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Cape Town to Singapore

Chairsin

By Chairsin,
in Seabourn Cruise Line

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BrisbaneGran

BrisbaneGran

Posted
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I agree with this. Although we enjoyed our visit to Addo and to Tala this afternoon, there is no comparison to the time we spent in the Serengeti on a previous, non-cruise, trip.

 

I also agree with the last two comments, but time is catching up with us now, and a couple of health issues make safaris a bit too adventurous for us these days. I wish we had managed to do this a few years ago, but alas, just have to do what we can safely do now. I am so grateful we managed to do the Antarctic cruise last year. If we had left that any longer it would probably be out of the question too. I realise day trips are just a taste, but also hoping for at least one overnight, and we will be happy with whatever we get to see!

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Catlover54 Great Review Rare

Catlover54

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I also agree with the last two comments, but time is catching up with us now, and a couple of health issues make safaris a bit too adventurous for us these days. I wish we had managed to do this a few years ago, but alas, just have to do what we can safely do now. I am so grateful we managed to do the Antarctic cruise last year. If we had left that any longer it would probably be out of the question too. I realise day trips are just a taste, but also hoping for at least one overnight, and we will be happy with whatever we get to see!

 

 

 

I hear you on the safety issue, BrisbaneGran. A bit OT: I have been strongly considering doing an Antarctic cruise before I get too sick to tolerate the often wild seas down there, but even now I worry about potentially falling while getting in and out of a regular side-loading zodiak. Even though I do not fall now and can climb regular stairs, I have heard apparently you have to take a big step up sometimes, as much as 15 inches, into a wobbling zodiak boat, and that even with crew helping it can be a barrier for those who are not able to balance well and strongly on one leg with good thigh muscles to get up and on.

We can go with National Geographic ships that go to Antarctica that have nice stairs going right onto the zodiak from the end, but then those ships are so small they probably get tossed around a lot.

 

A long land based safari might be more doable as long as rest room opportunities, even if primitive, are available every 2-3 hours,.buppas I am both a safety nerd and not someone who likes holding others up, I may have to settle on just memories of our cruise ship excursions in South Africa and Namibia two years ago, and DH’s pictures, and maybe a return for more after I finish a couple other key trips.

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alidor

alidor

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Really like Shamwari and it was good that it was offered. We spent 2 nights there about 2years ago with Regent and we remember it very fondly. It was free with Regent if you booked a certain cabin category.

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wripro

wripro

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Well, yes, that’s true but it was included in the fare and we didn’t have to pay extra for it. Shamwari was wonderful!

 

You did pay extra for it. It was just included in the higher fare you paid for the cruise, like all their supposedly "free"excursions.

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2SailingNomads

2SailingNomads

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I hear you on the safety issue, BrisbaneGran... I have heard apparently you have to take a big step up sometimes, as much as 15 inches, into a wobbling zodiak boat, and that even with crew helping it can be a barrier for those who are not able to balance well and strongly on one leg with good thigh muscles to get up and on..

 

Having recently been on an incredible Seabourn Antarctica cruise, I can tell you that the crew will do everything possible to get you on and off the zodiacs safely. There were people on our cruise with not insignificant mobility issues who were able to go on every landing. Do not let rumors that are "fake" keep you from taking an incredible trip.

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2SailingNomads

2SailingNomads

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Well Chairsin - as usual you create great travelogue posts that are informative and objective and leave us wishing we were with you (and you know we do...) And between you and Roxburgh thanks for the great pictures and on-going updates. Also thanks for detailing the Valentines Day celebrations, I think that is the one "holiday" we have not been on-board for.

 

Love the wine stories (surprised, no!)

 

2SN...

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BrisbaneGran

BrisbaneGran

Posted
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I hear you on the safety issue, BrisbaneGran. A bit OT: I have been strongly considering doing an Antarctic cruise before I get too sick to tolerate the often wild seas down there, but even now I worry about potentially falling while getting in and out of a regular side-loading zodiak. Even though I do not fall now and can climb regular stairs, I have heard apparently you have to take a big step up sometimes, as much as 15 inches, into a wobbling zodiak boat, and that even with crew helping it can be a barrier for those who are not able to balance well and strongly on one leg with good thigh muscles to get up and on.

We can go with National Geographic ships that go to Antarctica that have nice stairs going right onto the zodiak from the end, but then those ships are so small they probably get tossed around a lot.

 

A long land based safari might be more doable as long as rest room opportunities, even if primitive, are available every 2-3 hours,.buppas I am both a safety nerd and not someone who likes holding others up, I may have to settle on just memories of our cruise ship excursions in South Africa and Namibia two years ago, and DH’s pictures, and maybe a return for more after I finish a couple other key trips.

 

we did the Antarctic cruise last year....TWICE, back to back. We decided that while we were there, make the most of it, as we will never get there again. There were a couple of times we opted NOT to use the zodiacs, as it was too rough, but most times we were fine. You have at least 2 crew members ON the dock to help get you into the zodiac, and an Expedition person IN the zodiac to grab you. Even with all that, my husband still managed to fall....luckily nothing broke, not even the zodiac! Don't think I heard of anyone else falling. If it looked too rough, we just didn't go...didn't happen often, usually the seas were like a lake. We also didn't have the Drake Shake at all, Drake Lake on 4 crossings! My main problem with Antarctica was the remoteness "if" something were to happen.......as we have seen just this week. We also had a person die on our cruise, that person would probably have survived if nearer a hospital. Its just something we of a certain age need to be aware of and do what is most comfortable for us! After saying all that, I am soooooo glad we went....it was the best cruise we have ever done!

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Kevnzworld

Kevnzworld

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Re:Safari

We did a three night safari prior to boarding the cruise in Capetown. If you have the time I think this is a good way to do it. We wanted the additional days and the ability to choose the game reserve. We chose Savanna and couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Great food accommodations and great game sightings in Sabi Sands which borders Kruger National Park.

We overnighted in Durban and are now heading to Reunion, four sea days away. I don’t know what others experiences were in Durban, but the better beach area is up the North coast. Urban Durban is pretty run down and not good for walking. We did walk along the Golden Mile coastal promenade yesterday morning......It was ok, but not great.

 

Lastly, another good dinner last night in the Colonnade, Italian night. I prefer Colonnade dinners, dining outdoors to the Restaurant...The smaller boutique menu and smaller venue allow for a more real restaurant experience, and I think the food is better.

We were pleased to learn that Seabourn purchased some of our favorite lower priced wine while in South Africa, Spier #5 Blend . It’s a good addition to the complementary wine selection which I mostly don’t care for.

Today is overcast, but I enjoy Sea days with or without sun!

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Chairsin

Chairsin

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I think the whole issue of an extended Safari is personal matter that depends on time, resources, interests and capabilities. We spent a month on a prior trip staying at various game parks in Kenya,Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa so on this trip it was not a priority and we simply did a couple of Day game drives. Don’t let anyone tell you there is right or wrong thing to do.

 

And speaking of game drives, even though our tour to the Tala Game Reserve was a ship tour, it worked out fine (save that proverbial one passenger who is a bit “entitled”). We were taken around the private reserve in an open vehicle (save canvas top) and even though it was quite warm we were treated to a nice mix of animal sightings. The landscape was more open and the bush less dense that at Addo so we had no trouble spotting a variety of antelope, including the magnificent Kudu, giraffe out in the open, zebras (including a couple of 10 day olds nursing), numerous ostrich and various other more colorful birds, and a group of 4 rhino lounging in the mud. We also saw parts of hippos - backs and heads - as given the temperature they decided to remain mostly submerged in their pond. I’m sure a Roxburgh, with his expert camera skills, will shortly post some pics as he and his DW were in the vehicle with us on this game drive.

 

The next day, also in Durban, we decided to take advantage of the cloud cover and get an extended dose of exercise given the upcoming four sea days. We took the ship shuttle to the UShaka Marine World and cut through the back to the beach promenade walking four miles to the Blue Lagoon and back. While it certainly wasn’t the loveliest beach ever it was fun to walk along watching the surfers, looking at very artistic sand sculptures and the entertaining monkeys who live in some of the denser planted areas. Unfortunately half way through the skies opened up and we got rather soaked. But since it was warm we continued our trek rather than taxi back to the ship- and in any event it soon let up.

 

On rather unusual event - that afternoon we all had to go into the cruise terminal for a brief face to face with the local immigration officials and have our passports stamped. Guess they want to make sure we all really left the country.

 

Last night was a special treat. We had a private dinner with the newish Corporate Sommelier. We brought a special bottle of South African Pinotage we purchased on one of our Cape Town wine country tours and he brought bottle of a Bordeaux blend he picked up at a Stellenbosch wine farm. I had ordered steak tartare a couple of days prior and it was the perfect foil for sampling these beautiful wines. And it was great fun to talk with this very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guy. He is passionate about training crew in all aspects of wine service and selection and enhancing Seabourn’s wine program. He would like to see Seabourn take advantage of more local wines (when the ports of call suit). He will be hosting a Seabourn wine tasting (as opposed to the South African tasting held earlier in this cruise) in a few days so we are very much looking forward to that as we stopped going to them on the ship a very years ago since they were all the same and rather uninteresting. 2sailingnomads wish you were here to join us in our wining!

 

 

 

 

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florisdekort

florisdekort

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We were pleased to learn that Seabourn purchased some of our favorite lower priced wine while in South Africa, Spier #5 Blend . It’s a good addition to the complementary wine selection which I mostly don’t care for.

 

 

The included wine selection on this cruise is the poorest I’ve ever experienced on Seabourn. It’s so poor in fact that we’ve started buying bottles from the premium wine list, which may very well have been Seabourn’s objective in the place... drop the quality to earn more money.

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Roxburgh

Roxburgh

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So, my update on this cruise.

 

We had our two days in Durban which we enjoyed. However, this is not a stop to get off and wander around. Despite the dire warnings in The Herald, one person did get mugged in town. Fortunately not physically hurt as I understand it.

 

We went to the Tala Private Game Reserve on day (see photos). The tour was at 11am so we missed lunch :eek:

 

Arriving back at the ship we decided to see if we could get an early reservation at the TK Grill which we could. So we dined at 6.15pm. I had the Steak Diane and my better half the Eggplant Parmagiano both washed down with a bottle of Fairview Shiraz that we had bought while in the Cape.

 

The next day we took the shuttle bus to the shopping/beach area. We spent our last 200 Rand but, more importantly, I was able to download a book which, for some reason, I could not on the ship's internet. The download took all of 10 seconds and was no bigger than the photos below.

 

Today is a sea day. The weather is warm and the swell not too bad. The trivia questions were tough today and we only got 150 points. However, in the overall standings we are just 30 points behind the leaders. I'm pretty sure we are luring them into a false sense of security.

 

3tC9II.jpg

 

tPkA1O.jpg

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2SailingNomads

2SailingNomads

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Posted
...

 

Last night was a special treat. We had a private dinner with the newish Corporate Sommelier. We brought a special bottle of South African Pinotage we purchased on one of our Cape Town wine country tours and he brought bottle of a Bordeaux blend he picked up at a Stellenbosch wine farm. I had ordered steak tartare a couple of days prior and it was the perfect foil for sampling these beautiful wines. And it was great fun to talk with this very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guy. He is passionate about training crew in all aspects of wine service and selection and enhancing Seabourn’s wine program. He would like to see Seabourn take advantage of more local wines (when the ports of call suit). He will be hosting a Seabourn wine tasting (as opposed to the South African tasting held earlier in this cruise) in a few days so we are very much looking forward to that as we stopped going to them on the ship a very years ago since they were all the same and rather uninteresting. 2sailingnomads wish you were here to join us in our wining!

 

So does that mean that Karen is ??? Or is she simply back on whatever ship her contract is for, we last saw her on the Quest - Antarctica, but I thought she still was corporate. One thing I have liked over the years, based on who was the Bar Manager (my favorite, as you well know was Dariusz who has unfortunately left Seabourn - a terrible loss for Seabourn and crushing for me personally as he was the funniest person on board any cruise I have been on) and Sommelier in many ports have gone "shopping" for local wines and beers, and depending on location also spirits (Tequila, Scotch, etc.) So I wonder if the new corporates have simply picked up on what the better crew already were doing or if this is a new directive.

 



Wining - I could enjoy that. (And like you I would be note less for frantic, go back to the suite and hmm try to remember which one was that of the 15 bottles... [sorry fellow readers, an inside joke])



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markham

markham

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I am on Sojourn now and was on Quest last month. Karen was on Quest as Sommelier and did a fine job recommending wines for us and ensuring that top ups and e.g. white wine glasses that were finished when we started our red wine were clearned.

 

Unfortunately, and for us certainly, things are not going so well in the MDR as regards the new wine service. (This is about combining functions and headcount reductions, as far as I can tell. It’s been in place for about 9 days.)

 

So about Sojourn... There is Calvin, the lead sommelier, and one assistant. Now waiters offer a white and a red “of the day” and pour them alongside everything else they do. No discussion and they offer nothing else although if you happen to have the complimentary wine list you can ask. This type of service does not work assuming you know how the extra attention of a dedicated wine staff added to the dining experience e.g. a junior food waiter last night asked us if we were finished with our white wine when we had moved on to the red. We answered No so he would not pour more white. That was apparently enough for him. He did not know enough to clear those glasses.

 

As far as the food service itself is concerned, the wine service means less attention to the food service. It took a very long time to get dessert and coffee and we had to request the tray of petit fours. Things definitely need to tighten up. This is not satisfactory.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

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Fletcher "Live from...." Rare

Fletcher

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Markham, when we were not paying attention for a moment last evening because we were engaged in a conversation, a junior food server topped up our (purchased) Dom Perignon with the included Nicolas Feuilatte...

 

Floris

 

Good heavens, what a catastrophe! I'd demand a free cruise after that faux pas.

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