Expedition South Africa and Madagascar: two wonderful wildernesses - Cape Town to Mauritius

The Expedition South Africa and Madagascar: two wonderful wildernesses - Cape Town to Mauritius is a 18-night Africa cruise aboard HANSEATIC Spirit, operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Departing Cape Town on November 15, 2026, the voyage visits 8 ports. Fares start from $9,671 per person.

Length: 18 nights
Departs: Nov 15, 2026
Returns: Dec 3, 2026
Ports of call: 8
Days at sea: 10

Itinerary

Day 1 Nov 15, 2026 Cape Town Sprawling across endless, staggeringly blue coastline, and watched over by the iconic plane of Table Mountain, Cape Town is without doubt one of the world’s most beautiful cities. A blend of spectacular mountain scenery, multiculturalism and relaxed ocean charm awaits in the Mother City, where you can venture out to rolling vineyards, dine in laid back sea suburbs, or spend days exploring cool urban culture. Cape Town’s natural splendour fully reveals itself as the cable car rears sharply to the top of Table Mountain. From the summit, 3,500 feet above sea level, you can let the scale of the panoramic vistas of the city rolling down towards the ocean wash over you. Another heavenly perspective waits at the top of Lion's Head’s tapering peak. A sharp hike and an early start is required, but the views of the morning sun painting Table Mountain honey-gold are some of Cape Town’s finest. Cape Town’s glorious sunshine and inviting blue rollers can be a little deceiving - these oceans are anything but warm at times, with nothing between the peninsula’s end and Antarctica’s icy chill. This cool water has upsides though, bringing a colony of adorably cute African penguins to Boulders Beach. Boarded walkways offer the perfect vantage point to see the cute creatures dipping into the sea and lounging in the sun. Nearby, journey to the end of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, where you can stand at the bottom of this mighty continent, watching out over the merging waves of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Cape Town’s beauty is counterpointed by the ominous island form, which sits four miles offshore from the bustling restaurants and lazy seals of the lively V&A Waterfront. A living history lesson, you can sail in the ships that transported prisoners out to Robben Island, before a former prisoner tells of the traumas of life on this offshore prison. Your guide will show you the cramped cells, and render Mandela’s long walk to freedom in heartbreaking, visceral clarity. Cape Town port guide Search cruises visiting Cape Town

Cape Town photo — Day 1 Nov 15, 2026 Cape Town Sprawling across endless, staggeringly blue coastline, and watched over by the iconic plane of Table Mountain, Cape Town is without doubt one of the world’s most beautiful cities. A blend of spectacular mountain scenery, multiculturalism and relaxed ocean charm awaits in the Mother City, where you can venture out to rolling vineyards, dine in laid back sea suburbs, or spend days exploring cool urban culture. Cape Town’s natural splendour fully reveals itself as the cable car rears sharply to the top of Table Mountain. From the summit, 3,500 feet above sea level, you can let the scale of the panoramic vistas of the city rolling down towards the ocean wash over you. Another heavenly perspective waits at the top of Lion's Head’s tapering peak. A sharp hike and an early start is required, but the views of the morning sun painting Table Mountain honey-gold are some of Cape Town’s finest. Cape Town’s glorious sunshine and inviting blue rollers can be a little deceiving - these oceans are anything but warm at times, with nothing between the peninsula’s end and Antarctica’s icy chill. This cool water has upsides though, bringing a colony of adorably cute African penguins to Boulders Beach. Boarded walkways offer the perfect vantage point to see the cute creatures dipping into the sea and lounging in the sun. Nearby, journey to the end of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, where you can stand at the bottom of this mighty continent, watching out over the merging waves of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Cape Town’s beauty is counterpointed by the ominous island form, which sits four miles offshore from the bustling restaurants and lazy seals of the lively V&A Waterfront. A living history lesson, you can sail in the ships that transported prisoners out to Robben Island, before a former prisoner tells of the traumas of life on this offshore prison. Your guide will show you the cramped cells, and render Mandela’s long walk to freedom in heartbreaking, visceral clarity. Cape Town port guide Search cruises visiting Cape Town

Day 2 Nov 16, 2026 Hermanus 08:00 – 14:00 6.0 hrs ashore Hermanus is a seaside town southeast of Cape Town, in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. It's known as a whale-watching destination. Beaches include Voëlklip Beach and the broad Grotto Beach, overlooking Walker Bay. The Old Harbour Museum is a site encompassing the old harbour, a fishermen’s village and the Whale House Museum. The latter has informative displays and a suspended skeleton of a whale. Hermanus port guide Search cruises visiting Hermanus

Hermanus photo — Day 2 Nov 16, 2026 Hermanus 08:00 – 14:00 6.0 hrs ashore Hermanus is a seaside town southeast of Cape Town, in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. It's known as a whale-watching destination. Beaches include Voëlklip Beach and the broad Grotto Beach, overlooking Walker Bay. The Old Harbour Museum is a site encompassing the old harbour, a fishermen’s village and the Whale House Museum. The latter has informative displays and a suspended skeleton of a whale. Hermanus port guide Search cruises visiting Hermanus

Day 3 Nov 17, 2026 Mossel Bay 08:00 – 14:00 6.0 hrs ashore This stretch of coast along the Indian Ocean, aptly called the Garden Route, receives 300 days of sunshine a year, ranking only behind Hawaii as having the world’s mildest year-round climate. All this sunshine is put to good use, nurturing ecologically diverse habitat for a wonderful abundance of plant and animal life. The sun also fosters the human desire to indulge in exciting outdoor adventures. Ten nature reserves and several protected marine areas provide chances to see coral reefs, dolphins, seals and, in season, the endangered southern right whale. Excellent beaches are great places to hang ten, or simply hang out. Shoppers will enjoy trolling for handcrafted treasures in town, while history buffs will relish a trip to the museum complex focusing on the arrival of the first Europeans, who arrived in the bay in 1488. Mossel Bay port guide Search cruises visiting Mossel Bay

Day 4 Nov 18, 2026 Port Elizabeth (Now Gqeberha), South Africa) 08:00 – 18:00 10.0 hrs ashore At the western end of Algoa (aka Nelson Mandela) Bay, your MSC cruise ship will await your return in Port Elizabeth, normally visited for the Addo Elephant Park. So it may come as a surprise as you sail on your MSC cruise to South Africa that this has long been a popular holiday destination for families – but then the town beachfront, stretching for several kilometres along Humewood Road, has some of the safest and cleanest city beaches in the country. As a city, Port Elizabeth is pretty functional. Although the town has been ravaged by industrialization and thoughtless modernization, one or two buildings do stand out in an otherwise featureless city centre, and a couple of classically pretty rows of Victorian terraces still remain in the suburb of Central, sliding into a revamped street of trendy cafés and restaurants. Holidaymakers head for the beachfront suburbs of Humewood and Summerstrand where there are places to stay plus bars and restaurants. There is little to draw you away from the beachfront, but further afield in New Brighton, you’ll find Port Elizabeth’s most important museum, the Red Location Museum of the People’s Struggle, housed in an award-winning building, and there are also some excellent tours around Port Elizabeth and into the townships. A Big Five reserve, Addo Elephant National Park is just 73km north of Port Elizabeth, and should top your excursions list. Addo is currently undergoing an expansion programme that will see it become one of South Africa’s three largest wildlife reserves. Elephants remain the park’s most obvious draw-card, but with the reintroduction in 2003 of a small number of lions, in two prides, as well as the presence of the rest of the Big Five – buffalo, rhino and leopards – it has become a wildlife reserve to be reckoned with.

Day 6 Nov 20, 2026 Durban 07:00 – 19:00 12.0 hrs ashore When you alight from your MSC cruise in Durban – South Africa’s third-largest city and the continent’s largest port – you will be captured by its tropical colours and holidaying people. A shore excursion on your MSC South Africa cruise can be the opportunity to discover Durban’s second-largest ethnic group, its Indian population, whose mosques, bazaars and temples are juxtaposed with the Victorian buildings of the colonial centre. The pulsing warren of bazaars, alleyways and mosques that makes up the Indian area around Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street is ripe for exploration, and there are some excellent restaurants around Durban’s photogenic harbour area. Durban’s city centre grew around the arrival point of the first white settlers, and the remains of the historical heart are concentrated around Francis Farewell Square. Durban’s expansive beachfront on the eastern edge of the centre has one of the city’s busiest concentrations of restaurants, a surfeit of tacky family entertainment. Durban’s beachfront, a high-energy holiday strip just east of the centre, is South Africa’s most developed seaside. MSC South Africa cruises also offer excursions to the 6km-stretch of the beach from the Umgeni River in the north to the Point in the south, traditionally called the Golden Mile. The big draw of Addington Beach – and the only really worthwhile attraction along the beachfront – is instead uShaka Marine World. This impressive water adventure wonderland is a tropical African theme park, complete with palm trees, fake rock formations and thatched bomas. The most appealing section is uShaka Sea World, designed in and around a superb mock-up of a wrecked 1920s cargo ship. The complex also includes a dolphin stadium and a seal pool, where daily shows (three a day) feature these creatures, as well as uShaka Wet ’n Wild, a series of pools and water slides, including The Drop Zone, the highest water slide in Africa. Durban port guide Search cruises visiting Durban

Durban photo — Day 6 Nov 20, 2026 Durban 07:00 – 19:00 12.0 hrs ashore When you alight from your MSC cruise in Durban – South Africa’s third-largest city and the continent’s largest port – you will be captured by its tropical colours and holidaying people. A shore excursion on your MSC South Africa cruise can be the opportunity to discover Durban’s second-largest ethnic group, its Indian population, whose mosques, bazaars and temples are juxtaposed with the Victorian buildings of the colonial centre. The pulsing warren of bazaars, alleyways and mosques that makes up the Indian area around Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street is ripe for exploration, and there are some excellent restaurants around Durban’s photogenic harbour area. Durban’s city centre grew around the arrival point of the first white settlers, and the remains of the historical heart are concentrated around Francis Farewell Square. Durban’s expansive beachfront on the eastern edge of the centre has one of the city’s busiest concentrations of restaurants, a surfeit of tacky family entertainment. Durban’s beachfront, a high-energy holiday strip just east of the centre, is South Africa’s most developed seaside. MSC South Africa cruises also offer excursions to the 6km-stretch of the beach from the Umgeni River in the north to the Point in the south, traditionally called the Golden Mile. The big draw of Addington Beach – and the only really worthwhile attraction along the beachfront – is instead uShaka Marine World. This impressive water adventure wonderland is a tropical African theme park, complete with palm trees, fake rock formations and thatched bomas. The most appealing section is uShaka Sea World, designed in and around a superb mock-up of a wrecked 1920s cargo ship. The complex also includes a dolphin stadium and a seal pool, where daily shows (three a day) feature these creatures, as well as uShaka Wet ’n Wild, a series of pools and water slides, including The Drop Zone, the highest water slide in Africa. Durban port guide Search cruises visiting Durban

Day 7 Nov 21, 2026 Richard's Bay, South Africa 05:00 – 22:00 17.0 hrs ashore Richards Bay was named after Frederick William Richards of the British Royal Navy. When he learned of the conflict the English experienced in Zululand, Richards arrived with 250 men in support of his fellow countrymen. He also made a survey of the coast in 1879. In 1906, development of the area got underway with the founding of the Zululand Fisheries and the first ox wagon trek to the town of Empangeni. In 1928, Richards Bay got a hotel and a store, from which it gradually developed into the economic center of Northern Kwazulu-Natal. A new deep-water port inaugurated in 1976 is the second largest port in the country after Durban. In its wake, a number of large and small industries, hotels, shops and restaurants have sprung up, causing the town to develop at a record-breaking pace. The most important attractions however are found outside Richards Bay in the game reserves and cultural villages. For many visitors Zululand represents some of the "real" Africa, an area that covers much of central Kwazulu-Natal, including the port of Richard's Bay and the adjacent Hluhluwe Game Park. The region is dominated by the Zulu tribe; their customs, historical traditions and culture are evident throughout the region. The name Zulu derives from an early chief, whose descendants were called aba-kwa Zulu, or people of Zulu. Their capital is Ulundi, located north of the Tugela River. Much of Zululand comprises a scenic, hilly interior plus some coastal areas, where it is usually hot and humid.

Day 11 Nov 25, 2026 Port Louis A holiday in the Mauritius with an MSC cruise means disembarking at Port Louis. It is the capital of this island nation off the cost of Madagascar, which together with its twin Réunion, represents a must-see stop for an MSC cruise to Southern Africa. Port Louis has taken its role as the country’s first city seriously and has expanded over time with new streets, buildings and a beautiful promenade. After our cruise ship has docked, you will be able to take a stroll along the Caudan Waterfront, lined with some old cannons and numerous shops. Traces of Port Luis’s colonial past can be seen on Place D’Armes, where the statue of Bertrand François Mahé, the count of La Bourdonnais and a former governor of the island, observes passers-by surrounded by palm trees. A short distance away, stands the Government House. Dating from 1738, it is shaped like a horseshoe and protected by an iron fence guarded by the statue of a grave-looking Queen Victoria. In the same neighbourhood, there are also the central market and the city park, the Jardins de la Compagnie. However, it is a former property of the Count de La Bourdonnais to house an even more spectacular garden, the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden. An MSC excursion to this garden should not be missed for any reason on earth. This garden is almost three hundred years old. Over the centuries, it has been lovingly tended by expert gardeners, who have slowly enriched it with plant species from three different continents, Asia, Africa and Oceania. If you prefer the sea to vegetation, another highly recommended MSC excursion will allow you to pass a day on the other side of Mauritius, on the splendid beaches of Ile aux Cerfs (so called because of the deer imported here for hunting). Port Louis port guide Search cruises visiting Port Louis

Port Louis photo — Day 11 Nov 25, 2026 Port Louis A holiday in the Mauritius with an MSC cruise means disembarking at Port Louis. It is the capital of this island nation off the cost of Madagascar, which together with its twin Réunion, represents a must-see stop for an MSC cruise to Southern Africa. Port Louis has taken its role as the country’s first city seriously and has expanded over time with new streets, buildings and a beautiful promenade. After our cruise ship has docked, you will be able to take a stroll along the Caudan Waterfront, lined with some old cannons and numerous shops. Traces of Port Luis’s colonial past can be seen on Place D’Armes, where the statue of Bertrand François Mahé, the count of La Bourdonnais and a former governor of the island, observes passers-by surrounded by palm trees. A short distance away, stands the Government House. Dating from 1738, it is shaped like a horseshoe and protected by an iron fence guarded by the statue of a grave-looking Queen Victoria. In the same neighbourhood, there are also the central market and the city park, the Jardins de la Compagnie. However, it is a former property of the Count de La Bourdonnais to house an even more spectacular garden, the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden. An MSC excursion to this garden should not be missed for any reason on earth. This garden is almost three hundred years old. Over the centuries, it has been lovingly tended by expert gardeners, who have slowly enriched it with plant species from three different continents, Asia, Africa and Oceania. If you prefer the sea to vegetation, another highly recommended MSC excursion will allow you to pass a day on the other side of Mauritius, on the splendid beaches of Ile aux Cerfs (so called because of the deer imported here for hunting). Port Louis port guide Search cruises visiting Port Louis

Pricing

Lowest fare we've tracked over the observed 90-day span: $9,671 · range $9,671–$12,089

Lower than 70% of peers This extended sailing's from-price per night is lower than 70% of comparable sailings.

same cruise line and duration · from-price per night · as of Jun 22, 2026 · Broader cohort: same cruise line and duration, compared by from-price per night.

Current prices

Per person · 2 guests · incl. taxes & fees

Inside

Not available

Oceanview

from $9,671

$537 / night

Fare rows

Guarantee Outside Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $9,671

$537 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Outside Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $13,629

$757 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Panoramic Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $14,377

$798 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Balcony

from $10,727

$595 / night

Fare rows

Guarantee Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $10,727

$595 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Guarantee Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $13,015

$723 / night

per person · incl. taxes

French Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $15,807

$878 / night

per person · incl. taxes

French Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $16,159

$897 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $17,622

$979 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $18,139

$1,007 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Balcony Cabin

Cabin grade

Available

from $19,767

$1,098 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Suite

Not available

Prices verified Jun 18, 2026

Prices come from third-party data feeds via Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and may differ from the cruise line's current fare. Confirm the final price before booking. How our pricing works

Show all 23 cabin grades

Name	Supplier code	Type
French Balcony Cabin	03	Balcony
Balcony Cabin	04	Balcony
French Balcony Cabin	05	Balcony
Balcony Cabin	06	Balcony
Balcony Cabin	07	Balcony
Balcony Cabin	08	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S02	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S03	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S04	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S05	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S06	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S07	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	S08	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	SB	Balcony
Guarantee Balcony Cabin	SF	Balcony
Outside Cabin	01	Oceanview
Panoramic Cabin	02	Oceanview
Guarantee Outside Cabin	S01	Oceanview
Guarantee Outside Cabin	SAP	Oceanview
Guarantee Outside Cabin	SKAB	Oceanview
Junior Suite with Balcony	09	Suite
Grand Suite with Veranda	10	Suite
Guarantee Suite	SJS	Suite

Ship