MOMBASA, Kenya — Kenya has marked a major milestone in its cruise tourism sector after welcoming MS Viking Yi Dun, the first cruise vessel to sail directly from Asia to the Port of Mombasa, carrying 717 tourists and 450 crew members.
The arrival of the Norway-flagged luxury liner on Tuesday underscores Kenya’s growing profile as an international cruise destination and highlights increasing confidence in the Port of Mombasa as a gateway to East Africa.
The maiden voyage from Asia also caps a strong cruise season for Kenya, with the vessel becoming the ninth cruise ship to dock at Mombasa’s modern cruise terminal during the October-to-June cruise circuit.
According to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the nine vessels have brought 4,889 tourists, an increase of 684 visitors compared to the previous cruise season, when five ships delivered 4,205 tourists.
The government projects that 20 cruise vessels will call at the Port of Mombasa before the end of 2026, signalling continued growth in the sector.
The nine-year-old cruise liner, which stretches 228 metres in length and rises 10 decks above the waterline, has a passenger capacity of 930. Most of the tourists onboard are from the People’s Republic of China, alongside visitors representing 16 other nationalities.
Upon arrival, the tourists received a traditional Mijikenda cultural welcome featuring music and dance performances before departing for excursions to various attractions along the Kenyan coast and beyond.
Speaking after docking, the vessel’s captain, Alex Sehlstedt, said the voyage began in Shanghai, China, and will continue around the African continent before concluding in Tarragona, Spain.
“The weather has been beautiful so far, and the weather is perfect today. Not too warm for me as a polar bear, so this is very nice,” Sehlstedt said.
Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Capt. William Ruto described the historic arrival as a breakthrough for the country’s tourism industry.
“This is something that we have been looking forward to 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,” he said.
He said the development demonstrates growing international confidence in Kenya’s cruise infrastructure and the strategic position of the Port of Mombasa.
Capt. Ruto reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to investing in cruise tourism by maintaining high safety standards and improving passenger experience.
“I think this year we are really blessed. This is the ninth cruise ship visiting the Port of Mombasa, and we are just halfway there. Our purpose of making the Port of Mombasa a cruise destination is now becoming a reality,” he said.
He also urged the cruise operator to consider extending future stopovers beyond one day to enable visitors to explore more of Kenya’s tourism 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 added.
Pollman’s Tours and Safaris Group Director of Operations Mohamed Hersi credited sustained government marketing campaigns for the steady growth in cruise arrivals, saying the increased visibility of Kenya in international tourism markets is yielding positive results.
One of the visitors, Wu Haijeng from Beijing, said although he had visited Kenya several times before, this was his first experience arriving by cruise ship.
“I want to see the beautiful views, animals, culture and history here. I want to have a good experience,” he said.
Kenya has been positioning itself as a regional cruise hub following the construction of the modern Mombasa Cruise Terminal, which has enabled the country to receive larger international liners.