A cruise ship that operates an academic voyage for students on Friday morning docked at the Port of Mombasa where it is set to remain for the next six days.

This makes the third visit to Mombasa by the World Odyssey cruise vessel, which is popularly known as ‘Semester at Sea’ or the ‘World’s biggest floating campus.’

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) announced that the vessel was ferrying 763 passengers, 585 of whom are students set to tour various Kenyan institutions of higher learning besides going on excursions and visiting wildlife parks.

“Semester at Sea carries students around the world learning the histories of the countries they visit. The students are of mixed nationalities with one Kenyan student aboard. She sailed from India and will be visiting Mauritius as the next port of call,” KPA noted.

“The floating campus had an extensive visit to the country calling the port last year and in 2022. Port of Mombasa has recorded an increase in cruise vessel calls pointing to improved connectivity of the port and a hub for cruise tourism in Africa.”

The visit by the World Odyssey, which is set to leave the country on February 14, comes a week after another luxury ship dubbed MSC Poesia docked at the Port of Mombasa carrying 2,500 passengers.