne features elegant interiors, with art deco finishes, refined details, and thoughtfully curated artwork. Guests can choose from elegantly appointed staterooms, spacious suites, and exclusive penthouses, with private balconies and even a personal butler service.”

Shaun McCarthy, managing director at Whitestar Cruise & Travel, Cunard’s South African representative, said: “It really is an exciting time for sea travel, and an opportunity for South Africans to experience her unique blend of sophistication and contemporary comfort, with value that exceeds expectations for luxury cruising.”

The eThekwini Municipality said in its eThekwini bulletin that the arrival of the Queen Anne in Durban underscores the “City’s growing role as a premier destination in international cruising and brings significant economic benefits to local tourism and hospitality sector”.

Queen Mary 2, Cunard’s last true ocean liner, will arrive in Durban on April 6, Gqeberha on April 8, and Cape Town on April 9, as part of her World Voyage.

For more stories from The Mercury, click the link THE MERCURY