Kochi looks at bleak cruise season as Red Sea tensions cut big liners

KOCHI: Kochis 202526 cruise season is shaping up to be one of the weakest in recent years, with the port witnessing a distinctly lukewarm flow of foreign liners and little sign of recovery through the rest of the season. The World Odyssey may have opened the season under the Semester at Sea programme, but beyond that, the arrival list looks unusually thin. According to Cochin Port Authority data, only 14 foreign cruise ships have visited so far this financial year. Between October 2025 and May 2026, the core cruise season, just eight foreign liners are expected. Port officials say the decline is largely driven by the continuing volatility in the Red Sea. We saw many cancellations after the Red Sea issue and the Houthi attacks, a senior official said. The attacks, triggered by the Gaza war, have severely disrupted the Red Sea shipping corridor, forcing cruise companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope a longer, costlier route that has led many to drop Asian itineraries. The geopolitical uncertainty has particularly hit long-distance voyages that bring large foreign cruise liners to Kochi. The weakness is visible in the seasons line-up. Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) Kerala committee member Paulose Mathew notes that only one major foreign liner, Royal Caribbeans Celebrity Millennium, is scheduled, and even that for just two calls. Except Celebrity Millennium, all other ships have a capacity of less than 1,000. Where are the big vessels with over 2,000 passengers? he said. Kochi had seen strong cruise movement before the pandemic. In 201819, 49 ships brought in 65,000 passengers. Covid froze the sector, with gradual recovery in subsequent years. This year, the slowdown is unmistakable. Both tourism and port officials admit that the Red Sea crisis continues to cast a long shadow over Kochis cruise prospects. Kochi had seen strong cruise movement before the pandemic.