Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal
Security, baggage and guest screening, customs and immigration, baggage collection, a tourist information desk, wheelchair facilities, 270 parking bays and coach parking.
Durban, South Africa
Cruise ships in Durban use the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal on Mahatma Gandhi Road at the Point beside uShaka Marine World and the southern end of the Golden Mile beachfront. More about Durban →
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Ship schedule by month
October 2026 · from today · all times local (South Africa Standard Time)
No more ships are scheduled in Durban this month
Try another month.
Cruise Ships in Durban
Today and the next 7 days · all times local (South Africa Standard Time)
Today · Fri 23 OctNo ships
0 people in port
No cruise ships today
Next 7 days
- Fri23 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Sat24 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Sun25 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Mon26 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Tue27 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Wed28 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Thu29 Oct–No ships0 ships
Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical Durban day.
Planning a day in Durban?
The crowd calendar shows every ship and how busy the port is, hour by hour, plus the quietest and busiest days for the next 90 days.
Where is the Durban cruise port?
Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Point, Durban, in the port of Durban at the Point beside uShaka Marine World.
Terminal
Getting to the Durban cruise port
King Shaka International Airport (DUR) → Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal
34.9 km · ~36 min by car
About 35 km, roughly 36 minutes by car.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
TransportTypical priceJourneyGood to know
MSC Shuttles Durban fixed-rate shuttle to the cruise terminal or central hotels
ZAR 220per person
Varies
Approximate fixed fare, about R220 per person one way, to the terminal or central hotels; one large bag and one hand luggage included; departs when full.
Taxi / e-hailing
Variesper vehicle
Varies
Metered or app fare; no fixed fare.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Driving to the port
There is no free terminal shuttle; shipping agents may arrange their own. Coach drop-off at the terminal.
Durban Cruise Terminals
1 terminal
Parking at the Durban cruise port
Official port parking
ZAR 160/ day
Daily rate · per vehicle · confirm before travel
The Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal has 270 paid bays. Long-term cruise parking is about R160 per day, with no pre-booking; short stays cost about R20 per hour up to R80 for under 4 hours. Card payment only, no cash. The car park closes at 16:00 and reopens for the next cruise; a lost ticket is charged per day for the length of the cruise. There is no valet or free shuttle.
Parking facilities
FacilityServesRatesReservationRate notes
Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal parkingKwaZulu Cruise Terminal
Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal
~ZAR 20/hour – ~ZAR 160/day
Not available
Serves Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal · Reservation: Not available
Long-term cruise parking, card only. · Short stays: about R20 under 1 hour, up to R80 under 4 hours.
Wheelchair facilities and wheelchair-friendly bathrooms in the terminal.
Where to Stay Before Your Cruise
Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.
Point Waterfront / uShaka
ZAR 835–1361 / night
Next to the terminal, beach, uShaka.
Typical hotel
ZAR 835–1361 / night
Port ~6 minAirport ~35 min
uShaka Marine World 1.4 km, about 6 min by car to the terminal; 35 min to King Shaka airport.
Hotels here
- Point Waterfront Apartments
- uShaka Holiday Apartments
- Garden Court South Beach
Golden Mile (central beachfront)
ZAR 770–1344 / night
Beachfront hotels, promenade, Suncoast.
Typical hotel
ZAR 770–1344 / night
Port ~7 minAirport ~30 min
North Beach 2.4 km, about 7 min by car to the terminal; 30 min to King Shaka airport.
Hotels here
- Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani
- The Edward
- The Balmoral
Umhlanga
ZAR 1199–2400 / night
Upmarket beach resort, closer to the airport.
Typical hotel
ZAR 1199–2400 / night
Port ~23 minAirport ~17 min
Umhlanga Rocks 19.7 km, about 23 min by car to the terminal; 17 min to King Shaka airport.
Hotels here
- Cabana Beach Resort
- Anchor's Rest Guest House
Prices are approximate per night.
Eating in Durban
- Coffee per item
- ZAR 35–45
- per item
- Soft drink per item
- ZAR 35
- per item
- Bottled water per item
- ZAR 30
- per item
- Street food per item
- ZAR 75
- per item
- Breakfast per person
- ZAR 100–300
- per person
- Casual lunch per person
- ZAR 100–300
- per person
- Restaurant dinner per person
- ZAR 200–700
- per person
Prices are approximate, in ZAR. Street food is a mince bunny chow from a beachfront vendor.
Where to eat
uShaka / Point Waterfront
Restaurants including On Point Waterfront, Maha Cafe, John Dory's uShaka, Wahooz on the Promenade.
Golden Mile
Restaurants including The Grill Jichana, Roma Revolving Restaurant, The Lookout, Lingela Restaurant.
Destination
About Durban
Cruise ships in Durban use the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal on Mahatma Gandhi Road at the Point beside uShaka Marine World and the southern end of the Golden Mile beachfront. Durban is South Africa's main cruise homeport, with MSC basing ships here each summer season from about November to April for short trips to Mozambique and longer Indian Ocean voyages. The terminal has customs and immigration, baggage screening and 270 paid parking bays.
King Shaka International Airport is about 35 km north, with fixed-rate cruise shuttles. Nearby are uShaka, the Golden Mile promenade, Moses Mabhida Stadium and the Botanic Gardens.
- Time zone
- South Africa Standard Time
- Currency
- ZAR
Things to Do in Durban
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uShaka Marine World
Marine theme park on the Golden Mile at the Point, opened in 2004, with Sea World's oceanarium and animal shows, the Wet 'n Wild water park, uShaka Beach and the Village Walk.
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Golden Mile
Durban's beachfront promenade running roughly from uShaka/South Beach north to Suncoast Casino, a paved walkway along warm Indian Ocean beaches popular for walking, cycling and swimming.
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Moses Mabhida Stadium
Arch-topped stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup on the beachfront at Stamford Hill (capacity 56,000), with a SkyCar and viewing platform over the city.
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Durban Botanic Gardens
Historic gardens in the Berea area, famous for a cycad specimen widely considered one of the rarest plants in the world.