The arrival of the cruise ship Island Sky at Bali’s Benoa Port on Monday, August 24, marked the start of the island’s 2026-2027 cruise season, as Indonesia’s most popular tourist destination prepares for a busier run of international cruise calls.
The Bahamas-flagged vessel, operated by Noble Caledonia, is modest by cruise industry standards. At 90.6 metres long and 15.3 metres wide, the ship carries up to 118 passengers and about 75 crew members.
But its arrival signals the return of a seasonal flow of cruise visitors to Bali, with activity at Benoa typically running from September through April, according to Anak Agung Gede Agung Matara, General Manager of Pelindo Regional III Benoa.
“The cruise season is about to begin. This ship (Island Sky), despite its relatively small size, marks the start of the season in September,” Agung told the shipping gazette at his office.
Cruise traffic at Benoa generally builds toward the end of the year, with December and January typically the busiest months. At the height of the season, the port can handle about 20 cruise calls a month, Agung said.
Benoa is one of Indonesia’s established cruise gateways, normally receiving about 60 cruise ship visits a year. The number rose to 65 calls in 2025.
The scale of vessels calling at the port varies widely. Island Sky, built in 1992, has a gross tonnage of about 4,200 GT. By contrast, the largest cruise ship to have docked at Benoa, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, is about 347 metres long and has a gross tonnage of 168,666 GT. The Quantum-class ship can carry about 4,180 passengers and 1,500 crew.
Bali is seeking to expand its role in the regional cruise market as Benoa Port undergoes development under the “Bali Maritime Tourism Hub” concept.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the port’s position as a cruise destination and increase the economic contribution of cruise tourism to Bali’s wider tourism industry, which remains a major pillar of the island’s economy.
