Mangaluru port welcomes first foreign cruise ship of 2025–26 season

Mangaluru port welcomes first foreign cruise ship of 2025–26 season

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, December 23, 2025: The 2025–26 season of visits by foreign cruise liners to the port city of Mangaluru has commenced, with the arrival of the first luxury cruise ship, MS Seven Seas Navigator, on Monday.

The luxury cruise ship, carrying 450 passengers and 360 crew members, arrived at New Mangalore Port at 6.15 a.m. The Bahamas-flagged MS Seven Seas Navigator reached Mangaluru from the Mormugao port. Cruise tourists were accorded a traditional district welcome at the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) under the leadership of Mangaluru Customs Commissioner Vinita Shekhar. Facilities such as a meditation centre of the Ministry of AYUSH, free Wi-Fi provided by NMPA, and a selfie stand showcasing the Yakshagana art form by the Ministry of Tourism offered passengers a unique experience.

Later, the tourists visited major attractions in and around Mangaluru, including the Gomateshwara statue at Karkala, the 1,000-pillared Basadi at Moodbidri, Soans Farm, Pilikula Nisargadhama, the Crafts Village, Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, St Aloysius Chapel, local markets, and Trinity House at Valencia.

The cruise ship departed at 4.30 p.m. for Kochi in Kerala.

For the 2025–26 season, five cruise ships are scheduled to call at New Mangalore Port between December and May.

From December 22, foreign cruise liners—mostly operating from European countries—are expected to visit Mangaluru Port during the current season. During their stopovers, tourists from various countries will be introduced to the region’s culture and its prominent tourist destinations.