Seychelles - Information Needed

We're going to be on the 2010 Amsterdam WC, with a two-day stop at Mahe in the Seychelles. Can anyone suggest ideas for what to do? Should we take the HAL shore excursion or just bum around on our own. Should be take a ferry to another island? Any advice would be welcome.

We will be in the seychelles next month. I will probably post comments on a live thread from the Tahitian Princess.

For us, La Digue was a must-see. However, to get there by boat you had to take a ferry first to Praslin and then another to La Digue and when we were there we concluded they didn't run often enough to make it doable independently so we used the ship's trip. It was an all day trip to Praslin (with a guided hike in the forest) and La Digue (with an oxcart tour of coconut operations, giant turtles, lunch, and stops at two different beaches, including the one in all the famous photos of the Seychelles). It wasn't cheap but we loved it. If you stay on Mahe one day, you can do a walking tour of Victoria and the botanical gardens on your own. We didn't have time for more than that, but my understanding is that there are beautiful beaches on Mahe that you can probably get to by taxi.

I was on the Tahitian last month. There were 6 pirate attacks ihe two weeks or so before we were scheduled to arrive. We bypassed this port and went well to the east to avoid any problems.

I was on the Tahitian last month. There were 6 pirate attacks ihe two weeks or so before we were scheduled to arrive. We bypassed this port and went well to the east to avoid any problems.

Pirate attacks in the Seychelle Islands? We are looking at a number of cruises that start there.

For us, La Digue was a must-see. However, to get there by boat you had to take a ferry first to Praslin and then another to La Digue and when we were there we concluded they didn't run often enough to make it doable independently so we used the ship's trip. It was an all day trip to Praslin (with a guided hike in the forest) and La Digue (with an oxcart tour of coconut operations, giant turtles, lunch, and stops at two different beaches, including the one in all the famous photos of the Seychelles). It wasn't cheap but we loved it. If you stay on Mahe one day, you can do a walking tour of Victoria and the botanical gardens on your own. We didn't have time for more than that, but my understanding is that there are beautiful beaches on Mahe that you can probably get to by taxi.

When you say "giant turtles", did you mean Giant Tortoises (land) vs Giant Sea turtles? I am asking because we are interested in the Seychelles to see the Tortoises.

To answer the question in the beginning of the thread, if we had an overnight we would try to arrange a private motor boat to take us to the Aldabra atolls where there are Giant Tortoises. I think I read it is 3 hours each way so not for everyone.

Pirate attacks in the Seychelle Islands? We are looking at a number of cruises that start there.

There is British couple who were taken hostage by the pirates in mid-October. I am not sure if they have been released yet. They were taken in the Seychelles.

The couple was on TV about a week ago pleading for some intervention and also that they fear [near term] for their safety. Very sad to watch.

I believe that I have also read that several other ships in this general area [They used the word Seychelles] were attacked in the past few months.

All of this said, we are taking a cruise in March which is scheduled to visit the Seychelles as well as Mombasa [see ten posts down] and if they cancel both of these ports I am going to be one unhappy person!

Your ports will be cancelled if the U.S goverment issues a statement.It is not the cruise ships decision.Try to google the Gov site - My mind is a blank at the moment.Have had tMombassa cancelled twice on princess.

Your ports will be cancelled if the U.S goverment issues a statement.It is not the cruise ships decision.Try to google the Gov site - My mind is a blank at the moment.Have had tMombassa cancelled twice on princess.

Why the US Government? Many cruise ships are foreign flagged.

The couple was on TV about a week ago pleading for some intervention and also that they fear [near term] for their safety. Very sad to watch.

I believe that I have also read that several other ships in this general area [They used the word Seychelles] were attacked in the past few months.

 

All of this said, we are taking a cruise in March which is scheduled to visit the Seychelles as well as Mombasa [see ten posts down] and if they cancel both of these ports I am going to be one unhappy person!

What is Regents itinerary as SilverSeas does these ports as well?

The couple was on TV about a week ago pleading for some intervention and also that they fear [near term] for their safety. Very sad to watch.

I believe that I have also read that several other ships in this general area [They used the word Seychelles] were attacked in the past few months.

 

All of this said, we are taking a cruise in March which is scheduled to visit the Seychelles as well as Mombasa [see ten posts down] and if they cancel both of these ports I am going to be one unhappy person!

If you feel that way, cancel now.

I was on the Tahitian Princess when the Captain announced we would be skipping the Seychelles Islands and having 6 days at sea from Mdagascar to Oman. He also announced we would have a Pirate Attack Drill to prepare everyone for this possibility.

I would much rather miss this port than spend a month or more as a hostage like the poor couple for the UK

If you feel that way, cancel now.

 

I was on the Tahitian Princess when the Captain announced we would be skipping the Seychelles Islands and having 6 days at sea from Mdagascar to Oman. He also announced we would have a Pirate Attack Drill to prepare everyone for this possibility.

 

I would much rather miss this port than spend a month or more as a hostage like the poor couple for the UK

The SilverSeas itineraries start or end in Mahe Seychelles, and have 3-4 days there, so in this case the only place to catch up may be Mombasa, Kenya, or they would have to cancel the segment.

Of course I would bow to reality and respect safety needs. No I don't desire to become a hostage! I am truly afraid for those Brits for they have no business/company to ransom them. At the same time, I must admit that I would be disappinted to miss the ports.

We were on Regent last April when due to major pod problems we missed almost all of our ports. Regent compensated us so this is not a complaint, but we did feel disappointed to have planned so long and traveled so far [Dubai] and not see much of that part of the world. In addition we sailed thru in the Gulf of Aden and thru the Sinai. Since we were limping along [speed being a pirate deterrent] in addition to the regular security staff, Regent boarded a British commando team. We had a preparatory lecture and safety instructions but no drill.

This years cruise starts in HongKong, does Vietnam, Maldives, Seychelles and ends in Cape Town. Poor geographer that I am and not forecasting the pirates new adventures [now 1000 mi from Somali shores]

I had anticipated seeing Mombasa and the Seychelles...not pirates!!!

Of course I would bow to reality and respect safety needs. No I don't desire to become a hostage! I am truly afraid for those Brits for they have no business/company to ransom them. At the same time, I must admit that I would be disappinted to miss the ports.

 

We were on Regent last April when due to major pod problems we missed almost all of our ports. Regent compensated us so this is not a complaint, but we did feel disappointed to have planned so long and traveled so far [Dubai] and not see much of that part of the world. In addition we sailed thru in the Gulf of Aden and thru the Sinai. Since we were limping along [speed being a pirate deterrent] in addition to the regular security staff, Regent boarded a British commando team. We had a preparatory lecture and safety instructions but no drill.

 

This years cruise starts in HongKong, does Vietnam, Maldives, Seychelles and ends in Cape Town. Poor geographer that I am and not forecasting the pirates new adventures [now 1000 mi from Somali shores]

I had anticipated seeing Mombasa and the Seychelles...not pirates!!!

Well, I hope you make all the ports. We were fine with the extra port day, but a few people were a little stir crazy when we reached Oman after 6 days at sea.

We were on Costa Allegra last year.Our cruise holiday to the Far East onboard Costa Allegra was absolutely excellent. The staff were great and the itinerary was very good. My only two headaches were the exchange rate on board. Entertainment on Costa was also poor. The ventriloquist René Luden spoke 4 different languages, and when the language of the audience had been done by him they started talking...he may have been good but with all the different nationalities on board it didn't work....

This years cruise started with a much smaller ship the MSAlbatros from Phoenix Reisen in Monte Carlo, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Jemen Seychelles and we ended in February in Cape Town.

I had anticipated seeing the Seychelles...and it rained and rained. Entertainment was very good on board, even though it was only in german. My wife asked occasionally what they were saying, when she didn't understand properly what was said. It's funny last year it was the other way round, because her english is better than mine. They had from Dubai onwards a magician called Kalibo, the second magician in a row. -he was good too. I liked the first one he was a great talker. After that we had a juggler she, Mika had her cabin next to ours. She would apparantly do her rehearsal/practice/warm up at 5 o clock in the morning in the Lounge, without ALL guests seeing, I saw when i went to my early morning Jog. The MS Albatros was really the smallest ship i have ever been on, but they are by far more together than the italians on Costa. My wife got seasick. I think th e ship had less stability than the bigger ships we have been on.

We rented bikes in Mauritius, where we stayed on extra day for 5 days because of the weather. Israel, Jordan, the Suez Channel and Egypt (especially Cairo), Madagascar, Cape Town and Richard's Bay in South Africa were some of my favorite places.

We're going to be on the 2010 Amsterdam WC, with a two-day stop at Mahe in the Seychelles. Can anyone suggest ideas for what to do? Should we take the HAL shore excursion or just bum around on our own. Should be take a ferry to another island? Any advice would be welcome.

We were in Mahe on February 24th and 25th this year and this is the report I did for my review. It might be helpful to you.

Seychelles

For me, these islands were the highlight of the cruise and I’m so glad that we had an overnight stay there. They are so clean with the most lush and colourful vegetation and glorious beaches. The people seemed relatively prosperous and were smiling and helpful.

I did the ‘Discovering Mahe’ tour which took us to the Botanical Gardens (beautiful), a walking tour of the Mahe town (small but picturesque), a drive up into the central highlands with a couple of stops at viewing points (glorious scenery), a Creole lunch at a beach side restaurant (delicious), and free time on the beach (picture postcard perfect) before returning to the ship.

My husband (the adventurous and fit one!) did the ‘Robinson Crusoe Island’ tour which took him to Praslin and then to Curieuse Island. He said the snorkelling was amazing and the beaches were stunning. His photographs are mirror images of the postcard views that you get of the Seychelles.

· Taxis were available immediately outside the dock gates.....a brisk 5 minute walk from the ship.

· Taxis accepted Euros and $US but you need to negotiate. We paid $5 to the town centre. It is walkable but quite a long way and it was very hot and humid.

· We arrived on a Sunday and most shops were closed.

· There was a small craft and souvenir market on the dock side.

· There is a nice market in Mahe centre with vanilla pods, essence, magnets, postcards etc, etc as well as the fish, fruit, flower and textile stalls.

· The Botanical Gardens (30 mins walk from the dock) were worth a visit to see the huge tortoises, fruit bats and the ‘Coco-de-Mer’ palm trees as well as the beautiful trees and flowers. Admission was 100 Seychelles Rupees (approx $8pp) There are toilets and a cafe.

We walked from the port to the bus terminal and rode in the direction of Port Launay until Anse Boleau to get an idea of what the island looks like, then returned to the terminal and took the bus to Beau Vallon where we found our way to the Coral Strand Hotel. It sits on a very nice beach, has an outdoor shower, and a great beachside restaurant.