4 January Cape Town to Singapore cruise

[frantic36]

Since being on this cruise board I have enjoyed reading others' tales of cruises they have done. So I will attempt to write about our upcoming cruise and the places we visit.

 

We have been here in Cape Town since New Years Eve. The V & A Waterfront area is a busy vibrant area where you have many options for booking tours both on the water, in the air and on land. It has an abundance of restaurants both high end and the usual cafes and fast food places all in a lovely setting. The shopping choices are huge ranging from high end......Gucci, Prada etc to Zara to multiple small boutiques with a wide range of goods.

 

Our first day was low key after our long journey from Perth. We rested in the afternoon after exploring the waterfront. We had a late meal booked on the restaurant on the top floor of the Westin Hotel so we could see the fireworks over at the waterfront without dealing with the crowds. The meal was reasonable and they even had dancing on the ground floor which we enjoyed while waiting for the big event.

 

The next day (1 January), we went back to the waterfront and took a helicopter flight for an hour down to Cape Point. They had someone else wanting to do this and by sharing it worked out much cheaper then a private flight. The views from the air were spectacular and I will attempt later to post some photos. The lady we shared the flight with had just spent four weeks doing some volunteer work at a game reserve in South Africa.......her usual job was a high level corporate in Melbourne, Australia. We ended up having lunch together after the flight and enjoyed both the food and the company.

 

Just quickly we have had had two seafood meals here and if you are a fan of seafood........the variety of choice, freshness and flavour and coming from Australia the overall cost, is wonderful.

 

2 January, yesterday, we caught a taxi to the Cable car at 10am. Even though we had online tickets we still had to queue for over an hour to get the cable car to the top. It still was better then not having a ticket as that queue was even worse. The view was wonderful though maybe not as spectacular for my DH and I as we had done the flight the day before. We didn't eat up there as Seabourn friends we had met at breakfast who had been there the day before had let us know it was disappointing. A lovely couple from Durban we had met in the queue told us the restaurant at Kirstenbosch Gardens was good.......as we were heading there next we waited to eat. We had to queue for about 30 minutes to get the cable car down. My tip is to go first thing in the morning to avoid the queue and have a light weight jumper as it can get cool on the top of the mountain.

 

We easily caught a taxi to the Gardens and had a lovely meal at the restaurant which was in a great setting with a large menu. I tried Bunny Chow a Durban speciality the young couple had recommended. It can be a type of Malay meat curry, in this case lamb. This is served in a special bun. It was delicious. The gardens were wonderful and we opted to just wander but they have hourly shuttle tours which could be interesting. Lots of families around in various spots enjoying picnics in a beautiful setting.

 

Dinner last night at Baia consisted of delicious baby Eastern lobster grilled with butter and a pear, rocket and walnut salad. There were four lobsters and they were delicious!!

 

This morning we are off for a full day of the Cape Peninsular and I will report back later.

[nowornever]

further installments. Have a wonderfully calm & happy trip & we'll be with you in spirit...especially during Trivia. Safe & happy travels.....

[Mr Luxury]

Good report Julie,

 

Having breakfast on the Sojourn,we are about three hours away from Cape Town.

 

We will shop at the V&A this afternoon before packing for our departure tomorrow.

 

Looking forward to lunch with you and Keith tomorrow.

 

Many Aussies will be aboard for your trip and Margo is planning an Australia Day celebration which I am sure that you will be press ganged into helping with.

 

 

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[redheadednancy]

Julie, John, etc. We are very jealous sitting here in Florida but as we would love to do the Capetown part. Maybe next year. We are enjoying gorgeous weather and fun times with friends from all over who are wintering here. Keep reporting Julie so I can live vicariously!!.

[frantic36]

3 January

 

We were picked up by our guide/driver at 8am for our drive to Cape Point. We went through the various seaside areas scubas Sea Point, Bantry Bay and Camp’s Bay and there was a definite affluent seaside resort feel to these areas. As it was a Saturday and holiday time even this early in the morning it was getting very busy at the beaches.

 

We went to through Chapman’s Peak area to get to Cape Point. On the way we saw a group of Ostriches and also the inevitable groups of Baboons. There are signs all over the area warning people to be careful of the baboons as they will try to get into the cars if any windows are open in order to get food. Our guide told us that people with homes close to the National park will have security bars on their windows for two reasons:

1) To protect against human theft.

2) The Baboons have been known to throw rocks to break windows to get into houses for food.

 

When we reached Cape Point we had an hour to explore. We were given the option to take the funicular to the top where the lighthouse was or walk. As we needed to stretch our legs we walked. It was only about 10 minutes walk up for us. at the top we spied a path that just below that led further to the end of the peak. As the gradient looked reasonable we decided to explore. I am glad we did it as the views out to the furthermost point and then looking back up the coasts on both sides, were wonderful, but it was steeper then it first seemed. The path was only half a metre wide with a very steep drop down to the water. I did check with Keith whether I should know if he had taken out a new insurance policy ? When we got back to our driver he was sitting with other guides and they were all impressed we had done that walk but it was definitely worth it if you can.

 

When we left Cape point it was now about 11.30 and the queue of cars trying to get into the parking area was very long and patience would have been required. Our guide said it is always best to start early to beat the crowds, especially at holiday periods and on weekends.

 

Next stop was the Cape of Good Hope but as it was again crowded so I was fine to take one quick photo and leave. We would sail past The Cape in a few days anyway.

 

Next was the Penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach. They have only made this their home for 25 years and no one knows why they chose this area. They are the South African Cape Penguin (also known as Jack A** (substitute ss for *) Penguin because of the loud Braying call ). There are board walks to protect them and the beach but they have been known to wander up into people’s gardens. So people with homes close to the beach have put wire mesh under front hedges and trees to stop them getting in. Apparently they make a mess with their smelly droppings.

 

We stopped at Simons Town for lunch which we had at Harbour House. We enjoyed grilled prawns and ribs on the balcony overlooking the waterfront. I took a photo of the sculpture of Just Nuisance the Great Dane Dog who was the Navy Mascot. He was given a Able Seamen enlistment so he could get on the trains with his Navy mates……otherwise the train authorities would keep him off.

 

Back to Cape Town where we visited the colourful houses of Bo Kaap where many Cape Malay people live. The houses were all painted white but when the Cape Malay families were given their freedom they made their mark by introducing gelato colours to the house exteriors. If I had more time I would love to organise a food experience tour here as from all I have heard the food flavours are spicy and delicious.

 

A busy day but wonderful to experience so many different things.

Edited January 6, 2015 by frantic36

[frantic36]

Today we were leaving the Westin. After repacking our suitcases…..a chore I dislike…….we checked out of the hotel. We happened to meet up with other Seabourn friends in the lobby so we organised to share a hotel van with them to the ship. At 170 Rand for all our multiple bags and the convenience we felt it was a good deal.

 

When we got to the ship it was an easy check in as we were early. We sent our bags on board, apart from one carryon with our valuables which we kept and we headed off to lunch with Mr L and his good wife. They were staying at The 12 Apostles Hotel in Camp’s Bay for the day as they had a light evening flight.

 

We caught a taxi in the port area. Cyril was a nice man to chat with but we were taken for the suckers we can be. He took us via the beach way which was much slower due to traffic and cost us twice as much as if he had taken us the smarter route through the hills. Needless to say even though we had taken his card we didn’t use him for the return journey and won’t use him if we return to Cape Town. Mr L kindly organised with the hotel to use their shuttle to get back to the V & A Waterfront. This took us via the hills and it was just as scenic as the beach view and only half the time. Seabourn also had a shuttle service from the V & A back to the ship, so that was handy.

 

The 12 Apostles is a beautiful hotel with lovely views and lovely appointments throughout, both in the rooms and the dining facilities. There were hammocks scattered in secluded areas in the back gardens where you could escape to peace and quiet. We had lunch overlooking the coastal view and the food was good. The staff were lovely and just as friendly and helpful as what we have experienced on Seabourn. It would be a hotel I would be happy to stay in.

 

We got back to the ship by 6.15pm, after some last minute shopping at the V & A. Our bags were in our room so after unpacking we changed for dinner, casual night, and headed out for a meal for two. We saw more people we knew from previous cruises and agreed to catch up over the coming days. Only a light dinner tonight after our lunch. We went to the show which was The Tygerberg Children’s Choir who have performed in competitions all over the world……and frequently got first or second place. After listening to them I understand why. They all had beautiful voices and their harmony was brilliant. They got two standing ovations and the audience were very impressed.

 

Off to the club to socialise and dance. There were quite a few on the dance floor so that was fun so we stayed for about two hours before finally heading to bed. It was nice to be back onboard.:)

[Mr Luxury]

Hi Julie,good to see you and Keith for lunch.

Flight home was good and we are now back in London which is not too cold and a bit mild for the time of year.

 

Hope you all had a good sail away and that the weather stays fine.

 

Keep the reports coming.

 

Oh,have you met Margo yet and Kell and Mary from Sydney,say hi from us.

 

 

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[Chairsin]

Julie,

What a wonderful detailed narrative. So glad you are having a grand time. Sorry about the taxi rip off -- it happened to us last year Dubrovnik and initially really annoyed me but I decided to let it go and not ruin my trip. Can't wait for your next installment. It will help keep my Seabourn longing at bay until we board the Legend in April for the final little ship cruise. I am a little disappointed you did not go swimming with the great whites!🐋

 

 

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[cwisleman]

Thanks Julie for stopping by to introduce yourself and the nice complement regarding my bird photos. Following is link to those I have photographed thus far on this voyage. As I mentioned we are leaving the ship for a few days for some birding at the Makakantana Lodge where I should be like a baby in toyland with over 500 species to seek out!

Cliff

[Chairsin]

Cliff,

Marvelous pictures! Hope you get yo see my favorite African bird the Lilac Breasted Roller. Enjoy the cruise and glad you met up with Julie and Keith.

 

 

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[Mr Luxury]

Great photos as always Cliff.

 

Good to meet you on the Christmas cruise.

 

 

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[foxland]

Time for another instalment Julie ..

 

Or have you slipped under the Seabourn Spell .. nothing to do and all day to do it .. pure luxury ..

 

Perth is hot and quiet without you ..

 

Allan

[Chairsin]

As Julie has full days of adventures planned for many of the ports I expect we will not get our next installment until the first sea day and she has a chance to catch her breath and collect her thoughts.

 

 

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[Mr Luxury]

As Julie has full days of adventures planned for many of the ports I expect we will not get our next installment until the first sea day and she has a chance to catch her breath and collect her thoughts.

 

 

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She should get out of bed early like her husband Keith then Julie will have more time to post for our pleasure.

[cwisleman]

Cliff,

Marvelous pictures! Hope you get yo see my favorite African bird the Lilac Breasted Roller. Enjoy the cruise and glad you met up with Julie and Keith.

 

 

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Lilac Breasted Roller

[Chairsin]

Oh, thank you! I think that bird is so beautiful. You made my day.

 

 

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[frantic36]

As Julie has full days of adventures planned for many of the ports I expect we will not get our next installment until the first sea day and she has a chance to catch her breath and collect her thoughts.

 

 

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Thanks Chairsin,

 

Your absolutely correct. We have been very busy over the last few days and seen many wonderful sights. Even here in Maputo we had a great guide and enjoyed our day. I will try and catch up over the next couple of days as they are sea days. It is lovely, hot and sunny here so off to enjoy rest of the day before we set sail. Mr L we haven't had any rain since the day we sailed out of Cape Town.

 

Julie :)

Edited January 13, 2015 by frantic36

[Chairsin]

Julie,

Well I will just let my anticipation build until you have a chance to catch us up on your experiences. So happy to hear your weather has been delightful.

 

 

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[frantic36]

We did the Stellenbosch Wine and Chocolate pairing tour. We woke to a cold, wet and foggy day. We were lucky though as our tour was about an hour out of town so we had some drizzly patches only. Those that stayed in Cape Town experienced some quite heavy downpours.

 

Our guide was knowledgable and well spoken and gave information regarding the ares we drove through. She was able to answer questions asked of her, which is always a good thing :).

 

We had a 50 minute stop in Stellenbosch which was too short for me. It is a lovely University town with lovely old buildings and a thriving Cafe and wine culture. I opted to visit the museum which is four separate houses representing four different eras. Each one had a guide dressed in costume who could help with information. It was well done. My DH went for a wander through the tree lined streets and admired some of the modern sculptures scattered around.

 

We then headed to Boschendal Winery. Here we had the wine and chocolate pairing. This consisted of two whites, a red and a dessert wine paired with their paired various flavoured chocolate. We had to first smell the paired combination wine and chocolate and then taste. It was an interesting experience and they were well matched. I enjoyed it but again we had only about an hour so it seemed rushed. We then headed back to the ship which also took an hour.

 

Though the tour was well organised it reminded me why I prefer to organise my own as I have more flexibility with where I spend my time.

 

We did head to the Sky Bar just after 4pm to see if we could identify anyone for the meet and mingle. But we had no luck and as it was quite cool we headed inside to the Observation Lounge to warm up with a cup of tea. I am sorry if we missed people if you were there.

 

The next day was a Sea Day. My husband and I have opted for the Serene Package so we can use the area in the Spa. This is because we are in an Ocean View this time for the first time and have no balcony to escape to.

 

A few observations. The room is only minimally smaller 5 cms (~2ins). It also feels smaller because the window is about two thirds the size of the ones in the smaller ships. We are on the Starboard side and it seems the gangway is deployed more often from this side. This means you will hear them setting up when docking. Also because you are right next to the dock people can see into the room so you need to have at least your sheer curtains drawn for privacy.

 

Now I just wish to state again these are observations and not complaints. We are early risers anyway and are able to adapt to situations so we have modified habits to make it work for us. Our Stewardess Berta is new to Seabourn but very helpful for requests, kind and keeps our room well looked after. It is good to experience the difference but would probably opt to stay in the Verandah suites from now on. This may be tricky for our next cruise in January 2016 as we have booked a Portside Ocean View and the only midship Verandah left is a V2 interconnecting and we don't like interconnecting. Any reassurances about interconnecting rooms?

 

Formal night saw many well dressed people but no long dresses that I saw. I will be wearing one on the next formal night but it is not a ball gown. Another observation......on the elegant casual there is a definite mix of men in jacket or no jackets and generally everyone still looks very smart.

 

Hopefully I will catch up over the next two sea days. I am still trying to work out how to post photos properly. Cliff I might look to you for guidance.

 

 

Julie

Edited January 14, 2015 by frantic36

[lincslady]

Julie - really enjoying your reports. I would urge you not to have an interconnecting room - you can hear next door through the locked door between the suites, and the balcony has a strangely divided divider, not entirely satisfactory. We have done window suites, which to us are fine, but choose the port side as we noticed on the starboard side not only were you usually next to the dock, but in the aft ones you can hear sounds because there is a staff door and staircase down on that side - port preferable in these suites. Hope this is helpful.

[frantic36]

Thank you lincslady for your help regarding the interconnecting rooms.

 

To save some doubling up and because I am having trouble today with my copying and pasting, I am inserting the link to my blog. This way you can also see some photos. :)

 

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/juliezm/1/1420643221/tpod.html

[Chairsin]

Wonderful blog!

 

 

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[PaulaJK]

Julie,

 

If you had a pvt guide and would feel comfortable sharing his/her name, I would appreciate the lead as we will be going there this winter.

Thanks Paula

[cwisleman]

Great blog and photos. Thanks for posting.

Cliff

[frantic36]

Julie,

 

If you had a pvt guide and would feel comfortable sharing his/her name, I would appreciate the lead as we will be going there this winter.

Thanks Paula

 

Paula our travel agent organised private tours in most of our Africa stops, including Maputo, through A and K. I am not sure whether CC will allow me to post their full name. The last name is Kent......I hope this helps. We found all the guides to be very good and enthusiastic and the vans air conditioned and very comfortable. The guide in Maputo was (Silio ?spelling). A young man studying finance and accounting who was very personable. He knew a lot but if he didn't was honest and said so. The questions that stumped him were ones about some food in the Central Market. The history questions he was very good on.

 

Just waiting to see if we get into Madagascar. The seas are very rough and we are still hoping but I would not be surprised if we end up sailing past.

 

Julie

Edited January 16, 2015 by frantic36