Sea Cruise Holidays – to sail or not to sail?

By Sandra Gordon

Researching what was for the two of us a brand-new holiday option was an eye- opener. We began by interrogating a wide range of trusty travellers on sea cruises options.

Most common and vehemently shared views were: Are you mad? (I am told it’s a slow process, was the response), I wouldn’t be seen dead on a ship (careful now), it’s FAR too expensive (Hmm), we can’t stand crowds/queues (been to Plett lately?) and it’s for old people (huh?), said with such passion and conviction that I failed to ask if they had experienced these feelings first-hand. Apparently, many had, but in a different era.

The Brandy and Coke Days

Those of a certain age will recall the MSC cruises that left from the KZN harbour headed for Mauritius, filled with over-excited sales ‘Achievement of the Year’ award winners. The corporate hosts provided French champagne, brandy and Coke, and a range of SA’s amazing ales. Those were those days. And the tradition continues – recently over 450 sales achievers of the year enjoyed an all-paid cruise in glorious sunshine, leaving onboard staff with stories to tell – including typical Saffer shenanigans.

Tackling the FAQs

Here’s the thing – the current crop of upmarket cruise liners gracefully ride the waves, offering a variety of destinations and packages. It’s certainly worth a try as you will read below.

FAQ1

Are we mad? The short answer is “no”. Until you experience the sheer comfort, safety and variety offered (including Alaska, South and North America, Europe and the Middle and Far East), it’s impossible to criticise. Unless you suffer from acute sea sickness, in which case there are nifty patches to wear behind your ear lobes; rather remarkably, they work like a charm.

FAQ2

The cost and what we got? We chose a smaller ship with a maximum of 500 guests and 200 staff. The ship can moor at many of the harbours we sailed into, making disembarkation swift and safe. Our two-week rate for two people was $17.000 (less expensive than a daily rate at a 5-star bush lodge in South Africa). It included pretty much everything. Excluded were laundry, land excursions and spa treatments. Land tour prices ranged from zero to $300 per person in a private luxury car or 4-wheel drive. There is a vast list of tours to choose from.

Or you can sunbathe on the ship, attend a talk on health/wellness or fascinating presentations by an eminent historian – favourite examples were Churchill, Lord Byron and the impact on the global order by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. Relaxing is popular and you can choose from a host of lounges/decks/coffee and ice cream bars, chill in your cabin with a view to marvel at, play table tennis, bridge and Mahjong, win a prize in the competitive putting competition or meet and talk to guests from across the globe.

Oodles of entertainment to choose from: live shows including opera, smooth jazz and late-night quartets followed by the resident DJ, background piano melodies and singers at the restaurant bar – and the cruise favourite, an ABBA show (close your eyes and you are transported to the ABBA Voyage in London).
The cabin was roomy, with service 24 hours a day at the ring of a bell. Filtered water and ice awaited us on arrival and were refreshed twice a day. A massive range of alcohol served by baristas at four bar areas included a different cocktail every evening. There were seven restaurants to choose from, with menus that included fresh food bought daily from the harbour towns we arrived at. We often disembarked and wandered around the harbour and town or city we docked at, and a brief history of the area was provided the day before in person, on our app and TV in the room.

FAQ3

But aren’t there long queues and crowds on board? We did not experience queues on board, even at the busiest bars and restaurants. Seldom were more than four guests sharing the elevator with us. The service was exemplary. Once, during a spate of strong winds, we were held back from disembarking for an hour, which we spent at The Observation tea and coffee bar.

Alert – the size of the boat really matters. In Thailand, we witnessed monster-sized ships carrying over 3000 people standing for hours waiting to go to and from the harbour.

FAQ4

Aren’t cruises just for older people? Age doesn’t matter. The first week on board, we estimated the average age at 55/60. The second week, a batch of tour groups from America, Australia and New Zealand embarked, dropping the age level significantly.

The land tours are divided from easy to challenging. Easy strolls around towns and villages along cobbled streets or challenging, including mountain climbing and sea boarding. You get to choose.

We attended wine farm and art gallery tours with 30-year-olds and tuk-tuk trips up the mountains in Montenegro with 65-year-olds. The entertainment schedule followed suit. We felt right at home wherever we were and whomever we spoke to.

The Sea, Sky and Scrumptious Food

After 3 fascinating days touring the old city and mountains, we embarked at Dubrovnik in Croatia on our way to Montenegro. Here are some highlights:

At 5 am, while enjoying tea and sandwiches on an open deck, we watched a glorious sunrise above the encircling mountain range and into an azure sky as we slowly entered the harbour.

Next stop, the boot of Italy. We strolled through the town of Gallipoli with its chic and colourful restaurants and marvelled at local fashion designs, arts and crafts.

We stopped at several ports along mainland Greece, all charming, historically interesting and full of life. Strolling along palm-lined promenades, shopping for arts and crafts in bustling bazaars or unwinding with fresh seafood and ice-cold local beers by the marinas – what’s not to love?

We took to Nafplion, a city located in Peloponnese Greece, an attractive tourist destination. Like many seaport towns, Nafplion has endured crushing crusades (Ottoman springs to mind). In 1827 it became an important city within the first Hellenic Republic in the Kingdom of Greece.

A 45-minute taxi drive into Athens, followed by a walk around the 5th-century BC Pantheon through the Plaka, brought back memories of previous visits to this city.

We visited two of the biggest and perhaps less travelled islands – Syros and Chania in Crete. Both lovely, with warm and friendly people.

The western Aegean coast of Turkey was a complete surprise. We visited a privately owned art gallery and wine farm in Cesme, a resort town, and drove through Kusadasi, a fast-growing modern area (it reminded us of Franschoek), where Istanbul residents have second houses to escape a tourist-overrun Istanbul. A leather clothing store close to the harbour invited us to ‘kom binne en koop a mooi baadjie”. Many Turkish entrepreneurs lived and worked in South Africa in the 1980/90s. Throughout our time in Turkey, the men spoke passionately about failing governments, the cost of living, the refugee situation and two wars close to Turkey’s borders.

Last stop was the ancient site of Ephesus. We were treated to an extraordinary experience of chamber music, seated among some of the most famous ruins in the world, as the sun lazily dipped below the horizon.

Our verdict

Sea cruises may not suit everyone. However, for the curious and adventurous, they offer comfort, security, diversity, and a massive range of things to do and people to meet.