ausethanol

Greetings,

Am starting our planning by considering ways in which USA (Houston)/Australia (Sydney) flights can be made more tolerable (17 hours). Saving vacation days are not an issue, in that we are retired and can manage a 3-4 week vacation. Would consider breaking up flight (stop in Hawaii or elsewhere?), fly on an airplane that has been configured to promote tolerance of long flight (we are pretty use to a direct flight from Houston to London or Amsterdam, for example). Really would rather use money elsewhere than business class?

DJ:)

We are travelling on Queen Victoria from Sydney to Los Angeles in March/April and were looking at one way flights back from Los Angeles. While we have purchased a non-stop LAX to Brisbane flight with Qantas, there were many other interesting potential stopovers being offered. At the time we were looking the cheapest deal on offer was to fly Taipai Taiwan. Others include stops in Manila in the Philippines or in Guangzhou or Shanghai in China. When we looked at the flights we found that a return trip with Qantas i.e. LAX – BNE – LAX was only around $50 more than the one-way flight so we have taken a punt on the date and are now planning to return to the US in November!! Lots of possibilities with airfares if you are in the flexible frame of mind !!

Has anybody had any experience of boarding a large ship (especially Cunard) in Valparaiso?

When we boarded the Queen Mary 2 in Cape Town in 2014 for the journey back to Brisbane, the boarding was a complete "balls up" !! We are hoping that it will be better in Valparaiso for boarding Queen Mary 2 on 17th February 2016 !!??

The boarding check-in at Cape Town was at a convention centre some distance from the port, and Cunard were completely un-prepared for the process. When we arrived at the Convention Centre no preparation had been made to move suitcases, and we were told just to put them with the rest, with no receipt or paperwork, and there were thousands of suitcases spreading well out into the road outside - not smart or comforting given the crime statistics in South Africa !! Inside, the check-in was quick, but the Cunard personnel who had flown down from London to handle the check-in had no idea what they were doing and had made no proper plans. When we got there, more than 800 people were waiting for hours to get a bus to take them to the ship, and the Cunard agents with Cunard employees directing, had booked buses that were too long to come into the Convention Centre area to pick up the passengers! It took us over 5 hours from the time we checked in until we arrived at the ship – mostly because of the lack of transport.

Apparently the previous 2 times that the Queen Mary 2 came into Cape Town there were similar delays and incompetence (as confirmed by cruise critic blog members).

When we boarded the ship, I made a complaint, seeing the operations manager, who in succession denied that there had been a problem, and then suggested if there had been a problem "it wasn't their fault". Clearly many other people complain bitterly and 2 days into the cruise, the captain made an apology to all passengers for the poor treatment during the boarding at Cape Town during his daily broadcast.

We thoroughly enjoyed the time on the Queen Mary 2 travelling I believe for 24 days from Cape Town through to Brisbane in 2014, but I would like to think that the journey from Valparaiso could begin better than our last voyage.

Is anybody experienced boarding a large ship in Valparaiso, and in particular has anybody boarded a Cunard ship in Valparaiso?

Waiting in hope, ahead of our 17 February 2016 boarding, but in some trepidation for any experiences!

Bill

We boarded QM2 in Cape Town in 2012 and 2013 and everything went smoothly and was handled perfectly by Cunard.

 

We checked in at the Cape of Good Hope Centre on both occasions and were bussed to the ship without any problems.

Thank you - Good information. How many people boarded in Cape Town on those occasions, what time did you start the process, and how long did it take getting from your arrival at the Good Hope Centre to your arrival at your cabin ?

I raised this issue of boarding in Cape Town a few weeks ago and we have been feeling apprehensive about the boarding - especially as some other experiences reported in this blog have not been as smooth as yours. I have no doubt that the trip (we are travelling from Cape Town home to Brisbane -24 nights - and our first time on QM2., after having a week to look around the Cape Towb area) will be wonderful but it would be a shame to have it spoilt by poor handling in Cape Town. After all "you do not get a second chance to make a first impression " !!

I would appreciate any other information or comments you feel able to make.

Here goes! :D

 

Things To do

 

- If you are in Cape Town during the summer months (November to March/April), which I should imagine is the peak time for cruise arrivals, then a fantastic afternoon/evening activity is to take in one of the open-air concerts at Kirstenbosch gardens, which are held every Sunday evening, and normally feature local artists and bands, including the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Take a picnic blanket, arrive a bit earlier and grab a nice spot on the grass, and enjoy a fantastic evening. You can also take a picnic basket and drinks with you, or order and grab at the venue.

 

 

- Staying with Kirsenbosch, if you are the more active type, explore Kirstenbosch gardens, and then take one of several paths that leads up the mountain and go for a bit of a hike above the gardens, providing various great views of the city, surrounds, and two oceans.

 

 

- Elephant's Eye Cave hike, in the Silvermine reserve - a relatively relaxing hike, and beautiful scenery and views http://namibsands.wordpress.com/2010/07/10/a-lovely-hike-up-to-the-elephants-eye-cave-at-silvermine/

 

 

- Driving - Cape Town and surrounds is a lovely place to just take a leisurely drive around, starting in the CBD, follow the waterfront around the peninsula through Camps Bay past the 12 Apostles to Hout Bay, and then around the awe-inspiring Chapman's Peak Drive through to Noordhoek and its incredible long white beaches. With more time, continue from there to Fish Hoek and then to Cape Point and its nature reserve. I would also highly suggest a drive up the West Coast, with spectacular views of Table Mountain. Cutting across, you start to hit wine country, which has lots of lazy, winding and scenic mountainous roads. Take your time, stop wherever it takes your fancy, and enjoy the diversity that Cape Town has to offer, from landscapes and scenery, to wine farms, farm stalls, ocean-view cafes and bars, nature reserves, etc.

 

 

- High Tea - the only place for high tea in Cape town, at the Mount Nelson Hotel! Enjoy the gardens whilst you are there.

 

 

 

- Robertson - lesser known wine region, and slightly further from the usual touristy spots, but worth the drive, as it has excellent wines, some very good restaurants, and nice little places to stay. Around the year they have certain wine and food festivals as well.

 

 

- Food and Craft Markets - Cape Town has lots of morning markets, normally Saturday, which are fantastic to visit and just chill. Some of my favourite include the market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, the Hout Bay market, and the Saturday morning market at Laborie wine farm in Paarl.

 

 

- Wine Tasting - of course! Just pick one of the main wine routes (Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, Durbanville Hills, Constantia), and just lazily drive along and pop into each.

 

 

- Table Mountain - for the adventurous and active, rather than take the cable car, hike up instead! Make sure you are properly kitted out, take a trail map, and start earlier in the day whilst it is still cool and there is lots of daylight.

 

 

- Lions Head and Rhodes Memorial - both awesome places for views, Lions Head especially for the beautiful summer sunsets and sundowners!

 

 

- Walk around the CBD - Cape Town CBD is a lovely city, and it is worth, if you have the time, exploring it by foot. Start down the International Convention Centre end, and just take a leisurely stroll up, through St. George's Mall and into Company Gardens. Lots of vibey little coffee bars, pubs and cafes to pop into, and lots of informal markets selling little trinkets. Don't get bullied into buying something you don't want, for too much! Always haggle, but remember, at the end of the day, in local currency what you eventually pay is probably very little when converted to US$, pounds or Euros, so don't be too stingy! ;-) You can also take a stroll along the World Cup fan walk, which starts from the CBD and takes you to the Cape Town stadium in Greenpoint, which is worth a look. Continue past it, and you end up in the lovely surrounding gardens and park, and ultimately in Sea Point. Take a stroll along the Seapoint promenade next to the water in the afternoon, really nice walk, and the locals come down to walk their dogs, do pilates, or go for a jog.

 

 

- Franschhoek Motor Museum - really lovely private car collection, with various makes from over a century, in a fantastic setting on L'Ormarin's Estate. A must see if you are even slightly interested in anything automotive, and it even tends to fascinate those who aren't!

 

 

 

Places to Eat

 

 

Much like wine estates, Cape Town is blessed with a wide variety of excellent, world-class restaurants. Some of my favourite, in no particular order:

 

 

- The Test Kitchen - make sure you book months in advance, and prepare to spend a few hours there marvelling at the art that arrives on a plate. And that is before you taste it!

 

 

- La Mouette - lovely little place in Greenpoint/Seapoint area.

 

 

- La Colombe - excellent, deserves its stellar reputation

 

 

- Bizerca Bistro - more informal than the above, but probably a contender for my number 1 favourite. Menu changes daily, always fresh ingredients.

 

 

- Bombay Brasserie - for a "fancy" curry.

 

 

- Eastern Food Bazaar - for a "basic" curry, but just as tasty, and dead cheap!

 

 

- And Union - great craft beer and wine bar, favourite of locals after work, also serve rustic but very tasty German and Portuguese fare

 

 

- The Crypt Jazz Restaurant - in the crypt underneath Cape Town's St. Georges Cathedral. Enjoy the unique surroundings and great live jazz music every night whilst having a bite to eat.

 

 

- Azure Restaurant - at the 12 Apostle's Hotel, absolutely stunning views over the ocean whilst sitting on the deck, and really good food is a bonus!

 

 

- Den Anker - my favourite place to eat at the V&A Waterfront. Good food, excellent beer and wine, nice location.

 

These are but a sample, you need to spend several years in Cape Town to experience everything! :D

I loved your list of "things to do" in and around Cape Town - while I have been there before (8 years ago and 32 years ago) my partner has not visited and I found your list the most useful and informative source of information I have found so far. Thank you !! We are in and around Cape Town for 8 days ahead of joining the Queen Mary 2 on 28th January 2014 and are staying close to the V & A area. For half of the time we will have a car, so we should be able to get through quite a bit of your list !!

My only questions are do you have any new thoughts or additions to your list since you wrote it, and do you know of anything special that might be on in Cape Town around the time we are visiting ?

Surely the key concern with any cruise is the actual cruise itself and not the hour or less that you'll spend in any cruise terminal or embarkation tent/shed (whatever).

 

I'll add that I disembarked in Brisbane at the Grain Terminal in March of this year, the process and facilities seemed fine to me.

Fair comment - I believe firmly that "there is no second chance to make a first impression" and that Cunard should be aware of that and want the embarkation to reflect the best that the passengers will see on the cruise.

Whatever happens with embarkation - and it seems from a number of comments above that Cape Town is a bit of a mess - I am sure the cruise will be wonderful. Thank you for your comment.

Well, I don't know where you parked -- but the public carpark there is fully bituminised and there is no mud between the carpark and the terminal. ??? BTW -- how do you find the parking within several hundred metres of OPT in Sydney??? :)

 

I have collected people from a ship calling into the Grain wharf -- on a very wet and blustery day. The only problem I had was holding the umbrella up with my third hand while carrying luggage with the other two!!

 

Barry

Barry,

We did not have to worry about parking in Sydney - we had no car with us and only had to walk from Circular Quay from a ferry. But it was a very quick and efficient check in and we were whisked through and were in our room in 15 minutes.

I hope that I have gained an unrepresentative impression of the facilities in Brisbane, and that we will have a smooth arrival in Brisbane on 21st February on the QM2. It is interesting that the port told me however that Cunard is building a large marque for the arrival.

Anyway I am confident from everything we have heard and read that the 24 nights on the QM2 will be wonderful and I will be thoroughly converted to cruising (as mypartner already is)

Thank you for your comments over the last few days.

ausethanol - I would say from arriving at the Convention Centre to boarding the ship took about 1-2 hours. Pre-cruise we stayed at the Best Western Cape Suites which turned out to be just up the road from the embarkation point. If we hadn't had luggage we could have walked it.

Thank you 2irisheyes !! We will hope that Cunard can get its collective act together and board passenger much faster this year !! You don't get a second chance to make a first impression !!

We are staying at Canal Quays which is just under 500 metres walk (or 2 minutes drive) away from the convention centre (which in anycase is listed as the closest place to catch a bus). So I guess that we could go down first and have a look at what is going on at the Convention centre before coming down with our bags. We should have a view from our balcony just across the water from where the QM2 moors, so hopefully we can keep an eye on what is happening on the 2 days she spends in Cape Town.

Fingers crossed that Cunard have learned a little from previous experiences and be ready to process the arriving passengers, promptly and efficiently. Surely it is only a matter of Cunard having enough people and facilities to process the embarking passengers and enough consideration for their Cunard customers that they can make the operation a fast and efficient one.

ausethanol - (mentioned earlier) embarkation in Cape Town in 2013 took place at the Good Hope Convention Centre. Check your final paperwork/tickets.

 

The main delay was at the Convention Centre. As an earlier poster advised, it might be better if you arrive later. At least there are seats and refreshments.

 

For those who wonder why Cunard and other cruiselines use ports without proper cruise passenger facilities my answer, in the case of Cape Town, is that it is a great place to visit (not just pass through) and it was part of the attraction in booking the sector. Smaller ships are able to dock at the V&A port area which I am sure would have decent facilities.

Thank you for your messages. I have been in Cape Town a number of times in the past but my partner has not been there before so we are spending 8 days in and around Cape Town before we embark on the cruise.

Thank you for flagging the Convention centre - we have booked in a place that is very close to the convention centre and I think will have a view of the ship as it comes in the day before we board. By the way how long did it take to go through embarkation for you ?

I agree that Cape Town has a lot to offer - for that reason I do not understand why the port authorities would not invest in decent facilities, and attract more cruise ships. It appears the only ships based out of South Africa are MSC out of Durban, which appears to have won out over Cape Town.

Again thank you for your reply. Bill

There is a new terminal now at the Grain Wharf. It is vastly superior to what existed a couple of years ago when QM2 visited in the rain. We have done a full World Cruise embarkation and disembarkation there - and have also visited for the day on other ships. It is perfectly satisfactory for either purpose - and in many respects superior to MANY other cruise terminals around the World (including the Brisbane one further up the river) .

There is at least ample space for visitor parking and plenty of space for multiple buses for shuttles/shore tours to manouvre). Toilets, seating, helpful porters and Customs/Immigration Officers. Just don't talk to me about the so-called "Overseas Passenger Terminal" in Sydney -- nor the Mayflower Wharf or maybe even the entire dockyard facility at Southampton :(

 

If Cunard or the other cruiselines crossed off all ports in the World where they either berth at commercial dockyards, or which are more than an hour away from the local city of interest or which require tendering -- then half of the ports of the World would be off the charts :)) . How often does Cunard (or any other cruise lines visit Capetown) - and how interested are they in contributing something to build facilities there?

 

Barry

Barry, I was speaking of the arrival of the Sea Princess on 13th April 2013. It was raining, and when picking up our guests, we had to park several hundred metres away and the passengers had to walk across the muddy area with no cover or offer of any. It had been raining for several days beforehand - plenty of time for the port or Cunard to prepare. Cars were not allowed to come closer to pick up passengers and we spent most of the day apologising for the "Welcome to Brisbane" from Princess lines and the Port of Brisbane. We know two couples who are going around Australia on the forthcoming QM2 World Cruise and are flying to Sydney to board rather than go through the Port of Brisbane. After seeing your comment I rang the Port Of Brisbane and even they do do not claim to have a Cruise Terminal anywhere other than Portside- up the river -where only the smaller ships can venture, and then only one in the river at a time. Also they (Port of Brisbane) have done no new work since April this year. POB also told me that Cunard will be erecting a large marque for passengers - a pretty clear sign that they think the facilities are poor.

My only previous cruising experience was a short Cruise on the Carnival Spirit earlier this year and we were in our cabin within 15 minutes of arriving to embark. (there were plenty of problems with the Spirit but they were good at the embarkation through the Ocean Terminal) It was raining in Sydney but unlike Brisbane Grain Terminal there was plenty of cover.

I may not have your cruising experience but I stick by my comment that I wonder why cruise lines would bother going to a port with such poor facilities. Maybe they won't soon if the Billion dollar facility on the Gold Coast that is being heavily supported by the state government, proceeds. That would be much less convenient for people in Brisbane and then maybe Port of Brisbane will wake up and think about decent facilities - just when it is too late.

It was interesting that in 1990 when the larger wingspan Boeing 747-400 came into service, and then again a few years ago when the Airbus A380 went into service, airport complained about the capital that would be needed to modify the airports to take the larger planes. When faced with the choice of having them or not every airport given the opportunity of having the new aircraft found the money to make the changes. Lets hope the slow decision making of port authorities catches up with the reality of larger ships.

In 2012 we had some 800 to 1,000 passengers embarking at Capetown, most of them Australians.

Thank you for that information.

Then don't queue for embarkation!!

 

 

Arrive late(ish)-- with a book - sit on a seat in the shade (if possible) and WATCH the queue dwindle away. Be like the Queen -- arrive after everybody else has -- they will have a personal seat (on an aircraft) /cabin (on a cruiseship) waiting just for you :)

 

 

Barry

Thanks for the suggestion Bazzaw !! I guess we will be on the ship for 24 nights so arriving an hour or two later will not make any difference !! And at least we do not have to worry about missing out on overhead locker space !!

Embarking at any port is the responsibility of the port authorities and not the ship line. I'm lucky as I embark in Adelaide which is not a major entry point on the World Cruise. But everything works very well.

Pushka, You may be right legally, but it is the first link to the Cruise company and it would seem to me that the Cruise companies have plenty of weight to throw around, telling the local authorities that unless they get it right, they will not come into that port again. I have seen it suggested on Cruise Critic that Cape Town may go off the Cunard list for similar reasons. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression !!

Frankly I wonder why Cunard is coming into Brisbane though it suits us, as we live in Brisbane. The Cruise Terminal is up the river at Hamilton (a good facility and convenient position to the city) but can not take larger liners like QM2. The alternative at the main port at the mouth of the Brisbane River is the "Grain Terminal Wharf" !! (the name says it all) I have never boarded there but have picked people up there and it is appalling. (actually looking at it on Google maps it looks a lot like the Cape Town berth) Last time we picked up visitors there it was raining, the berth was a sea of mud and you had to park several hundred metres away, with no cover between where you come off the ship and where you get into cars. It was predictable as it was in the wet season, so Port Of Brisbane should hang its collective head in shame, and get a new facility built immediately. But the cruise company did not do anything either. We have Brisbane friends who are travelling on the QM2 World Cruise circumnavigation of Australia and are flying to Sydney to do a Sydney to Sydney journey rather than go through Brisbane. If Adelaide has a cruise terminal that can handle large ships you are fortunate that the authorities in your state have more foresight than in Queensland.

It is just a bit busy & frenetic. Cunard staff seemed to be mixed with port staff, they all tried but there was a lack of communication and coordination. It requires the passengers to be alert and continually asking what's hoping on. It was also very packed, a constant stream of folks arriving and we'd been hanging around for hours after arriving early am from a 12 hour London flight.

 

Fortunately, Cunard handled the am arrival superbly and we got a breakfast at a good hotel on the Waterfront and a guided bus tour of the City.

 

Have to say, the QM2 is a spectacular ship. It was our first time on board and the scale and size of the ship are magnificent - and as Cape Town is incredible, it was al worthwhile.

We have never heard anything but praise for QM2 when onboard, so we are really looking forward to being on it for 24 nights from Cape Town to Brisbane. Do you remember where you had to go first up in Cape Town before getting on the buses and was boarding paperwork handled at the first point or in the tents by the ship. I guess what I am really asking is where were the delays ?

Also do you remember roughly how many people were boarding in Cape Town ?

I am one of those Aussies who does not handle queues well. In my only other cruise experience a 3 day Sydney to Melbourne trip on the Carnival Spirit, there were many things I did not like but one thing that Carnival did very well was the embarkation which was quick and efficient - no more than 15 minutes from arrival at the embarkation point to being in our cabin. ( the Spirit has more passengers than QM2 and all were joining in Sydney) I am concerned from what you and others have said that Cunard is not that efficient at handling the embarkation.

I was on the 2012 World Cruise on Queen Mary 2. We were delayed in Cape Town overnight because of storm force winds whipping across the area where we were docked. It was the correct decision to stay...and our "bonus" was an extra night in that bustling city. We did, however, pay a "price" - we had no time to step ashore on Mauritius which was a disappointment for me because I have always wanted to visit the island. We did stop but just to embark and disembark passengers in very rough seas I might add. The weather in the Indian Ocean that year was mixed but there were strong winds for days on end from memory but Queen Mary 2 is a proper liner, not a ship carrying a floating block of flats on her deck. It was steady as you go because it takes a lot to make Queen Mary 2 rock and roll! If I'm not having a "senior moment" I think after we left Durban we were nine or 10 days a sea until we reached Freo on our first of two visits. Have a good voyage. :)

Portholepete, Thank you for this informative reply. We are having a week in and around Cape Town before we embark so hope we will not have any extra time there, especially as I have not visited Durban and Mauritius since 1981 !! I like your reference to the "block of flats" and your familiarity with Australia demonstrated by your "Freo" reference !! We will have to keep our fingers crossed for good weather !!

We boarded in Cape Town for the last leg of the World cruise this year. It was hopeless. We were stuck in that weird centre, a bus ride away from the port. It was pure chaos. Very cumbersome embarkation process.

 

It was ok getting on board once we left the coach - which probably lost it's suspension on that awful unmade access area.

Pies4u - Thank you for the warning - I guess I was starting to fear that it was something like that when I saw that there were only 2 cruise ships going into Cape Town between late November and the end of January - the second being QM2 - and that the only cruise ships operating out of South Africa were based from Durban. You would think that Cunard could insist on or organise something better on the basis that "you don't get a second chance to make a first impression". Did you feel that they "Washed their hands" of the process before people boarded the ship ? Anyway I really appreciate you taking the time to provide the alert.

We are also embarking at Capetown for this cruise and I still have no idea of where we're even supposed to go! We're heading up table mountain the afternoon/evening before, so maybe I'll just look toward the water, spot a big ship, and head in that direction ;)

With a bit of sleuthing on the internet I have found that for the last two years the QM2 has berthed at a point directly across the water from the Convention Centre, access to which is Portside road, at the end past the tanker basin. Presumably it will do so again. We are staying in a hotel which happily, should provide a view of the ship. We are getting to Cape Town a week early to do a little pre -cruise tourism.

We are embarking on the Queen Mary 2 in Cape Town on 28th January 2014 for a Cruise back home to Brisbane. While my partner has cruised a lot, I am new to both cruises and this forum.

How difficult is boarding in Cape Town ? Is the QM2 likely to dock close to the V & A area ? The ship arrives in Cape Town on the 27th and we board on the 28th in the afternoon. I wonder if there are likely to be a lot of passengers boarding in Cape Town ?

Also I saw a comment on Cruise Critic that the last two times into Cape Town departure was significantly delayed - I assume due to weather. Is this likely to be a problem and how are the sailing conditions in the Indian ocean at this time of the year ?

I would appreciate any advice.