2024 was set to be Bali’s biggest year on record for cruise travel, and the hypothesis has been proven correct so far. In fact, cruise travel is about to see a notable rise in Bali as we head towards the end of the year.
With the MV Silver Nova Cruise Ship in the dock this week, harbor masters are preparing for yet more cruise passengers to arrive.
Benoa Port is Bali’s biggest cruise liner port. The harbor, located close to the luxury resort of Nusa Dua, is also seeing a huge amount of development work to enable the port to receive even bigger cruise ships in the coming years.
On Tuesday, 5th November, the ship MV Silver Nova, bearing the Bahamas national flag, arrived at Benoa Port.
The MV Silver Nova is the 47th cruise ship to arrive in Bali in 2025 so far, and there are still 15 more scheduled arrivals before the end of the year.
Speaking to reporters, the Corporate Communications Leader for Pelindo Bali Nusra, Siti Juairiah, explained, “This is the 47th ship this year. Every day, the ship changes and this is indeed a cruise ship that has been to Bali.”
The MV Silver Nova docked in Bali with 570 passengers and 536 crew. The ship has scene started its onward journey towards Gili Mas. The 243m long ship is a luxury cruise liner operated by Silversea Travel.
Silversea explains, “Silver Nova’s innovative asymmetrical design introduces the world like never before, offering an immersive destination experience to our guests. With a gross tonnage of 54,700 tons, she offers a space-to-guest ratio of 75 GRT-per-passenger, becoming one of the most spacious cruise ships ever built.”
They add that the Silver Nova is the company’s most environmentally friendly vessel due to her groundbreaking technological features, noting that the ship “propels Silversea into a new era of sustainable cruising.”
Bali is a regular feature on Silver Sea’s 18-day cruise from Brisbane to Singapore.
Travel data shows that so far in 2024, over 47,000 passengers have visited the province as part of cruise trips.
Speaking of upcoming cruise ships heading for Bali, Juairiah explained, “Approximately 47,000 passengers [already] because one cruise ship has an average of 1,000 passengers and crew members. There are still 15 more cruise ships until December or until the end of this year.”
“The estimated number of passengers is approximately 15,000 with an average of 1,000 people per ship.”
The ex-Tourism Minister for Bali, Sandiaga Uno, was a big advocate for attracting more cruises to Bali.
He had noted to the press that cruise travel aligns with the culturally respectful and high ticket travel experiences that Bali should be attracting more of.
In 2025, Bali’s Benoa Harbor is set to complete long-standing development works to re-develop the port as a world-class cruise and maritime tourism hub and luxury marina.
The area will be known as the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub, and there is hope that the luxury yacht marina will see the start of a new wave of luxury travel in Bali.
The luxury yacht marina is set to offer 180 berths and be able to accommodate over 50 super yachts, which are generally over 90m in length. The first super yachts are set to be welcomed into the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub in the second half of 2025.
The impact of the investment in the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub is set to improve the local economy and offer more high-end and luxury travel experiences for tourists in Bali and around the region.
The Director of PT Kharisma Anugrah Jawara Abadi (KAJA), the project management company behind the development, spoke to reporters in October about how the development will improve tourism not only in Bali but for emerging travel destinations on nearby islands.
Ronald Widjadi explained to the media, “This is expected to be a maritime tourism hub in Indonesia and provide a multiplier effect on changes in the butterfly route cruise concept in Indonesia such as Tanjung Emas Port, Tanjung Perak, Gilimas, Labuan Bajo, Raja Ampat, and others.”
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