Lombok Ranked Second Most Visited by Cruise Tourists in Indonesia by 2026

Beyond the coastline and clusters of small islands, Lombok holds a strategic position on Indonesia's Marine Tourism map. By 2026, this island in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is projected to become the second most visited destination for Cruise Ships after bali.

The number of Cruise Ships docking at Gili Mas Port, Lembar, West Lombok Regency, NTB, is projected to increase by 10 percent in 2026.

"In terms of the highest numbers, we are second; number one is Bali, then Lombok. Bali can have up to 75 Cruise Ships a year, we are still at about one-third of that," said Kunto Wibisono, General Manager of Gili Mas Port, on Friday, December 2, 2026.

According to Kunto, this upward trend has been consistent over the past few years. In 2024, 22 cruise ships carrying 70,000 passengers docked.

Then, in 2025, there were 24 ships with 85,000 tourists, and 25 ships are scheduled for 2026.

Giant Ships and International Routes

Early 2026 was marked by the arrival of the giant cruise ship, Ovation Of The Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean. This 348-meter-long cruise ship brought 4,684 tourists and 1,200 crew members.

The ship placed Lombok on a primary international sailing route, the third port of call after Celukan Bawang and Benoa.

Ovation Of The Seas docked for 13 hours to give tourists time to explore the island. Tourists disembarked to explore various corners of Lombok.

This cruise ship docked at Gili Mas Port from 07:00 AM Central Indonesia Time (Wita) until 11:00 PM Wita. 

The ship carried tourists from Europe, Australia, India, and Asia. Popular Tourist Destinations visited after docking include Senggigi, the Three Gilis (Gili Islands), the Museum in Mataram City, Sekotong, and Mandalika.

Economic Impact and Future Challenges

According to Kunto, in January, four cruise ships have already confirmed they will dock. This number is part of the 25 ships scheduled to call at Gili Mas Port.

In terms of capacity, Gili Mas Port is already capable of accommodating large-sized cruise ships. 

"However, what's not yet achieved is something like in Bali, where ships can stay for one or two days, meaning the economic impact could be larger. But in 2025, we had two ships staying overnight, while for 2026 we haven't received confirmation of any ships staying," said Kunto.

With consistent growth projections, the presence of cruise ships not only positions Lombok as a crucial stopover point on the global Marine Tourism route but also as a showcase of Indonesia's local culture, nature, and economy in the eyes of international tourists.(ANTARA)