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On Sunday morning, President William Ruto visited the Port of Mombasa to tour the luxury cruise liner Norwegian Dawn.
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He joined the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in celebrating the ship’s arrival from Seychelles, carrying 2,220 tourists and 1,100 crew members.
The Norwegian Dawn is the first cruise ship to dock in Mombasa this year. The 294-meter-long vessel brought passengers from 54 countries, offering them the chance to explore Kenya’s beautiful white sandy beaches and national parks.
“I am proud to welcome visitors as we work to establish Kenya as a tourism destination. I’m told that 800 of our guests have already left for Amboseli and city tours, which highlights the positive impact tourism is having on our country,” said Ruto.
“Cruise tourism was thriving a few years ago, but it experienced a slowdown. However, last year we had 6,500 visitors, and this year we expect that number to grow with eight more cruise ships expected to dock.”
Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Captain William Ruto piloted the vessel to Berth No. 1 and welcomed its arrival, reaffirming KPA’s commitment to promoting cruise tourism in the country.
The Norwegian Dawn’s visit follows the recent arrival of cargo ship MV KMTC Hochiminh and the December 2024 docking of cruise ship MV Bollete, which carried over 900 passengers. Captain Ruto confirmed that another cruise ship is expected next month.
During his tour, President Ruto interacted with the tourists on board, shaking hands and taking selfies with them. He was accompanied by Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, KPA Managing Director William Ruto, and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.
The more than 2,000 passengers disembarking Sunday morning will enjoy exciting excursions along the Kenyan coast, exploring its beaches and wildlife parks.
Captain Ruto emphasized KPA’s commitment to improving cruise tourism with strategic infrastructure investments, making the Port of Mombasa a key destination for international cruise travelers.
“This is just the beginning. We expect more vessels to visit the Port of Mombasa, and I want to assure all cruise lines that the port is secure and ready to welcome more visitors,” he stated.
Chairman Benjamin Tayari welcomed the visit, noting that it affirmed Kenya’s status as a tourism hub in Africa.
Miano added that the number of tourists who arrived on Sunday was the largest Kenya has received at once in the past decade.
“We’re pleased that cruise tourism is growing, and Kenya is becoming the preferred destination for cruise ships,” Miano said.
