MZANZI ISSUE 16

Sea Travel
old respectively, those two ships were long past their prime,
and poor maintenance as well as negligence may have played
a role. Today’s cruise ships are modern, have the latest safety
features and equipment, are much safer in general, and can
withstand even the most extreme weather conditions and
are manned by capable and highly experienced crews. In
any event, you are unlikely to encounter anything but calm
waters and bright sunny days in South African waters over
the summer months.
Only the best
These days it is only the best for South African cruising. For
instance, the Swiss-owned, Norwegian-flagged Viking Sun
sailed South African cruise waters for the first time during
the last season. Built in 2017 the ship, which is 227 meters
long, has a beam of 28.8 meters and can accommodate 930
guests, is part of Viking Ocean Cruises’ fleet of 6 ocean liners
and some 60 river cruise ships. Last year the global travel
magazine Travel & Leisure named Viking Sun Cruises the
world’s number one ocean cruise line for ships carrying up to
2 000 guests and also named it the World’s Best River Cruise
line. In 2018 Viking Sun Cruises added South Africa to the
itinerary for its 128-day World Cruise from Miami to London,
which includes 44 port calls in 21 countries on five continents.
The rapid growth of demand in South Africa for cruise ship
experiences has prompted shipping companies to deploy
more and bigger ships here during the local season. Ross
Volk, the managing director for MSC Cruises South Africa
was recently quoted in an interview with Business Insider
SA as saying his company saw a 25% increase in guests
last season compared to the previous year. That is why MSC
Cruises – the world’s largest privately-owned cruise company
– decided to add more ships for the South African season and
also invested alongside a consortium in the Durban terminal
currently being built.
From parties to sun, food, peace and quiet
So what does one do on a cruise ship, you may wonder. Well,
there’s something for everyone. For some, as you may have
heard, it’s non-stop partying, starting with a ‘sail away’ party
on the main deck as your ship departs from your boarding
port, continuing daily on the pool deck or in one of the lounges
or pubs, and continuing through the night in the ship’s night
club. But that’s by far not all.
The cruise ships that ply our local coastal waters each year
offer so much more. To start with, cabins are comfortable and
well appointed, while those on the outside have ocean views
and some have private balconies. Venture forth from here
and visit the many little boutiques on board that sell anything
from clothing, to books, art, jewellery and a variety of curios.
78 |ISSUE 16|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL