Kenya: The Port of Mombasa celebrated another milestone with the arrival of the magnificent cruise ship Crystal Symphony and marked a proud moment for the nation’s growing cruise tourism sector. The vessel docked at the Cruise Terminal in the early hours of the morning, with 432 passengers disembarking and 523 new guests expected to board for the next leg of the journey.
Crystal Symphony is a cruise ship owned by Abercrombie & Kent. It is operated for Crystal Cruises. It was built in 1995 at Kværner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland.
Arriving from Zanzibar, Crystal Symphony is scheduled to sail out of the Port later this evening. The vessel was safely manoeuvred and berthed under the expertise of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) – Pilot Hassan Khamis Twalib, who guided her alongside the Cruise Terminal.
Guests were welcomed with pomp and colour, featuring vibrant traditional dance performances at the modern Cruise Terminal facility. The ship’s local agent, Inchcape Shipping services was represented by Dr. Bwanaheri Lali, who commended the Kenya Ports Authority for its outstanding preparation and warm hospitality.
Return of Crystal Symphony for the second time underscores the crucial role the Port of Mombasa plays in advancing Kenya’s position as a premier global tourism destination as the remains committed to bolstering cruise tourism through investment in world‑class cruise terminal infrastructure.
This steady rise in cruise vessel calls continues to reinforce the Port of Mombasa’s record‑breaking operational performance, while contributing towards the broader economy by supporting tour operators, transport providers, artisans, and countless businesses whose livelihoods rely on tourism.
The return of this leisure vessel for the second time, comes at a time when the Authority is celebrating outstanding operational performance across all its facilities.
The event was attended by the Manager of Corporate Communication – Jones Buchere; Manager Administration – Catherine Wangari; Chairman Cruise Facilitation Team – Mohamed Mwazuzu and Team Members – Mohamed Juma, Rophus Mwandembo and the CEC for Tourism, Culture & Trade Mombasa County Government – Mohamed Osman Ali.