Indian Ocean Cruise Ports
Its vastness allows for those cruising around the ocean to visit a smorgasbord of different cultures and a variety of different types of ports, from metropolises to small villages and from global tourist resorts to hidden gems.
The ocean takes in Asia to the north, Australia to the east and Africa to the west and with a wide variety of lines operating in the area, it is straightforward to explore much of it onboard a cruise holiday.
Cruises To Indian Ocean
Cruise Holidays in Indian Ocean
Cruisers can choose from a range of turnaround ports in the region, including the likes of Singapore, Port Louis, Dubai, Mahe and Mumbai that also make for incredible places to spend time before or after your getaway.
There is also great variety in the types of journeys that can be enjoyed, with repositioning cruises giving you the chance to explore more of the region whilst round trips allow for visitors to book easier flight connections.
Indian Ocean Cruise Guide
In this guide, we bring you all of the top countries you can visit on a cruise holiday in the India Ocean and its seas and we bring you the top cruise ports in the region.
Turnaround Ports
The city state of Singapore is one of the leading tourist destinations on the Indian Ocean and also one of its leading turnaround ports thanks to its global air connections and its huge investment in its cruise terminal.
Port Louis is the capital Mauritius and is home to its main cruise port that allows cruisers to enjoy relaxing on the country’s idyllic beaches before or after their cruise.
If you want to spend time sunbathing on the pristine beaches of the Seychelles before or after your cruise, its main seaport of Mahe allows you to do just that.
The Indian city of Mumbai offers lots for cruisers to experience and it has good international connections via its airport.
Popular Ports
Here are some of the most popular ports of call in the Indian Ocean in terms of the amount of ships calling in their and also for what is on offer to cruisers who visit there.
The island of Phuket is known as a party island full of nightclubs, bars and beaches but there is a lot more to Phuket than that including a giant buddha and the chance to explore the natural beauty of its rainforests.
Penang is a small island just off of the coast of Malaysia that offers a great mix of a city break in its capital of Georgetown whilst also offer a chance to experience the incredible nature and culture of the country on Penang Hill.
Colombia is the capital city of Sri Lanka and is quickly developing as a tourist city thanks to the great historic attractions in the city, its incredible culture and also due to investment in new attractions such as the Lotus Tower.
Port Klang is the cruise port of the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur, which is one of Asia top cities and an incredible place to visit and experience.
Indian Ocean Cruise Destinations
The Indian Ocean offers a great choice of countries that can be visited on a cruise holiday which can be further split into 3 different regions; Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Whilst Egypt may not sit directly on the India Ocean, it does offer a choice of ports on the Red Sea, including Safaga which is the gateway to Luxor.
Kenya and its main cruise port of Mombasa offers the chance to experience an African safari whilst on a cruise holiday but there is much more to the country including incredible beaches.
Madagascar offers a number of cruise ports including Nosy Be Island and Tolagnaro that allow for easy exploration of the island that is famed for its diverse wildlife including Lima’s.
Mauritius is known as a paradise island thanks to its beautiful white sandy beaches, palm trees and luxury holiday resorts but there is more to the country than that which can all be explored from its main cruise port of Port Louis.
The African country features on many cruise itineraries sailing between South Africa and the India Ocean islands with the port of Maputo the most popular stopping off port for ships.
The Seychelles is a beach paradise island located just to the east of the African mainland and over the years, it has developed into one of the India Oceans leading cruise destinations with its main port of Mahe offering turnaround facilities for those wanting a beach holiday before or after their cruise.
South Africa offers lots of great options for those wanting to visit southern Africa on a cruise holiday including Cape Town, which is one of the region’s top cruise ports but sits on the Atlantic Ocean.
Ports of call on the countries Indian Ocean includes Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth.
Tanzania offers two incredible ports of call those cruising along the eastern coast of Africa with Dar es Salaam offering the chance to visit the mainland and Zanzibar offering the chance to explore the beautiful island paradise.
Bahrain has invested heavily in its cruise facilities, with the Khalifa Bin Salman port offering access to the country’s capital city of Manama.
India is a country full of contrasts, from the tropical forests of the south to the mountains of northern India and that continues with its cruise ports.
There is a wide range of options including holiday resorts, metropolises and areas of natural beauty that can be visiting including the ports of Goa, Kochi and its leading turnaround port of Mumbai.
Indonesia offers a choice of huge urban areas, holiday resorts and areas of natural beauty that can be explored from ports such as Benoa (Bali), Jakarta and the iconic Komodo Island.
Although most will visit Israel from the Mediterranean Sea, the port city of Eilat does offer the chance to visit via the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The Red Sea port of Aqaba is the only port in Jordan but whilst the country may not have much variety, it does offer access to the nearby ancient city of Petra which makes for an incredible day ashore that will live long in your memory.
There are plenty of options for those wanting to visit Malayasia on a cruise holiday including the mainland ports of Malacca and Port Klang (for the capital city of Kuala Lumpur) as well as the island paradises of Penang and Langkawi.
The Maldives is known as a beach lovers paradise and as the perfect place for a honeymoon, but it is also a popular cruise destination which its main port of Male offering the chance to spend time in a beach resort before or after your cruise.
The small country of Oman offers a few options for those on a cruise of the region with its capital city of Muscat also been its main cruise port of call.
Qatar has invested heavily in its only cruise port in its capital city of Doha, which has helped it attract a number of cruise lines offering visitors the chance to explore the skyscrapers of the city.
Saudi Arabia is a vast country with lots of history and culture throughout and whilst it may not have the same variety of cruise ports as other similar sized countries, you can experience a visit there from ports such as Dammam and Jeddah.
The city state of Singapore offers an incredible place to visit, and you can really make the most of your time in the country by adding on a stay before or after your cruise adventure, with Singapore also been a leading turnaround port in Southeast Asia.
The island of Sri Lanka offers the chance to visit two main cruise ports, Hambantota on its southern tip that offers the chance to explore a number of national parks and the port of Colombo, which is within walking distance of its capital city.
Many of Thailand’s sea ports are located on its Pacific Ocean coast but it does offer a variety of ports on its Indian Ocean coast including the holiday island of Phuket.
The UAE has really developed as a tourist destination over the past decade or so and it has invested heavily in its key cruise ports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the tourist island of Sir Bani Yas.
Although most of Australia’s seaports are on its eastern seaboard, it does offer the chance to visit ports on its western Indian Ocean coast including the likes of Freemantle (for Perth), Broome, Exmouth and Adelaide.
Popular Cruise Lines
The majority of international cruise lines offer the chance to sail on the Indian Ocean with the likes of Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean offering a wide range of itineraries.
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is one of the worlds biggest oceans, that takes in several different continents and offers the chance for those cruising on it to take in many different cultures, histories and ways of life.
Many of the ports in the region have long been large industrial or commercial ports but they are now starting to invest heavily in their cruise facilities.
With many of the countries on the Indian Ocean also now becoming hugely popular holiday destinations with global air links, it is no surprise to see the region starting to really develop as a popular place to visit for cruisers.
Best Time To Visit
Which much of the region been located close to the equator, its seasons are broken down in dry and wet periods and whilst it is warm all year around, it is best to avoid the wet seasons.
If you are heading to more southern parts of the Ocean, including the likes of South Africa and Australia, it is best to visit in the northern hemisphere winter, which is of course the southern hemisphere summer.
Indian Ocean Cruises From The UK
It is possible to visit the Indian Ocean directly from the United Kingdom, but these are usually on either legs of a world cruise or on longer itineraries sailing between the UK and places such as Dubai or Cape Town.
Indian Ocean Cruises From Southampton
The UK’s leading cruise port of Southampton offers the widest range of options for those wanting to sail from these shores to the Indian Ocean, although even from Southampton, the options are limited.
Here at CruiseHols.co.uk we bring you all of the information you will ever need to choose the right cruise destination for you and your family.
Our destination guides include everything from ports to attractions and excursion to the positives and negatives of the destination.
