Cruise Resources

©Cruise ship at the Quai Ferry in Nouméa|Cédric Jacquot Photography

Ideally located between Australia, New Zealand, and the islands of Oceania, New Caledonia is one of the South Pacific’s leading cruise destinations. The archipelago combines world-class port infrastructure, reliable services, a wide choice of excursion providers, and the unrivalled beauty of the world’s largest lagoon. Already welcoming over 300,000 cruise passengers each year, New Caledonia is expanding its offering with new stopovers and enhanced maritime facilities.

For your next itineraries, why not make New Caledonia a highlight of your program?

Escale en Nouvelle-Calédonie : Entre lagon et traditions à Nouméa & Lifou

Discover our ports of call

©Noumea, capital of New Caledonia|Marine Reveilhac

Nouméa stopover

Lifou Stopover

6 reasons to choose New Caledonia

An ideal location
New Caledonia is the gateway to the islands of the South Pacific, just two days by sea from Australia and New Zealand, and less than a day’s journey from neighbouring destinations such as Vanuatu and Fiji.
A natural wonder
Cruisers exploring the archipelago will discover the world’s largest enclosed lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 18,576 km2. This unspoilt paradise, home to an unrivalled and abundant biodiversity, enjoys a temperate climate all year round, with an average annual temperature of 25°C.
Good port infrastructure
Covering an area of 1,000 hectares with two roadsteads and several fully-equipped quays, the Port of Nouméa is ready to welcome a wide range of ships, with a handling capacity of over 5 billion tonnes per year and a draught of 10.5 metres. The Gare Maritime in Nouméa and the Easo “village” in Lifou have all the facilities needed to welcome passengers (toilets, markets, excursionists, information point, etc.).
A variety of tourist experiences
With its diverse landscapes and cultures (Oceanic, French…), New Caledonia offers several ports of call with distinct atmospheres through its modern city, its Grande Terre and its many islands. Visitors can take advantage of a wide choice of land, sea and air excursions, each offering unique experiences.
High safety standards
As a French territory, New Caledonia guarantees the highest standards of safety and development. From healthcare and infrastructure to telecommunications and air services, every aspect is meticulously maintained to offer visitors the assurance of a safe and well-equipped destination.
Popular ports of call
Welcoming up to 509,000 passengers (2017), the archipelago attracts a number of major cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Ponant. So it’s hardly surprising that its ports of call are regularly ranked in the top 10 in Asia-Pacific, particularly by the Cruisers’ Choice Cruise Critic.

Practical guide

For more information and useful contacts on local players, the regulatory framework and technical data for cruising in New Caledonia, visit our pages :

Stopover and information request

To help ship owners plan their calls in New Caledonia, Nouvelle-Calédonie Tourisme studies all requests and passes them on to the relevant authorities.